January 17th, 2019

We are going to work with this paper today – a modification of last Friday’s exercise. I think that this will be helpful in formulating your own original narratives.

Narrative Bootcamp-2fvmgbc

I have a printout as well.

January 16th, 2019

A quick reminder that you should finish both your paragraph and synthesis essay by the end of class today (Print it out in the computer lab).

Turn in one that you find is weakest – that you don’t have a grasp on for tomorrow.

January 14th, 2019

So today, you should have your first provincial exam finished. If not, then it’s pretty pointless for you to be here to get the full effect of class.

This is our schedule:

  1. go over the answers. I have 10 copies of the answer key. We will spend a little time (after you’ve corrected the multiple choice) to go over the multiple choice answers. I’ll clarify the answers if you have some questions on what terms mean or justification of why an answer is what it is.
  2. Get a partner. You will grade that partner’s essay. I have what are called exemplars for you to have a focus. I will go over this 1-6 (stupid) scale for you. It’s how we used to grade the 10 Provincial and how the government grades the ones you will do.
  3. tell me the scores of what you got and we’ll figure out how you’d do in my class with the grades you’ve received.

IMPORTANT:

Tomorrow and Wednesday, we’re meeting in the computer lab to do an online test. This will be the same format as the ones you will be doing next week. You also have the entire time to complete this. You’ll hand in either your paragraph or synthesis at the end.

Thursday and Friday, you’re fine tuning your narrative essays so you’ll be fully ready. I will read them all by Friday.

January 11th, 2019

Provincial Boot-camp day 1:

  1. Overview of the test & terms and devices
  2. How to kill a 30% narrative – lecture and application / improv exercise.
  3. start the 1st provincial that will be due fully on Monday. You will be peer editing on Monday all of your 3 essays. I will be justifying answers for the multiple choice as well.

Note:

Every boot-camp is different, depending on the strength of class. Your preliminary test is my pre-assessment on how capable you are as writers. Please get this fully done by Monday as this whole week will be test after test. Tuesday and Wednesday will be in the library computer lab for a whole online test.

You should have at least three narratives going into the actual provincial next week.

You only have one grade: Provincial Boot-camp Unit. This will be for completion of at least 2 full provincials and your participation in the classroom.

January 9th, 2019

10 minutes to get everything in order, then this is who is going today:

EQUALITY: How do we know when equality is truly reached?

WISDOM: Is wisdom something that one can only gain through experience?

INNOCENCE: At what point does innocence truly cease to exist?

LOVE: What separates true vs. Regular love?

January 8th, 2019

Please finish up your presentations for tomorrow. I will pass around a sign up sheet. Hopefully we can get them all done by Wednesday. If not, that’s ok.

I also have a rubric for you:

Final Inquiry Rubric-2dgsux8

We’ll discuss this in class.

January 7th, 2019

Welcome back to class, everyone. I hope that you had a relaxing break.

These next few days will be a slow build to your final presentations before the final Provincial Boot-camp review that will start Friday. Sounds strange to start a unit on Friday, but you’ll understand when we get there.

So Monday (today) and Tuesday, you will work on the final presentation / student led discussion for Wednesday  / Thursday showtimes.

Here are the worksheets that you might have misplaced that will guide you through the next few days. While you’re working, I will be meeting with groups individually so that everyone is on the same page with my expectations. I’ll go over everything again as a review before I let you loose to work on your projects.

  1. Final Inquiry Project V2-2a0d5wq
  2. Frankenstein Final Essay-27grnjf
  3. Journal questions from Frankenstein.

December 19th / 20th / 21st, 2018

This is an official overview of the essay – due January 9th, after your final presentation.

Frankenstein Final Essay-27grnjf

Aftermath Pg. 144-174

  1. Is the creature’s demand for a female companion a valid request? Examine the pros and cons of Victor’s compliance. Consider evidence provided by both Victor and the creature.
  2. To what famous Romantic symbol is Shelley alluding when she has Victor think, “Could I enter into a festival with this deadly weight yet hanging round my neck and bowing me to the ground?”
  3. What is Victor’s greatest fear as he leaves for England? Describe the irony in his decision to continue.
  4. What evidence suggests Victor feels responsibility for the murders? What evidence illustrates that he still blames the creature?
  5. How is Victor’s view of the Scottish Orkneys a reflection of his emotional state?

5.5. How is this section related to your theme?

Aftermath Part Deux

Pg 174-223

  1. After watching his female companion torn to bits, the creature makes an eloquent defense and vows Victor will “repent of the injuries (he) inflicts.” Is the creature justified in his feelings? Why or why not? What is Shelley’s purpose in his defense?
  2. After hearing of Clerval’s murder, Victor falls ill once again. In agony, he wonders, “Why did I not die?” What would your answer be? Is there a reason for his continued anguish?
  3. For Victor and his father, what purpose would a quick marriage to Elizabeth serve? Discuss the impact on Elizabeth. What role does she continue to play? Does her death alter or perpetuate that role?
  4. Discuss the irony in Victor’s statement to the magistrate: “Man, how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom!”
  5. What is the motivation behind Victor’s vow to find and destroy his creature? Has he learned any lessons?

11.How is this section related to your theme?

 

December 18th, 2018

The Creature’s Tale

Pg. 102 – 144

  1. What imagery does Shelley employ when the character describes his “awakening?” What does his reaction remind you of?
  2. How does the change in narration to the creature’s point of view affect the reading of the novel? Do you feel sympathy for the creature when he is rejected by humanity?
  3. What crucial role in the creature’s development is played by the DeLacey family?
  4. What is the motivation behind the creature’s vow of “eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind?”
  5. How is this section related to your theme?

December 17th, 2018

Spend 15 minutes getting everything back into your head again. We will spend a little time with the questions from last week and then you have 30 minutes to complete the AP quiz that I promised last Friday.

I will correct it after class.

December 14th, 2018

This is a smaller class today – so do the reading and have the questions prepared for Monday. Today is work to get that done. Please don’t waste it.

Consequences: Chapter 6-10

Pg. 63-102

Questions:

  1. Who is at fault for William’s death? Is anyone other than the murderer responsible for what happened?
  2. How might Justine’s trial have differed in today’s court system?
  3. How does Victor’s guilt affect his health? What is Shelley’s purpose in this recurring plot device?
  4. How is Victor’s reaction toward the Valley of Chamounix a departure from his previous views of nature?
  5. How is this section related to your theme? Explain.

December 13th, 2018

Today is a smaller reading section as well. This is taken from my 7 day reading plan. Please follow it – I don’t want anyone left behind.

Creation of the Monster: Chapter 3-5

Pg. 42-63

Questions:

1. Victor’s obsession with natural science results in two years passing with no visits home. How would you evaluate his character at this point?

2. Describe the shift in tone when Victor says, “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier the man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.”

3. During his summer experiment, Victor admits “his eyes were insensible to the charms of nature.” What role might nature (or the lack of it) play for Victor?

