Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Grammar Review for Finals

Subject Verb Agreement:
You can review the rules of SVA here.

Here's the Blue Book of Grammar quiz on SVA.

You can also do interactive exercises on ChompChomp.com.
Exercise 1
http://chompchomp.com/hotpotatoes/sva02.htm

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement:

You can review the rules in a simplified manner on the OWL site.

You can also do some of the interactive quizzes on the ChompChomp.com site. Any of them will be helpful.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

Quotation Marks:

The Blue Book of Grammar has an excellent list of the rules.

Then, you can test your knowledge by taking a quiz on quotation marks.

Another quiz on quotation marks. This one is from the OWL at Purdue. They always have great stuff.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Night - Part 6 (pages 81-109)

Part 6 – The Importance of Memory (pages 81-109)

Central Question by emphasizing identity, memory, and the importance of witnessing.

Consider how prisoners struggle to maintain their identity under extraordinary conditions:

• After the forced march, the prisoners are crammed into a barracks. That night Juliek plays a fragment of a Beethoven concerto on the violin he has managed to keep the entire time he was at Auschwitz.
What do you think prompts Juliek to play that evening? What does the music mean to Eliezer? To the other prisoners who hear the sounds? To Juliek?

• In this section of the book, Eliezer tells of three fathers and three sons. He speaks of Rabbi Eliahou and his son, of the father whose son killed him for a piece of bread, and finally of his own father and himself. What words does Eliezer use to describe his response to each of the first two stories? How do these stories affect the way he reacts to his father’s illness? To his father’s death?

• What does Eliezer mean when he writes that he feels free after his father’s death? Is he free of responsibility? Or is he free to go under, to drift into death?

• Eliezer later states, “Since my father’s death, nothing mattered to me anymore.” What does he mean by these words? What do they suggest about his struggle to maintain his identity? Think about what it means to describe one’s image as a “corpse contemplating me.”

• In the next to the last sentence in the book, Eliezer says that when he
looks in a mirror after liberation, he sees a corpse contemplating him. He ends the book by stating, “The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me.” What does that sentence mean?

• Why is it important to Eliezer to remember? To tell you his story?

• How has he tried to keep you from responding to his story the way he and his father once responded to the one told by Moshe the Beadle? How successful has he been? Discuss why Wiesel titled his autobiographical story “Night.”

Consider the bigger picture – Looking at the story as a whole

 Night focuses on a single year in Eliezer’s life. Identify some of the internal and external conflicts he faced that year.

 Compare and contrast your earlier pictures of Eliezer with the way he describes himself at the end of the book. How do your pictures and descriptions help you understand the changes he refers to?

 How did the relationship between Eliezer and his father change in the course of the year on which the book focuses? How do you account for that change?

 What is the metaphorical meaning of the title, Night?


 Why do you think Wiesel tells his story from the first person perspective? If Night were written in the third person, would it be more or less believable? Why do you think Elie Wiesel begins Night with the story of Moshe the Beadle? What lessons does the narrator seem to learn from Moshe’s experiences in telling his own story?

 Write your responses to this book. You might also list questions and comments.

Night - Part 5

Part 5 – Faith and Survival at Auschwitz (pages 63-80)

Consider the kapos and the young pipel who are hanged. Why might this be such a big deal even though thousands of others have already been killed? Whoa re they bystanders? Who are the victims in the novel?

Consider how Eliezer struggles with his faith.

• Why does Eliezer direct his anger toward God rather than the Germans? What does his anger suggest about the depths of his faith?

• At the beginning of Night, Eliezer describes himself as someone who believes “profoundly.” How have his experiences at Auschwitz affected that faith?

• Describe the encounter between father and son after the services. Why does Eliezer say that the two of them “had never understood one another so clearly”? Why does Eliezer describe himself as “afraid” of having to wish his father a happy New Year?

• How does Eliezer respond when he fears his father has been “selected”? When he discovers that he has indeed been “selected”? When he learns his father has avoided the “final selection”? Why did his father give him the spoon and the knife as his inheritance? What is the significance of such a gift in Auschwitz?

