Posted on December 10th, 2009 by lucublog
Okay, so the page numbers listed on the Heart of Darkness unit plan only match up with Niko’s book. For TONIGHT’s reading homework: if you have the old book, read to the end of page 85…if you have the new book, read to the end of page 87
Adjusted reading homework due to pagination discrepancies:
- Friday 12/11: old book read through page 107, new book read through page 118
- Monday 12/14: old book read through page 117, new book read through page 132
- Tuesday: old-128 / new-146
- Wednesday: old-139 / new-160
- Thursday: finish
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Posted on December 4th, 2009 by lucublog
We concluded our unit focused on Things Fall Apart with some excellent small group conversations on the text and our culminating assignment for this unit, the literary analysis essay, is due before the bell on Tuesday 8 December. Have the essay printed, stapled and in perfect MLA format and turn it in before the bell. Any essay turned in after the bell for any reason whatsoever will receive a late penalty.
Today in class we began Akira Kurosawa’s classic film Rashomon. If you were absent in class today you must figure out a way to view the first 40 minutes on your own. Many video rental stores do carry it, but call ahead first. The film is actually being shown this weekend at SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival) headquarters near McCaw Hall in Seattle Center. Click the link below for a trailer and some information on the film and its influence.
http://www.siff.net/cinema/index.aspx
As we watch the film we are paying particular attention to 1. narrative structure 2. symbolic use of light 3. editing–cuts, angles, pov
Weekend Homework:
- DGP
- study literary terms (test is Friday 18 December)
- read poetry packet (Poetry Response #3 is due Thursday 17 December)
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Posted on November 28th, 2009 by lucublog
Hope you are all having a delightful harvest festival long weekend and enjoying the end of our first novel. Please remember that your personal essay revisions are due before the bell on Monday and we will begin with a timed test of reading comprehension over the novel. It is not a hard test if you read the book.
Following the test we will discuss some specifics of chapters 18-25: Sacred python (138/141), Smith vs Brown (154/158), the commissioner (179)
And the text as a whole: structure, details, connections, overall effect, theme
For ten points of extra credit, come to class with a written draft of a theme statement for the novel as a whole and be ready to discuss and debate it. Also bring any other questions or comments you’re dying to discuss.
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Posted on November 24th, 2009 by lucublog
As you grapple with your daily grammar PRACTICE, help each other! You will label our sentence tomorrow through your own collaboration with no more than “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” hints from Ms. R. Practice your reasoning, conversation and leadership skills as a collaborative team.
Another solid day of group presentations. Writers, be sure to post the blog version of your presentation by tonight at midnight. As we continue conversations, whether as small groups or a whole class, LISTEN carefully to each other. CHALLENGE each other (and Ms Robison!) in a constructive way. And be ready to DEFEND your own viewpoint, or alter it as needed based upon new insight. Remember, the goal is to branch off into student-led conversations that leave Ms. Robison in the dust…
Tuesday night homework:
- Spend five minutes with your DGP packet labeling the clauses and sentence types. Tonight’s task may not take you five minutes…dare one suggest you work ahead or study other day’s notes with which you know you struggle?
- Review the study guide and then actively read and annotate chapters 16-17 (it’s only 8 1/2 pages!)
- Personal essay revisions
Also, in the spirit of the New Yam Festival, you can earn five points of extra credit if you would like to bring a food or beverage item that in some way represents your unique culture to class tomorrow. We can share in a half day of joy and feasting in preparation for our own harvest festival (no palm wine allowed). Nothing elaborate, just simple Nacirema fare.
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Posted on November 23rd, 2009 by lucublog
Some cogent insights supported by carefully selected concrete details were shared in class today with more to come tomorrow. That’s correct, we will continue our group presentations tomorrow (I know you’re upset about missing out on a “Timed write Tuesday” but don’t fret, there are many more Tuesdays to come…). Those groups whose speaker presented today, the person in the role of “writer” must post the blog version of your presentation by midnight tonight.