4. What message might Victor be missing when he dreams that his kiss turns Elizabeth into a corpse?

5. How is this section related to your theme? Explain.

December 12th, 2018

Today is a small silent reading section:

Victor’s Early Life: Chapter 1-2

Pg. 31-42

  1. How does Victor’s statement that “the world was to me a secret which I desired to divine” serve as characterization?
  2. How do Henry and Victor differ? Why might Shelley be setting them up as character foils?
  3. What is Shelley’s intent when she has Victor characterize Elizabeth as “the saintly soul (who) shone like a shrine-dedicated lamp in our peaceful home?” What role does this characterization set for Elizabeth?
  4. Is Victor’s fascination with the Philosopher’s Stone an admirable one?
  5. How is this section related to your theme? Explain. Find a quote to back this up.

Be prepared to answer the questions. I’ll just pick groups today in order to get the flow going better.

December 11th, 2018

“I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous.”
― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Presentation:

IDENTITY: Why is an individual’s identity important?

You should finish the letters in Frankenstein and go through the four questions. You only need one document for all members, but everyone should participate at the end of the class.

1. Is Walton a reliable narrator? Why or why not?
2. Is Walton’s goal to “confer on all mankind . . . a passage near the pole” noble or
overly ambitious?
3. How does Robert’s desire for a friend affect his relationship with Dr. Frankenstein?
How might this relationship affect the reader’s trust in Walton as a reliable narrator?

Day 2 on the schedule tomorrow.

December 10th, 2018

“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”
― Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein

Let’s finish the presentations today, starting with VIRTUE. Here are the rest of the groups that need to go:

VIRTUE: Can a truly virtuous person really exist in contemporary society?

IDENTITY: Why is an individual’s identity important?

AUTHORITY: How is authority portrayed in society today?

LOVE: What separates true vs. Regular love?

After that, you have some time to read the first part of Frankenstein without my help (until tomorrow) so that everything will be in order for our plan. Remember – it’s simple:

  1. Do the reading (20 mins and you can take the book home)
  2. answer the questions with your inquiry group
  3. discuss the questions as a class

After each section, we will come up with a theme statement that is directly related to your question and research for your theme. If all goes well, we will have this done by next Wednesday.

This last few weeks is going to be quite intense, but I know that we can get through, as long as you’re focused and use your time well.

Can’t read without spacing out? Here’s a link to the entire audiobook that you can download. Click on Boris Karloff (The Monster).

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Free Audio Book)

Here is the schedule:

Reading Guide 7 day plan-2eyqg5b

December 7th, 2018

“Books have a unique way of stopping time in a particular moment and saying: Let’s not forget this.”
― Dave Eggers

Today is a presentation day. Take 10 minutes to get everything ready. The groups will be going in the order that follows. I will take notes as a criticism of your work together so far.

Monday, we start Frankenstein and the 5th section of your inquiry. I will have a reading schedule on my blog, but expect this schedule until the break except for Friday the 14th:

  1. Reading 20 minutes
  2. Group work answering questions 20 minutes
  3. Class discussion 20 minutes (Extra time if needed.)

The order of the day:

EQUALITY: How do we know when equality is truly reached?

WISDOM: Is wisdom something that one can only gain through experience?

INNOCENCE: At what point does innocence truly cease to exist?

VIRTUE: Can a truly virtuous person really exist in contemporary society?

IDENTITY: Why is an individual’s identity important?

AUTHORITY: How is authority portrayed in society today?

LOVE: What separates true vs. Regular love?

December 6th, 2018

“Artists use lies to tell the truth. Yes, I created a lie. But because you believed it, you found something true about yourself.”
― Alan Moore, V for Vendetta

Here is the last individual section for the inquiry:

Inquiry 4 of 5-210mlmp

If you’re worried about what to do tomorrow, I have made a checklist and a rationalization for what I will be grading on in a separate document. This document is below:

Inquiry Informal presentation-1szheq2

Get to work as we don’t have time tomorrow for anything but presentations.

December 5th, 2018

“The question isn’t whether the world is perfect.
The real question to consider is: If it were, would you still be in it?”
― Eric Micha’el Leventhal

I have added another section to this week of your inquiry.

Inquiry guided 3 of 5-up8pog

This is regarding the non-fiction academic part of your inquiry, which for some is the bed-rock of this whole assignment.

I like to start with fiction, because that is how I always find out truth. Some like concrete examples of a theme. I will show you a great resource you might already know about.

https://scholar.google.ca/

Since this is a research project by definition, I’d like for you to also give some examples of your own research methods.

December 4th, 2018

“As a writer of philosophy, it’s good to ask oneself, ‘Will I still believe this a week from now, or months, or even years?”
― Criss Jami, Killosophy

What I’d like to do first is come up with a definition to inquiry. Think about:

a. what inquiry projects you have completed before.

b. what does it mean to search for knowledge? How is it different from completing a task?

c. How can you ask the right questions in order to get answers that invoke wonder and desire for more? In other words: How do I know I’m asking the right questions?

I will open a document and put it on my blog, here.

You are all working on finishing the package based on the poem you chose about your inquiry theme. I feel as though there isn’t a true reason for why you’re doing what you’re doing, so I am going to have you discuss with the class what you are looking for in regards to your chosen theme.

And if you’re done with the poetry, I’d like for you to start on part two of this base knowledge acquisition:

Inquiry Guided 2 of 5-1t0ysl5

I will go over it in class. Please stay diligent with this project. Missing or slacking on just one day can jeopardize what I have planned in the near future.

Inquiry Notes & Definition-225eucq

December 3rd, 2018

“It is a test [that] genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.”

— T. S. Eliot, from the essay “Dante.”

This today, is your first foray into the world of guided inquiry. I’d like to start with what you know about inquiry. What your personal experiences have been…

Next, I will show you a poem that I hold very highly in regard to my own life when dealing with the theme of IDENTITY. Here are my notes on this poem:

a. THEME: Identity

b. POEM: Lovely Memory by Yun Dong Ju

c. THEME STATEMENT: Identity can be perfected through the chances an individual takes.

d. SUMMARY: This narrative poem is about a young man who takes the train from Manchuria to Tokyo. During the trip, he thinks of Hope and Love as his companions as he undertakes this long journey. He longs for companionship. His identity is shown through a want of friendship in an unknown land.

사랑스런 추억: Loving Memory
By 윤동주
English Translation by Myung-Ho Lee, MD, FACC

봄이 오던 아침,
서울 어느 쪼그만 정거장에서 희망과
사랑처럼 기차를 기다려,
나는 플랫폼에 간신한 그림자를 떨어뜨리고,
담배를 피웠다.
On one spring morning as it has arrived,
While waiting for a train as if it were ‘hope and affection’
On platform of one small Seoul’s station,
I’ve cigarette lighted
With my shadow in desperation rested.

내 그림자는 담배연기 그림자를 날리고,
비둘기 한 떼가 부끄러울 것도 없이
나래 속을 속,속, 햇빛에 비춰 날았다.
As my shadow set off shades of cigarette smokes,
A group of pigeons without any shameful chokes
Upon the reflections of sunrays, flew over.
With their wings exposed from corner to corner.