• How has the relationship between Eliezer and his father changed during their time at Auschwitz? What has each come to represent to the other? Consider how Eliezer and his father make a decision that will decide their fate.

• What choices are open to Eliezer and his father when the camp is evacuated? How is the decision to leave made? Who makes the choice? Is it the “right” choice? Or is it an example of a “choiceless choice”? How does the decision help us understand why many survivors attribute their survival to luck?

• Write your responses to this section of the book. You might also list questions and comments on this part of the book.

• Night is written in short, simple sentences. Critics call this kind of writing “controlled.” That means that every word has been carefully chosen for a precise meaning. How do you explain the decision to
write in a “controlled” or measured way to describe experiences that are beyond control?

Monday, November 30, 2009

Night by Elie Wiesel - Part 4 - – Identity and Indifference (pages 45-62)


To be indifferent—for whatever reason—is to deny not only the
validity of existence, but also its beauty. Betray, and you are a man;
torture your neighbor, you’re still a man. Evil is human, weakness is
human; indifference is not.
- Elie Wiesel, The Town Beyond the Wall


The opposite of good is not evil but indifference.

Consider the relationship between Eliezer and his father.

• How do the changes in his relationship with his father affect the way Eliezer sees himself as an individual? What is prompting these changes? What does Eliezer mean when he refers to his father as “his weak point”? Why has he come to view love as a weakness? Consider how the process of dehumanization affects Eliezer and his fellow prisoners.

Consider the daily life in the camp:

• Eliezer describes two hangings in this section. He tells the reader that he witnessed many others. Yet he chose to write only about these two. Why are these two hangings so important to him? How do they differ from the others? Why do you think Eliezer and the other prisoners respond so emotionally to the hanging of the child?

• Why do you think the Germans chose to hang a few prisoners in public at a time when they are murdering thousands each day in the crematoriums?

• When the young boy is hanged, a prisoner asks, “For God's sake, where is God?” Eliezer hears a voice answer, “Where He is? This is where–-hanging here on this gallows.…” What does this statement mean? Is it a statement of despair? Anger? Or hope? Discuss the meaning of the word resistance at Auschwitz.

• The word hunger takes on new meaning in this section of the book. What does the word mean to Eliezer? What other words have taken on new meaning in this section of the book?


Consider the idea of Resistance:

• What does the word resistance mean to you? Some insist that “armed resistance” is the only form of legitimate resistance. Others stress the idea that resistance requires organization. Still others argue that
resistance is more about the will to live and the power of hope than it is about either weapons or organization. Which view is closest to your own?



• Use your ideas about and definitions of resistance to decide whether
each of the following is an act of resistance:
—Eliezer’s refusal to let the dentist remove his gold crown
—Eliezer’s decision to give up the crown to protect his father
—The French girl’s decision to speak in German to Eliezer after he is beaten
—The prisoner’s choosing to die for soup
—The prisoners who attempted to stockpile weapons, for which they were later hanged

• In each act of resistance that you identified, who or what are the prisoners resisting?

• How does Wiesel try to help us understand why it is so difficult to judge those who “tried to play the executioner’s game”?

• Wiesel writes that he prefers to remember “the kindness and compassion” of his fellow prisoners rather than those who were cruel or violent. How does he describe both groups in this reading? Why does he view both as victims?

• What type of preparation does it take to plan such an act of resistance? To carry it out?

• Do you think the rebels thought they would succeed? If so, how? If not, why did they risk their lives for a hopeless endeavor?

• Some scholars believe that the right question to ask about resistance is not why there were not more such acts but why there were any at all. What do you think they mean by that statement? Do you agree?

Night by Elie Wiesel - Part 3

Part 3 – Initiation to Auschwitz (pages 21-43)

Important themes developed in this section include barriers to knowing, dehumanization, and the relationship between father and son. Explore the relationship between knowing, madness, and belief.

Consider the Dehumanization:

 Why does Madame Schächter scream? Why does she later become silent and withdrawn? How do people react the first time she screams? How do they respond when her screams continue?