As you read onward, notice the symbolic importance of women and mothers in this culture even as it is a clearly patriarchal society. If you pay attention to details, you may be surprised by some of the rights and options for women you notice (ie [or id est, simply Latin for "that is"] Ekwefi is able to leave her first husband when she can no longer stay away from her true love Okonkwo; a woman may leave her husband and return to her own family; the balance between feminine and masculine in Ibo cosmology; etc [short for etcetera, Latin for "and other things"]). The elder uncle in his motherland puts Okonkwo in his place and provides valuable information regarding the cultural history of the region, including changes that have occurred within his own lifetime. You can earn five points of extra credit in class tomorrow if you conversationally bring up the changes the elder uncle points out OR Obierika’s reference to the European slave trade.
Monday night homework:
- Spend 5 minutes with that DGP packet trying to label the sentence parts and phrases. Remember, every sentence has at least one subject and one verb…you can definitely make a go at that much!
- Review the study guide and then actively read and annotate chapters 14-15 (it’s only 12 pages)
- Complete the final touches of your Poetry Response #2 because it is due tomorrow before the bell
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Posted on November 20th, 2009 by lucublog
- Review study guides and then read chapters 11-13
- Review the “reading notes / lab report” assignment that was stapled to the “Nacirema” article and cultural anthropology study guide.
- Pick the poem on which you will write your second poetry response. Choose which mode of response you will use and begin drafting… Poetry Response #2 due Tuesday 24 November
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Posted on November 17th, 2009 by lucublog
Exodus 10:12-15
12: And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
13: And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
14: And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
15: For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
Revelations 9:1-11
1: And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2: And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3: And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4: And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5: And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6: And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7: And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8: And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9: And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10: And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11: And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Things Fall Apart
“And then quite suddenly a shadow fell on the world” (48)…”Okonkwo sat in his obi crunching happily with Ikemefuna and Nwoye” (49)
Extra credit assignment: Post a 200 word blog that compares the biblical verses to the story of the locusts in Things Fall Apart. Include the attitudes of the people, the author’s tone, the description of the locusts, and your perception on the symbolism of the insect.
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Posted on November 16th, 2009 by lucublog
An individual paper, >500 words, on the topics discussed in class today is due Friday. The object of this paper is to demonstrate your active engagement with the text. This is not a formal essay assignment, but a writing for understanding assignment.
Again, the object of the paper is to communicate your inferences and observations regarding the aspect of the text on which you focused in class today.
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Posted on November 13th, 2009 by lucublog
Friday Homework:
- Consult study guides BEFORE you read chapters 5-6
- Post a blog in answer to question 14 on the AP Lit study guide
- Re-read the two previous posts below
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Posted on November 12th, 2009 by lucublog
Come on, team! Don’t despair! You are intrepid explorers of texts, which are cultural expressions of human creativity. And sometimes (most of the time) explorers need MAPS! GUIDES! Some sort of assistance to help them navigate their way around unfamiliar terrain. So do not whine or moan. That gi-normous stack of paper received in class today is your FRIEND. And, like friends in the real world, it is OPTIONAL. If you feel like “goin’ it alone”…go ahead. Not everyone is going to be an English major in college. Not everyone is motivated to be THE BEST in a high school course. You are Santiago on the open sea…only you can decide what lines to cut and which to keep…you cannot keep them all…
The study guides are a map. One is an unmarked map challenging you to chart out device in AP Lit land (the huge one with wasteful white space). The other is a useful tool with some hints, background information and guiding questions for our journey through Igboland as cultural anthropologists.
Thursday night homework: literary term quiz tomorrow (last 15 terms in the packet)
- Read the “lab report” directions and study guide introduction attached to the Nacirema article
- Read chapter four
- Revise your personal essay (Revisions are due 30 November 2009, the Monday after Thanksgiving. Take the necessary time to “marinate,” but don’t procrastinate too much…remember that you are being graded on the quality of revisions achieved as per Ms R’s commentary. This will be a significant grade. Grade mongers BEWARE. If you are not sure what revision is or what Ms R’s commentary means, it is your responsibility to meet and query before school, after school or during either lunch).
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