기차는 아무 새로운 소식도 없이
나를 멀리 실어다 주어,
봄은 다 가고-
동경 교외 어느 조용한 하숙방에서
옛거리에 남은 나를 희망과 사랑처럼 그리워한다.
The train took my body here to a remote site
And spring has gone all without any news.
As if hope and love, I miss my self I left on the old street
In Tokyo’s outskirt, at a quiet boarding house,

오늘도 기차는 몇 번이나 무의미하게 지나가고,
오늘도 나는 누구를 기다려
정거장 가차운 언덕에서 서성거릴 게다.
– 아아 젊음은 오래 거기 남아 있거라.
Again today, pointlessly trains are passing by.
I might around the train station loiter,
Waiting for someone today.
Ah, my youth, please stay awhile over there.

This is your task:

Important: Keep this finished assignment with you  – it is part 1 of a five part inquiry project that we will be finishing at the end of this month.

  • discuss your theme with the group.
  • look online for  poem that has a good example of your theme.
  • come up with a theme statement that both summarizes the poem and connects to your theme.
  • Share it with the class.
  • Complete the handout. I have done one as a model to show you. (It will be an online scan).
  • Model YDJ 1-2id3n6w     Model YDJ 2-21tisxx
    • THIS IS DUE WEDNESDAY THE 5th of DECEMBER

November 29th, 2018

“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.”

-As you like it, Shakespeare

Your one acts are today. We will see all of the people involved. Then we will look at a poem I have found about identity – and I will show you what you will be doing on Monday.

If we have time today, I can break down what the first part of this inquiry project might look like.

  1. discuss your theme with the group.
  2. look online for  poem that has a good example of your theme.
  3. come up with a theme statement that both summarizes the poem and connects to your theme.
  4. Share it with the class.

Example:

a. THEME: Identity

b. POEM: Lovely Memory by Yun Dong Ju

c. THEME STATEMENT: Identity is made through the chances an individual takes.

d. SUMMARY: This narrative poem is about a young man who takes the train from Manchuria to Tokyo. During the trip, he thinks of Hope and Love as his companions as he undertakes this long journey. He longs for companionship. His identity is shown through a want of friendship in an unknown land.

November 28th, 2018

“Do you know why the Indian rain dances always worked? Because the Indians would keep dancing until it rained.”

― Sherman Alexie

AP test – that’s right. I didn’t forget.

You have some time to get ready for your one act, which I am very much looking forward to.

Then, at 2:35PM, it is showtime.

Tomorrow, we will finish the one acts and then we will work on the pre-inquiry project (Part 1 of 3).

Final Inquiry Project V2-29ycnk3

Also, after much deliberation, I have decided that we will be reading

Frankenstein – by Mary Shelly. I believe that this will be the best book for class, and I have an interesting unit that combines the book with the current events of society through the theme of maturity – in a completely different way. You’ll have room for creativity here as well. We start this on Tuesday.

November 25th, 2018

“Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.”
― Rumi, The Essential Rumi

Today, we will finish the spoken words and then we will have the rest of the class for you to finish your one acts that we will put on for tomorrow. If we have time, then I will start on the inquiry projects.

Just for your reference, here is the end game for the inquiry. We will have a discussion about them tomorrow or Thursday – not only for you, but for me as well.

November 24th, 2018

“Monday. Given that it means “day of the moon,” you’d think there’d be more butts involved.”

― Wataru Watari, やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている 3

Today is your spoken word. Please get everything ready. We will be going alphabetically.

If you are not going today, you incur a penalty and a cut into the one act prep day tomorrow.

Thursday will be a start on your inquiry. I have your focus themes.

November 23rd, 2018

“The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.”
― Erma Bombeck

AP Questions:

All of the following words or phrases are examples of the author’s use of
colloquialism EXCEPT

A. “plunked down,” lines 8–9.
B. “muscular river,” line 14.
C. “rubber ducky,” line 49.
D. “geek rangerette,” lines 51–52.
E. “East Jesus, New Jersey,” lines 68–69.

In the fifth and sixth paragraphs (lines 54–81), the author characterizes
the rafters by describing all of the following EXCEPT their

A. possessions
B. physical appearance
C. occupations
D. responses to nature
E. dialogue

3. The move from the first paragraph (lines 1–17) to the second (lines 18–39)
can best be described as a shift from

A. personal reminiscence to impersonal inquiry.
B. poetic description to dispassionate reasoning.
C. philosophical meditation to satiric argument.
D. minute description to explanatory generalization.
E. personal expression to objective exposition.

November 22nd, 2018

No quote today. I want to be there.

Continue to work well on your:

A. Spoken word (Due Monday)

B. One Act plays (Due Wednesday)

If you have any questions, either ask Mr. Barrazuol – who is smart – or ask me through Email and I’ll answer questions tomorrow.

Enjoy your work block.

November 21st, 2018

No Quote today.

I am proud of what you’ve accomplished so far. I’ll come around and help you if you need help.

No quote / AP question today.

The AP test will be moved to Monday.

November 20th, 2018

“That’s why I write, because life never works except in retrospect. You can’t control life, at least you can control your version.”

― Chuck Palahniuk, Stranger than Fiction

AP Question:

In the first paragraph, the author uses the reference to her ‘ninety-seven cent hot pink thongs” in order to

I. Set a tone of casual and humorous informality

II. Show the speaker’s unconcern for the expected ranger uniform

III. exemplify man’s desecration of the natural world

A. I only

B. I and II only

C. I and III only

D. II and III only

E. I, II and III

Yesterday, we talked about the parallels of spoken word and the written scene you are to write.

Just for your clarification and our talk today on the matter, here are the dates:

Monday, November 26th: Spoken Word Due (Presentation)

Wednesday, November 28th: One Act Due (presentation)

You have the class to work on these major assignments. I will be available to help at any time this block.

 

November 19th, 2018

“It is quite possible–overwhelmingly probable, one might guess–that we will always learn more about human life and personality from novels than from scientific psychology”
― Noam Chomsky

(Same quote from Friday)

AP test for the week:

-Printout – This is an easier AP test, so we can go more in depth with the questions.

By the end of the class today, I will check to see if you have four pages at least. If you do, then you’re on your way. Try and get it done tomorrow so that I can check over it.

November 16th, 2018

“It is quite possible–overwhelmingly probable, one might guess–that we will always learn more about human life and personality from novels than from scientific psychology”
― Noam Chomsky

Vocabulary test #6

I will hand back all of the dialogues today. I think that it should be a good class for productivity. There are some good ideas.

These are the elements of a good play:

-Characters

-Setting

-Plot

-Conflict

-Natural dialogue

Now – Create a 5-7 page scene with all of these combined elements. You have until next Wednesday for completion. Use the rubric to help you.

November 15th, 2018

“A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.”
― Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Today, I want you to transcribe your dialogues in class onto paper or your devices.

The best plays concern fluidity. This is another workshop of sorts but could be the basis for your entire work as it is collaborative.

I want 2-3 pages of dialogue for the end of class today to be turned in. This will give me time to look and give you a step forward tomorrow.