 On page 27 it reads, “The cherished objects we had brought with us thus far were left behind in the train, and with them, at last, our illusions.” Explain what this means? Be sure to write about the emotional shift that has happened.

 How do the “veteran” prisoners respond when they discover the newcomers have never heard of Auschwitz? How do you account for their reaction?

 Just after they arrive at Birkenau, Eliezer and his father experience the horrors of the crematory,

Babies, Yes, I saw it – saw it with my own eyes…those children in the flames… (p.30)

Summarize how Eliezer’s physical, mental and emotional reaction to the event. How does the story change at this point in the book? How is Elieizer changed?

 Why don’t they tell the new arrivals what to expect?

 Why do you think the Germans take away the inmates’ personal belongings? Their clothing? Why do they cut off their hair? Tattoo a number on each person’s arm? How does Eliezer respond to the removal of his clothes and other belongings? To the shaving of his hair? The number tattooed on his arm? How do you account for these responses? What is the purpose of this?

 The word night takes on new meaning in this section of the book. Wiesel, in recounting the first night in the concentration camp says, “Never shall I forget that night, the first night in the camp, that has turned my life into one long night.…” What does it mean for a life to be turned into “one long night”? Explain the metaphor in relation to this novel. What has the word come to symbolize?

 Describe the relationship between Eliezer and his father.

 How does Eliezer respond when his father is beaten for the first time? How does that response affect the way he sees himself? What does he fear is happening to him?

 Why do Elizer and his father lie to his cousin? What would be the purpose or benefit of such a lie?

What did you find surprising or difficult to understand in this section of the book?

Monday, November 16, 2009

Night - Part 2: Identity



Night by Elie Wiesel

(The guiding questions for the novel were largely inspired by those found in the Night Study Guide published by Facing History and Ourselves, http://www.facinghistory.org/resources/publications/night)

Part 2 – Defining Identity (pages 1-20)

Explore the factors that shape Eliezer’s identity.

Consider Eliezer and his family –
Write a paragraph that addresses the following points:
• Describe Eliezer and his family.
• How does he spend his time?
• Who does he relate to most readily? Why?
• Explain Eliezer’s family’s place in the Jewish community. Be sure to address his father’s role within that community.
• List other details that seem important from this section.

Consider Moshe the Beadle –
Write a paragraph that addresses the following points:
• How does Eliezer describe Moshe the Beadle?
• Why do you think Elie Wiesel begins Night with the story of Moshe the Beadle?
• Why do most people ignore the story Moshe the Beadle wants to tell?
• Why do you think they refuse to believe Moshe when he returns to Sighet?
• Do you think people really believe that Moshe is lying to them?
• What is the difference between saying that someone is lying and saying that you cannot believe what he or she is saying?
• Why is it so important to Moshe that he be believed?
• What lessons does the narrator seem to learn from Moshe’s experiences in telling his own story?

Consider the Craft o f the Writing –
Write a paragraph that addresses the following points:
• Why do you think Elie Wiesel tells his story in the first person perspective? If Night were written in the third person, would it be more or less believable?
• The word night is a key word in this section of the book. What does the word mean early in the first chapter? How does the meaning change as the story progresses?
• The narrator from time to time breaks away from the story to tell the
• reader about something that happened later or to ask a question.
• Why do you think he has chosen to do so? How is he preparing you for the rest of the story?

Our Study of Night by Elie Wiesel, Part 1 - Introduction




THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
THEN THEY CAME for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

- Martin Niemoeller, a Lutheran minister


Part 1 – The Role of Tenacity, Resiliency and Hope – Child Survivors and the Need to Be Heard

We will begin the unit with stories of the Children of the Holocaust. Most of the stories are those about children who survived the Holocaust. Some are stories about how children died. Each student will be given a story and a form to create short summaries, as well as their answers to the over-arching questions about their experiences.

We will begin with a discussion over the following points:

Pre- Reading:
1. What elements do children need to succeed (e.g., good home, loving parents, stable environment, praise to build self-esteem)?
2. What are some vital physical components and emotional components?
3. What might be the immediate consequences of depriving children of these elements?
4. What might some of the long-term consequences be?