It is NECESSARY for you to complete this step today. I don’t care how you do it, just get it done and turn it into me by the end of class, as it is a continuation of this idea tomorrow.

November 14th, 2018

“Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I’m not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you’ve felt that way.”
― Charles Bukowski

Here is what can help you with your one act play:

06playwrightshandbook-13wzvqc

This is called the Playwright’s handbook. It is a good start for ideas.

Here is a way that I start:

First I find the setting. Where is the action taking place? Since this is only a scene, then there will only be one place.

Second, I want to find a conflict.

There are many conflicts that can help with the excitement of a plot. Check the playwright’s guide.

Third, I want you to come up with a character sheet. This is the main focus of today. I will print out a package, but here it is if you want the online version.

One Act Interview Questions-yr4pma

I will check what you have by the end of the class.

November 13th, 2018

“The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish your feelings – words shrink things that seem timeless when they are in your head to no more than living size when they are brought out.”

― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Vocabulary words and some time to complete them.

Today will be an enjoyable showing of The Importance of Being Earnest. This is an easy A if you’ve memorized your lines. Have fun with the presentation. Everyone is going today, despite absences.

And… If you feel diligent, then we start our one act short story workshop tomorrow and we will be doing interview profiles for interesting characters. Here are some papers that I will be looking at with you tomorrow:

One Act Interview Questions-yr4pma

This is a great resource I found online for you to take a look at. I’ll have paper copies tomorrow as well.

06playwrightshandbook-13wzvqc

November 8th, 2018

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

AP test today.

You have some time today to continue practicing for the presentation of the pages. We will have showtime near the end of the block.

A few of you have expressed interest in going first thing on Tuesday. Wouldn’t you have forgotten everything by then? Let’s talk.

November 7th, 2018

“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

AP Question:

The fifth stanza makes use of all the following EXCEPT:

A. Metaphor

B. Repetition

C. Synecdoche

D. Consonance

E. Parallelism

Today is a day that I will let you memorize your parts for the presentation tomorrow – we will have about 15 minutes tomorrow (after the AP quiz) as well to rehearse before the final show.

Next week, you will be working on your own one act plays. I will give you an outline of my expectations on Tuesday.

November 6th, 2018

“Men always want to be a woman’s first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a man’s last romance.”

AP Question:

In Line 17, ‘later light’ most likely refers to a

a. new hope

b. rekindled love

c. flash of awareness

d. second thought

e. spiritual awakening

We will look over the rest of the questions today, then we will start and hopefully get through a chunk of Act III – finishing by tomorrow. Almost done this section.

Also today, I’d like for you to find groups in order to have a certain section memorized. (2 pages is fine) This is a selection of your choice that shows a favorite part. We will collage these memorized pieces together by next week.

1. Lady Bracknell has been described as “the perfect embodiment of the
attitudes and rules of conduct of the British aristocracy.” How does Wilde
unmask the mercenary motives of Lady Bracknell to reveal her essential
snobbishness and hypocrisy in the final act?

2. To a certain extent, Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble are also satirical figures
through whom Wilde attacks British institutions, namely education and the
Church of England. Explain briefly what aspects of these institutions Wilde is
satirizing.

3. Define the term “bunburying,” and explain its significance in the play. How
does bunburying relate to Wilde’s critique of Victorian earnestness? How are
even Cecily and Dr. Chasuble “bunburyists”?

4. The play has a number of objects that acquire additional meanings as the
action develops. Explain how three of the following symbols in The Importance of Being Earnest relate to the plot and especially to the characters: cucumber sandwiches, bread-and-butter, the German language, French music and language, bottles of champagne, teacake, muffins, and the capacious handbag.

5. “Although we see little of them, each of the butlers has a back story and
serves as a vehicle for Wilde’s satire of the aristocracy.” Explain.

6. If the principal characters will go to any lengths to avoid their
responsibilities and place self- interest at the top of their own agendas, then a resolution of the conflicts in the play would be impossible: somebody has to make concessions. How does the resolution scene in the third act resolve the conflicts between Lady Bracknell and Jack? Jack and Algernon? Gwendolen and Cecily?

November 5th, 2018

“Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.”

AP Test – Printout. Today we have a long form poem by Emily Bronte.

I’ll be handing out a USB for your journals which will be in your 1st term marks. Put it on the USB, in the folder titled 12 Journals. This is your biggest participation mark, worth a huge 50 points. (5 per one).

Progress reports.

  1. See what you got a 0 on.
  2. Highlight it with the work stapled to the progress report.
  3. Hand in by Wednesday, November 7th. Anything after that will not be accepted. This is your only window.

I’d like for you to take some time in getting your thoughts in order and complete these Importance of Being Earnest questions – I re-posted them.

We will get through the 3rd act for tomorrow. Then… you get to write your own play. A rubric will be given on Thursday.

1. “Gwendolen and Cecily are not so much opposites as complements.” Explain this remark by reference to their speeches and actions.

2. Early on in Act One Jack Worthing articulates the difference between city lifeand country life. Show three ways in which the life of the country (as
exemplified by the Manor House, Woolton, Herfordshire) is very different from the bachelor life of The Albany, London.

3. Like Jack, Algy leads a double life, utilizing an escape mechanism when
necessary to free himself of a life of social obligation and lead a life of
unrestrained pleasure. Explain their differing motivations, but how both are
“confirmed Bunburyists,” nevertheless.

4. The comedy of mistaken identity is a very old dramatic form – as old, in fact, as comedy itself – which Wilde manages to revitalize in The Importance of Being Earnest. The key mistaken identity in this play, of course, is that of “Ernest” himself. What comic consequences result from Algernon’s assuming the role of Ernest Worthing?

5. In what ways would the terms “hedonist,” “aesthete,” and “gourmand” be
suitable descriptors for Algernon?

6. How would you characterize Canon Chasuble and his relationship with Miss Prism? Why does Wilde include them at this point in the play?

7. Give five examples of Wilde’s wit, comedy and/or satire in this act. How
does this further his satirical purpose?

8. A subtle sub-theme of the play is readers, publishers, fiction, and
censorship. What points by implication is Wilde making about contemporary
literature?

9. What role does food have within the play? (Notice how Jack and Algy are
eating muffins at key points – and then those pesky cucumber sandwiches in
Act I…)

10. Based on the types of comedy discussed, how would you define The
Importance of Being Earnest thus far? Defend your selections using textual
references.

November 2nd, 2018

“Nothing will induce me to part with Bunbury, and if you ever get married, which seems to me extremely problematic, you will be very glad to know Bunbury. A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it.”

-Algernon

Vocabulary test today.

We will finish act II. Same actors (if everyone is here.)

Then do these questions. I’ll collect the questions from act I today.

1. “Gwendolen and Cecily are not so much opposites as complements.” Explain this remark by reference to their speeches and actions.

2. Early on in Act One Jack Worthing articulates the difference between city lifeand country life. Show three ways in which the life of the country (as
exemplified by the Manor House, Woolton, Herfordshire) is very different from the bachelor life of The Albany, London.

3. Like Jack, Algy leads a double life, utilizing an escape mechanism when
necessary to free himself of a life of social obligation and lead a life of
unrestrained pleasure. Explain their differing motivations, but how both are
“confirmed Bunburyists,” nevertheless.

4. The comedy of mistaken identity is a very old dramatic form – as old, in fact, as comedy itself – which Wilde manages to revitalize in The Importance of Being Earnest. The key mistaken identity in this play, of course, is that of “Ernest” himself. What comic consequences result from Algernon’s assuming the role of Ernest Worthing?

5. In what ways would the terms “hedonist,” “aesthete,” and “gourmand” be
suitable descriptors for Algernon?

6. How would you characterize Canon Chasuble and his relationship with Miss Prism? Why does Wilde include them at this point in the play?

7. Give five examples of Wilde’s wit, comedy and/or satire in this act. How
does this further his satirical purpose?

8. A subtle sub-theme of the play is readers, publishers, fiction, and
censorship. What points by implication is Wilde making about contemporary
literature?

9. What role does food have within the play? (Notice how Jack and Algy are
eating muffins at key points – and then those pesky cucumber sandwiches in
Act I…)

10. Based on the types of comedy discussed, how would you define The
Importance of Being Earnest thus far? Defend your selections using textual
references.

November 1st, 2018

“It is awfully hard work doing nothing. However, I don’t mind hard work where there is no definite object of any kind.”

-Algernon, Act 1, Importance of Being Earnest

Let’s go over the questions first. Depending on your attention level, this should take no more than 15 minutes. Please go into depth with what you said, not what you copied and pasted.

Act 2 actors:

Miss Prism: Jonas

Cecily: Alyssa

Chasuble: Patrick

Merriman: Manroop

Algernon: Dean

Jack: Lateen

Gwendolen: Matthew

October 30th, 2018

“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does, and that is his.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

Questions before we start:

What is a parody, satire or farce?

What is comedy?

Actors today:

Jack (Earnest) : Kevin

Algernon : Raffi

Lane : Manroop

Gwendolen : Alyssa

Lady Bracknell : Dean

Cat: Shannon

We will be starting the play. If we finish act 1 today, then these questions will be due by tomorrow for discussion. I’ll collect your answers after.

1. Why does Jack Worthing call himself “Ernest” instead when he is in “town”
(London)?

2. Why has Algernon invented an invalid friend named “Bunbury”?

3. Jack has an insurmountable impediment to marrying Gwendolen in his
background: what, as Lady Bracknell sees it, is this problem? How does she
propose that he resolve this problem? What is Wilde satirizing in this
situation?

4. How does Wilde use the subject of cucumber sandwiches to reveal the
characters of Jack and Algy?

5. How does Wilde satirize the vacuous mentalities and lifestyles of the British
aristocracy in Lady Bracknell’s interview with Jack?

6. How does Wilde use the cigarette case to facilitate the exposition of the
dramatic action?

7. The character of Algernon Moncrieff reflects the public persona of the
dramatist himself: in what ways in Algy like Wilde? Refer to background
information.

8. Why is the classical allusion in which Wilde compares Lady Bracknell to the
Gorgon particularly apt? Look up this allusion if you don’t know.

9. What point is Wilde making about journalism in general and reviewers in
particular when Algernon remarks, “You should leave that [literary criticism] to
people who haven’t been at University. They do it so well in the daily papers”?

10. What tools of satire –irony, juxtaposition, understatement, paradox –are
apparent in this opening act?

October 29th, 2018

“The living always think that gold can make them happy”

― Oscar Wilde, The Happy Prince

Vocab handout for this Friday.

We’ll watch the rest of this

We will read this:

188_The_Happy_Prince-qlfzbg

We’ll look at this:

Importance of Being Earnest Unit Plan-1okz67c

And I’ll hand out the text for you.

Tomorrow, we start.

October 25th, 2018

Oscar Wilde Handout quotes

Now we’ve looked at quotes together for quite some time now. You, in your groups , are going to look at quotes that focus on a specific theme – and choose a couple that really stick out to you.

Think about these questions in your query:

  1. How do these quotes show the personality of Oscar Wilde?
  2. How does the quote relate to the above mentioned theme?
  3. Which is your favorite quote and why?
  4. How does Wilde manipulate the language so that his paradoxical statements contain profound truth?

AP Test  – Let’s get this out the way.

Here’s an… okay biography of Wilde – this is a shorter one due to time. You can watch the other one from yesterday’s post if you feel like this one doesn’t give enough information.

Five minute write on what you got out of this video. We will share Monday.

October 24th, 2018

“There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.”

-Oscar Wilde

AP Question:

The word ‘Vessel’ in line 17 is a metaphor for:

A. Sex

B. Woman

C. Man

D. Phrase

E. Character

I’ll give you 15-20 minutes to get your work in order for the paper. It’s due at the end of class today.

There are two ways we can go with this:

Start with one of the best short stories Oscar Wilde has done, or the biography of Wilde.

188_The_Happy_Prince-ql8m5l

This is the biography of one of my personal heroes: Oscar Wilde. The bet way to know a work and the time is to find out about the creator. Next Week, we will be starting The Importance of Being Earnest. 

Five minute write on what you got out of this video. We will share tomorrow.

October 23rd, 2018

“Never make fun of someone who mispronounces a word. It means they learned it by reading.”

-Unknown

AP Question:

The author proposes to write in a manner that is both:

A. Cogent and emotional

B. Polished and intellectual

C. Ornate and rhetorical

D. Elegant and cerebral

E. Convincing and flowery

Today is the culmination of our synthesis / literary paragraph. The entirety of the class will be a workshop. You will be attaching the mind map to the piece. It is due first thing tomorrow.

October 22nd, 2018

“I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.”

~ Frank Sinatra

(There’s a reason why I chose this particular quote today.)

AP Question:

In the initial paragraph, the author describes:

  1. Traditional female attributes
  2. Traditional male attributes
  3. Modern sexuality
  4. The importance of love
  5. The importance of sentiments

Thesis for the William Blake piece – we’ll have everyone share.

Now that most of you have a complete and assessed paper, we can get to the point of this whole Body / Wallflower exercise.

Here is your prompt – based on an actual synthesis prompt for the provincial (2009):

Which characters have bigger internal and external struggles, in both The Body and The Perks of Being a Wallflower? How does this relate to the connected theme of maturity in each piece?

Since this is not an easy task, I’d like for you to work on an outline / mind map today with the question in the middle and work on character motivations and theme. Like this:

Character    S.1                                                           Character      S.2

Int.      Ext.                                                                      Int.        Ext.

Theme

Question

Show me after you’re done.

Tomorrow, you have all class to work on this as well. The entire essay should be no more than 1000 words.

October 21st, 2018

If our tears do not lead us to act then we have lost the reason of our humanity, which is compassion.

-Dalai Lama

AP review passage today. We will do one question a day as usual. This is #4.

I have a lecture on Comparative Analysis that I’d like to share with you.

Comparative Analysis paper Presentation-1oxddbe

And we will go over this poem together, noting the similarities and differences.