Children of the Holocaust Activity:


Each person in the class has been given a story about a child who experienced the Holocaust. There is some duplication. You need to read the story you were given and then visit with other people in the class about the stories they have. You need to write a very brief summary for at least 5 survivors and 2 children who perished. The children are:
Ursula Adler
Anne Berkovitz
Harry Bibring
Helga Carden
Anna
Alex Groth
Hedy
Kayla
Alfred Ament
Augusta Feldhorn
Jacqueline Morgenstern
Bronislaw Honig
Eva and Abraham Beem
Carlos D’Angeli

We will then have the following discussion:
• Despite differences in age, what features did most of the children have in common?
• How did each child attempt to cope with his or her circumstances and the problems he or she faced?
• Does being hidden away from one's family make a difference in how each child coped?
• What do you think was crucial to the survival of each child?
• What similarities did you see between the stories of the children who did not survive?

The stories and an adapted form of the questions came from the following web sites:
http://www.adl.org/children_holocaust/teach_after6.asp
http://holocaust-children.tripod.com/

A Short Introduction to the novel, the author and his Nobel Peace Prize:
I will tell the students a bit about Elie Weisel and his experience, including the process of writing the novel. Then we will read his acceptance speech for his Nobel Peace Prize. It can be found at:
http://www.eliewieselfoundation.org/nobelprizespeech.aspx

Then we discuss:

 Why did Mr. Weisel feel the need to tell his story?
 According to him, what does neutrality do?
 What does Mr.Weisel call us to do?
 What do you think is the main message of this speech?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Shakespeare's MacBeth - Act II


Act II Scene i:

1. At the beginning of this act, Macbeth is speaking with Banquo. Macbeth tells Banquo he wants to ask for his loyalty. What is Banquo’s response?


* Why is this response significant?
(Hint: How might it make Macbeth feel? How might Macbeth respond to that feeling?)

2. Summarize what Macbeth reveals in his soliloquy at the end of IIi.
(Hint: What does his grapple with? What points does he go over? What has he resolved by the end of the “dagger” soliloquy?)

3. Explain the importance of the tolling bell at the end of II i.


* Owls & Crickets = It was believed that owls hooting meant that someone was going to die and that when crickets made noise, a murder had occurred. They also believed that the devil took the form of an owl in order to speak to witches.
* There is a disjunction between talk and action, how Lady Macbeth talked about her ability to kill her own child, and her lack of action to kill King Duncan because he looked like her father.
* When Macbeth feels like he can’t say “Amen” it shows how he is separated from God. This connects to how earlier in time, it was thought that God appointed kings. Macbeth has violated political, ethical and moral boundaries by killing the king. He has also usurped God’s power by trying to make himself king.
Nature =
* Sleep - Macbeth’s inability to sleep shows his guilt.
* Water – Macbeth says an ocean of water cannot cleanse him, while Lady Macbeth thinks she only needs a little water to clean away her guilt.

Act II Scene ii

4. What has Lady Macbeth done during this scene?

5. What has kept Lady Macbeth from killing King Duncan?

 Explain how this is an example of the disjunction between talk and action.
(Hint: What did she say she would do to her own child in Act I?)

6. What is the importance of “Amen” in this scene?

 Who says it? How does Macbeth react to this?

 What does this tell us about Macbeth?


7. Macbeth violates three boundaries when he kills King Duncan. Explain the ramifications of the King’s murder in the following arenas:
- Political =

- Ethical =


- Moral =


8. Fill in the chart below by describing their reaction and quoting from the text to support your analysis:
Macbeth’s Reaction to the Murder Lady Macbeth’s Reaction to the Murder


9. Explain how the inability to sleep shows Macbeth’s guilt.

10. What advice does Lady Macbeth give Macbeth at the end of the scene?

11. Complete the chart below:
Macbeth & Water: Lady Macbeth & Water:


Explanation: Explanation:


Quote from the play: Quote from the play:




Act II Scene iii


12. What is the purpose of the porter’s long speech at the beginning of this scene?

 The porter’s comments about drinking parallel Macbeth’s indecision about following the witches’ prophecy. Explain this:


13. Who enters the castle?

14. Fill in the following chart:
Character: His/Her Reaction to the Murder of King Duncan:
Macduff

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Malcolm

Donalbain

Banquo
(Hint: What does Banquo suspect?)
Lennox

15. What action of Macbeth reflect a further deterioration of his moral character? How can that be used to make a prediction about his actions in the future?