Here is the prompt for these two –

What themes connect these two poems? Use reasons and examples to support your answer.

“The Lamb”
from Songs of Innocence
“The Tyger”
from Songs of Experience
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed.
By the stream & o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice:
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made theeLittle Lamb I’ll tell thee,
Little Lamb I’ll tell thee:
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Tyger Tyger. burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes!
On what wings dare he aspire!
What the hand, dare sieze the fire?And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger, Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

October 18th, 2018

“This moment will just be another story someday.”

― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Let’s finish the last 10 minutes of the film.

Vocabulary Test–

This is your time to get this second work finished. Here is the prompt:

How are the internal and external motivations of the main characters revealed in The Perks of Being a Wallflower?

A mind map is needed as well so that you can come up with some definitive examples to analyze.

Don’t make connections to the Stephen King story yet.

October 17th, 2018

“You can’t just sit there and put everybody’s life ahead of yours and think that counts as love.”

Sam (Perks of Being a Wallflower)

Here is the characterization sheet. Same thing:

Characterization map Wallflower-1h5lr8b

Remember – this is the same prompt:

How are the internal and external motivations of the main characters revealed in The Perks of Being a Wallflower?

You will be writing it in class tomorrow, but it’s good to come with a plan. If needed, and everyone is working, then you can have the weekend to finish.

October 16th, 2018

“Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty.”

-Stephen King

We will watch The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Keep your outlines. Keep the mind map. I would like for you to take notes on the internal and external viewpoints of these three main characters.

Charlie

Patrick

Sam

Always keep in the back of your head: How are these characters similar or different from the characters in “The Body”?

Thursday, you will be writing another essay, same structure, same mapping, same question as the one you did on Monday.

Also, I want you to enjoy this movie, because it’s a great one.

Also, if you are stuck for internal motivation, here is the entire book of the perks of being a wallflower – It’s quick and an excellent read.:

the_perks_of_being_a_wallflower-y8lym7

October 15th, 2018

“Fiction is the truth inside the lie.”

-Stephen King

Vocabulary #3 Handout

In class writing on the prompt:

How are the internal and external motivations of the main characters  revealed in Stephen King’s novella, The Body?

Use the character mind map you worked on over the weekend to help you with the prompt. I have the outline as a reference sheet so that you can organize your words correctly in the style of a strong literary essay.

This will be due at the end of class. If you’re working well, it will be due tomorrow, first thing.

October 12th, 2018

 

You have your AP test today based on the W.E.B Dubois excerpt.

We are switching up our class a bit for today. A few of you are still not into the story – so our reader has the time off for the rest of class.

I have the movie.

Also, I’d like for you to come into class with an intrinsic and extrinsic character motivation mind map on Monday. Here’s the outline:

Characterization Map – The Body-215jowf

So for each character, there are external and internal factors. Find quotes that show what you mean for each. Monday will be a full in class writing on this work you do over the weekend. Both the mind map and the writing is due on Tuesday, 1st thing.

Then we watch The Perks of Being a Wallflower and you do the exact same thing.

Then you’ll know how to do a synthesis.

October 11th, 2018

A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.

-MLK Jr.

AP Question of the day:

The tone of this passage can not be described as:

A) self-aware

B) decisive

C) fervent

D) reflective

E) laudatory

Another day of reading.

We’ll read as much as we can until the end of Friday, then you’re finishing it by yourself for Monday’s class.

October 10th, 2018

“That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.”

― Stephen King, The Body

AP Question of the day:

In line 17, the word ‘it’ refers to

A. world

B. Veil

C. Creep

D. Contempt

E. Sky

Let’s continue with The Body – Get comfy. I will be giving you a sheet for what I want you to synthesize with the film tomorrow. Hint: Look closely at the characters.

October 9th, 2018

“Friends come and go like waiters in a restaurant, did you ever notice that? […] Some people drown, that’s all. It’s not fair, but it happens”

― Stephen King, The Body

AP Quiz for the week – W.E.B DuBois – Take some time to read about this and tell me the main ideas of the text. I’ll give you 10 minutes for this.

Let’s read for the rest of class. Get out your PDF’s or your packages. Let’s give Kevin Bowles a break today.

October 5th, 2018

Vocabulary Test #2 First. No I didn’t forget.

“I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, did you?”

― Stephen King, The Body

Think about this quote. But instead of just writing down your opinion, here is a guided question for you:

Write down a few sentences about a particular friend you had when you were younger. One you don’t talk to anymore. What did they look like? What were some characteristics of this friend? What did you two enjoy doing together? Do you know what they’re up to now?

Share this with us, and then we read for the rest of the class. I haven’t found the audiobook yet, but if you can, then let me know.

October 4th, 2018

“The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words make them smaller. When they were in your head, they were limitless; but when they come out they seem to be no bigger than normal things.”
― Stephen King, The Body

Our new unit starts today. All the quotes we will be looking at will be part of this amazing story. I have a PDF of it here:

The Body by Stephen King Full Text-1dqs1un

And there will be daily questions starting tomorrow.

Here is the plan for the entire unit. We will be going over this first.

The Body Synthesis unit overview-2ain6zf

We will be reading the whole thing as a class – uncut – for an entire next week. Yes there will be times when you can read it yourself, but I haven’t gotten that level of trust yet. I hope we can read the entire thing in a week – finished by next Thursday. (More likely Friday.)

Keep in mind the different themes of the story.

Here are some opening questions:

Think about yourself as 12 years old again. What memory comes to mind? What were you thinking? What was important to you?

October 3rd, 2018

No quote today.

In class writing on the lenses of The Lion King. I have paper for you, but you will be writing long hand with only your notes to help you. After you finish, please sit and don’t talk, as this is a test setting.

October 2nd 2018

It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.

Thomas Sowell

We’ll finish the movie today. I will go around the room and see what you’ve come up with after you have organized your notes.

Tomorrow, you’ll be able to bring notes into the in class writing. I’ll bring paper, so you don’t need any device.

October 1st, 2018

“Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another.”

― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

Vocabulary #2 – Make sure to have all of your sentences done before we move on today. I’m sure you won’t do it at home. Let’s do a check of some of these words.

I have a graphic organizer and a ‘cheat sheet’ for when we watch the lion king. I will show you some examples that are quite good.

Let’s start today. Your in class write – if everything goes well – will be on Wednesday. Thursday will be a new unit.

September 28th, 2018

“We wear clothes, and speak, and create civilizations, and believe we are more than wolves. But inside us there is a word we cannot pronounce and that is who we are.”

― Anthony Marra, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

I love this quote.

Your AP Quiz on the Gulliver’s Travel response is today. Let’s finish that first.

We have a quick unit on lenses. I have a PPT.

2_critical_lenses_of_literature-16ucptx

Here’s a quick write for you for the last 15 minutes of class so that you can get the major points of a lens. Monday will be more of this.

exit ticket for lit theory intro-1sta3f0

September 27th, 2018

“Whoever is not in his coffin and the dark grave, let him know he has enough.”

― Walt Whitman

AP Question

The stylistic feature most evident in the first two paragraphs (lines 1-20) is the use of

A. repeated syntactical patterns

B. Shifts in tense and person

C. Historical allusions

D. A series of extended metaphors

E. Didactic analogies and asides

I will collect your essays today. Then I will erase the names and pass them out to you. As a college board dean of admissions, I’d like you to choose your favorites and then debate which ones should be admitted into the university.

There’s only a 50% acceptance rate.

September 26th, 2018

“We’re so self-important. So arrogant. Everybody’s going to save something now. Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save the snails. And the supreme arrogance? Save the planet! Are these people kidding? Save the planet? We don’t even know how to take care of ourselves; we haven’t learned how to care for one another. We’re gonna save the —–‘ planet? . . . And, by the way, there’s nothing wrong with the planet in the first place. The planet is fine. The people are ——! Compared with the people, the planet is doin’ great. It’s been here over four billion years . . . The planet isn’t goin’ anywhere, folks. We are! We’re goin’ away. Pack your —-, we’re goin’ away. And we won’t leave much of a trace. Thank God for that. Nothing left. Maybe a little Styrofoam. The planet will be here, and we’ll be gone. Another failed mutation; another closed-end biological mistake.”

― George Carlin

AP Question:

In the passage, the author’s overall attitude toward Gulliver’s Travels can be best described as:

A. Insistently dismissive

B. Halfheartedly engaged

C. Generally appreciative

D. Bitingly sarcastic

E. cleverly subversive

Thank you for allowing my group to conduct our survey in your class. My groups survey is all about the sleeping patterns of high schoolers.

Here is the link to the survey:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSUcdf4ZfqykOd2QoyZYxYaYInkuYkQ1-ucjDfvtcI3MsVAw/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

Today, you will work on the prompt that you should have picked out for a narrative. These are based on the seven prompts that are found in Monday’s introductory package. If you have a question you would like to do for your school directly, I would like to see it before you start.

This is a one on one class. Please use this time wisely.

September 25th, 2018

Man surprised me most about humanity. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.

-Dalai Lama

AP Question:

“Scriblerians” refers to

A. A circle of English authors

B. Book craftsmen in London

C. Characters in Swift’s novels

D. English politicians and aristocrats

E. Historians of popular entertainment.

The day of bad essays

Let’s take a look at these gems first.

the_very_worst_college_application_essays-27240kk

This might be a major example, so let’s come up with “what a bad essay looks like” as a class. I will write down some good ideas that we will share.

Now I have an assignment that is accessible for a realistic essay:

9-Why-This-College-Good-Bad-Responses-24ikvnl

To be honest, all you need to do is write, specifically related to your dream school and then really commit to the university / college. Tomorrow, I hope that you will have committed strongly to one question and have a good first draft so that Thursday’s ‘peer edit’ or role play will actually work.

September 24th, 2018

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

― Oscar Wilde

AP exam questions printout.

We are going to start our college application unit today. Here is the outline for the unit so you know what to expect:

College Application Unit 12’s-14ttndi

Take notes on this:

Writing The College Essay – Dos and Donts-tx55h2

Choose a college and research it. I’ll come around with a checklist at the end of class and help you with it.

September 20th, 2018

So, first things first:

Vocabulary test based on the words you studied this Monday.

Next, separate your desks. This is the final paper for the rhetorical speeches unit.

You should all be ready. We’ll start at 2:10 – You’ll have 60 minutes to finish the paragraph. Have a pencil and your notes. I’ll give you the paper.

When you’re done, just sit there, read a book, use your phone, I don’t care – just don’t talk.

Then have a great long weekend.

September 19th, 2018

“It seemed right to do it this way, because the rite of passage is a magic corridor and so we always provide an aisle – it’s what you walk down when you get married, what they carry you down when you get buried. Our corridor was those twin rails, and we walked between them, just bopping along toward whatever this was supposed to mean.”

― Stephen King, The Body

Outlines due first thing. Thanks Manroop. Claim your easy A.

This is the final paper for the Rhetorical paragraph. It is long, but I chose it because it’s a heartbreaking example of what true democracy looked like just 10 short years ago. You will get many of the references, I hope.

Barak Obama Final-1mlo36x

Remember to take as many notes as possible today and tonight. You will only have this paper on your desk tomorrow when you write the final. The rubric is the same as your practice papers.

Tomorrow, we will separate the desks as you write (After the vocab quiz). It will be true test format, so come to class prepared with the speech.

Today, of course, you will be able to work with your smart peers. I can help as well.

September 18th, 2018

“Sometimes when you’re young, you have moments of such happiness, you think you’re living on someplace magical, like Atlantis must have been. Then we grow up and our hearts break into two.”
― Stephen King, Hearts in Atlantis

This class will be all about finishing that outline to be turned in today. Tomorrow and Thursday, everything you’ve learned up until this point will be applied, first in a final speech analysis and then an in class writing on Thursday after the vocabulary test. It’s a lot of writing this week, (and a lot of grading)  but it’s worth it in the long run.

Next week we will have a nice College Applications unit.

September 17th, 2018

“It’s ok to be a fool once or twice but never let it be a third time. Be smart and pretend to be a fool and at the end of the hunt make sure you’re the one that has the gun.”

― Surgeo Bell

So the second part of today will be vocabulary words. Now – I don’t have online copies of these words, but I will keep extra paper copies in the classroom if you need them.  Please make sentences out of the 15 words in a new document file on your device. The words this week are painfully easy.

The third thing is to talk about inquiry. What is it and how we will be shaping it throughout the semester. I’ll have some examples for you from previous students work, but we will be doing a step by step process that will be different than the previous year. The point of today is to get you thinking.

Finally, I want to check your notes and make you fill out an outline for a rhetorical essay based on the speech you have read. This will be going on for today and tomorrow – to be due at the end of class tomorrow.

September 14th, 2018

“We were young, and we had no need for prophecies. Just living was itself an act of prophecy.”

― Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

AP Quiz today. Take your time. There are some familiar questions and there some unknown ones. The grades for this are minimal, but it’s so important that you get a grasp of what some of these questions mean.

It’s on 10. We’ve done 5, so it’s an instant pass if you remember, of course.

So I will take home these paragraphs today to correct over the weekend and perhaps through Monday and Tuesday. I will return them at the latest on Wednesday next week.

Today will be self motivated again with help from me.

There are two speeches – this is a solo exercise. Do exactly with this speech as what you just completed with the MLK speech. Both are related to the Civil Rights Movement and make reference to MLK’s famous speech.

Check this out for Monday:

How To Booklet Essay Outline Samples for each paragraph and tips-1hsucgr

You will be applying what we have learned, your notes from today, and rhetorical devices into a full essay. Also Monday, we will have a review PPT. The party never ends.

Also, I’ll be doing a brief overview of inquiry. This will be on Monday as well.

September 13th, 2018

“Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

AP Question of the day:

In context, “devoured” (line 54) is an effective word choice because

A) It fits both figuratively and literally

B) It is appropriate only literally

C) It is indicative of the landlord’s plight

D) It works as a sentimental appeal

E) It reveals the author’s point of view

Share your paragraph and get a dialogue started with a partner. Id this an effective paragraph? What questions do you have for the writer?

  1. Is this an effective paragraph? Why or why not?
  2. Does this paragraph address the rhetoric in MLK’s speech? How?
  3. give three things that the author can do better in another draft.

You will answer these questions when we regroup as a class. I have the other speeches you will be looking at individually. If we have time today, we will start them. If not, I will give class time tomorrow to complete them after the AP Modest Proposal quiz and the quote analysis.

September 12th, 2018

“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”

― Franz Kafka

AP Question of the day:

Which of the following rhetorical devices does the author employ in lines 32-39?

A) Process analysis

B) Cause and effect

C) Deductive reasoning

D) example

E) analogy

I’d like for you to take all of your notes for the MLK speech and then create a paragraph. Remember – always introduce the speech and the theme before jumping into rhetorical devices.

  1. I have a Dream by MLK shows _______________ theme. In order to clarify his point and address a large audience, he uses ___________ __________ _____________ as devices and appeals to ___________.
  2. Here are some examples of _____________ that show _________________.

ETC.

 

After, if we have time, I have 2 more speeches. You will only be reading and analyzing one of them. This speech will be where you will be doing a rough draft analysis. I have a step by step guide on how to do this.

September 11th, 2018

Here’s the quote for today:

“What are heavy? sea-sand and sorrow.
What are brief? today and tomorrow.
What are frail? spring blossoms and youth.
What are deep? the ocean and truth.”
― Christina Rossetti

Journal Entry #4

AP Question:

It can be inferred that the ‘merchants’ line 17 and the ‘American’ line 26 represent:

A. Londoners that are typical

B. Aristocrats who exploit the poor

C. Businessmen who are well versed in commerce

D. The author’s fictional acquaintences

E. Cannibals who routinely eat kids

 

We will read along with this. First time is just reading and listening, picking up some ideas with a pencil on the page.

After that, I will let you read it silently and pick up some rhetorical language / appeals so that you can share with others what you find.

Finally, I’d like for you to come up – with a partner or alone – with a paragraph introducing what the speech is about, who said the speech and what devices they use to make the speech effective.

DO NOT GIVE YOUR OWN OPINION IN YOUR WRITING!

A rhetorical essay is based on what you see and if a good argument is presented.

I’ll collect these paragraphs tomorrow first thing. There are two more speeches to do tomorrow as well with the same structure.

September 10th, 2018

“Youth is the best time to be rich, and the best time to be poor.”

-Euripides

Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.

-J.K. Rowling

Journal entry #3 – Choose one. Same drill.

AP Passage to explore today:

Jonathan Swift – A Modest Proposal (hard copy)

We will read and confirm your knowledge with 2 questions. Each day, I will give you another question until Friday. On Friday, You will be given a quiz with the same questions to clarify and solidify your comprehension.

Speeches and Rhetoric

First, with rhetoric, there is more than just “Ethos Pathos & logos.” Authors use rhetorical devices to persuade their audiences as well.

  • Alliteration – the recurrence of initial consonant sounds – rubber baby buggy bumpers
  • Allusion – a reference to an event, literary work or person – I can’t do that because I am not Superman.
  • Amplification – repeats a word or expression for emphasis – Love, real love, takes time.
  • Analogy – compares two different things that have some similar characteristics – He is flaky as a snowstorm.
  • Anaphora – repeats a word or phrase in successive phrases – “If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh?” (Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare)
  • Antanagoge – places a criticism and compliment together to lessen the impact – The car is not pretty but it runs great.
  • Antimetabole – repeats words or phrases in reverse order – “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” (J F Kennedy)
  • Antiphrasis – uses a word with an opposite meaning – The Chihuahua was named Goliath.
  • Antithesis – makes a connection between two things – “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” (Neil Armstrong)
  • Appositive – places a noun or phrase next to another noun for descriptive purposes – Mary, queen of the land, hosted the ball.
  • Enumeratio – makes a point with details – Renovation included a spa, tennis court, pool and lounge.
  • Epanalepsis – repeats something from the beginning of a sentence at the end – My ears heard what you said but I couldn’t believe my ears.
  • Epithet – using an adjective or adjective phrase to describe – mesmerizing eyes
  • Epizeuxis – repeats one word for emphasis – The amusement park was fun, fun, fun.
  • Hyperbole – an exaggeration – I have done this a thousand times.
  • Litotes – makes an understatement by denying the opposite of a word that may have been used – The terms of the contract are not disagreeable to me.
  • Metanoia – corrects or qualifies a statement – You are the most beautiful woman in this town, nay the entire world.
  • Metaphor – compares two things by stating one is the other – The eyes are the windows of the soul.
  • Metonymy – a metaphor where something being compared is referred to by something closely associated with it – The knights are loyal to the crown.
  • Onomatopoeia – words that imitate the sound they describe – plunk, whiz, pop
  • Oxymoron – a two word paradox – near miss, seriously funny
  • Parallelism – uses words or phrases with a similar structure – I went to the store, parked the car and bought a pizza.
  • Simile – compares one object to another – He smokes like a chimney.
  • Understatement – makes an idea less important that it really is – The hurricane disrupted traffic.

Now fill out a questionnaire on speeches and we will read MLK I have a dream. We have the rest of class together to come up with the rhetorical devices and appeals. Tomorrow, you’ll be split into two groups to do two more speeches.

Then we’ll be ready to write an essay.

September 7th, 2018

“Do any men grow up or do they only come of age?”

-Stephen King

Journal entry #2 – Same questions as yesterday. I’ll have them on the board.

There’s a quick check up exercise that you can do with your cohort, then what we will do is work on a handout that I have – an easy Friday before the real fun begins on Monday.

September 6th, 2018

Youth ends when egotism does; maturity begins when one lives for others.

-Herman Hesse

Journal entries:

Quote Journal Grade 12-1h9pdy9

We can do the first exercise:

Shoes Appeal-2dn1eze

Present this to the class WITHOUT mentioning the appeal and we can guess and see if this is a good argument to buy the shoes.

There is also a handout that will be beneficial to you for when we go over speeches soon. Finish it at home before you get to class tomorrow because we will go over it before getting into groups for the next section of this class.

September 5th, 2018

Welcome.

Let’s Get started.

First, I would like you to write a paragraph about what it is you would like out of class following these questions: (This isn’t just for me – treat it as a rough draft for your grad transition shenanigans)

  1. What are my plans for post secondary? To what end will these plans meet?
  2. What are my strengths in English Literature? Be specific.
  3.  What are my weaknesses in English Literature? Be specific.
  4. What do you expect out of this class this semester? – This is an important question because each grade 12 class I’ve designed is tweaked for each dynamic.
  5. What is my expected grade? Why?

Then we’ll get to work:

Grade 12 2018 Introduction-zja3qg

This is our unit on Rhetoric:

Introduction to EPL Purdy-26g84rb

Here’s a PPT that I’d like for you to take notes on:

Pathos_Logos_Ethos-28z9f35