Notes:
The porter’s comments about drinking parallel Macbeth’s indecision about following the witches’ prophecy. He has a desire to be king, but the inability to follow thought. It is interesting that Malcolm leaves for since he would now be king. He would rather leave, than rule. Malcolm suspects that someone, other than the servants, killed the King, since the servants did not have a motive for killing him. However, he knows that if he were killed, Macbeth would then be crowned as the king. Malcolm believes that his gives Macbeth a motive for killing.
Banquo is quiet amongst the chaos of the scene. He suspect Macbeth might be the murder. He is still being loyal to the King. This makes him an honorable character. This may be in part because he is a tribute to James I, who is supposed to be a descendant in Banquo’s family of kings.

Act II Scene iv


16. Shakespeare often uses references to the weather and strange occurrences to create an ominous mood. Give examples of this from this scene:





17. Ross and Old Man talk about how terrible it is at this time due to the death of King Duncan and how the Heavens have turned their back on the world. This is shown through several examples of unnatural disorder. Complete the chart below that offers examples of this disorder and what it symbolizes:
Nature – How it is upset/disordered: What it symbolizes:
Horses

Falcons

Weather



18. Who is under suspicion for the murder of King Duncan? Does this make sense?


19. Who will be King now?


20. Explain the following quote:
“God’s benison go with you, and with those that would make good of bad and friends of foes!”
(II iv 52)

Notes =
 Macduff plays up the chaos and disorder that come as a result of regicide. Earlier, Lady Macbeth wished for darkness, but we note here how the darkness has not covered up the bad deeds.

 The falcon being murdered by the a lesser bird is a metaphor for how Macbeth has killed King Duncan. The natural order of things is disjointed.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Shakespeare's MacBeth - Act I



We are reading "MacBeth" together in class. The following information contains some of the notes and study aids from class:

Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes

In his book, Shakespearean Tragedy, A.C. Bradley presents several characteristics typical of Shakespearean heroes.:
 All are exceptional people of high degree or of public importance;
 They are often kings or military leaders. Thus, their downfalls would have great consequences which could impacts the welfare of an entire nation or nations;

 These Shakespearean heroes always cause their own downfall. These events are not accidents, but usually sent from above, or so they believe;

 All of them have a tragic flaw that leads them to a course of action that results in their downfall, and ultimately, their death.
o There are several kinds of tragic flaws –

 They have a predisposition towards a certain direction. This means they are obsessed with something and must see it through to the end.

 The tragic hero is incapable of resistance towards some specific things. This lack of resistance will lead to their downfall.

-----------


Act I scene i = Ii

Scene Summary & Information :

Three witches meet during a storm. They talk about meeting again when the trouble is done , when the battle is lost and won. They talk about meeting Macbeth. Then each of them responds to the call of their pets, Gray Cat, and a toad.

Then they say their famous lines,

“Fair is foul and foul is fair…” (I i 12)

This means that perception is important concerning how you look at things. Consider a snow day as an example. When there is a really bad storm with lots of snow we may have a snow day. Students usually see this as a good thing. For the people who have to struggle and find a way to get to work even though they can't get their car out of their driveway or garage, it is a bad thing. This famous line sets the tone for the entire play. From this line we know that they seek to create bad events for their own good.

The people in the audience would have been sucked into the play at this point. They would have believed that the foul weather was the doing of the witches. Their animals were all considered evil and bad luck.

-----


Iii

A wounded sergeant shows up. He is told about the battle. Macdonwald & Macbeth fought fiercely. Macdonwald is killed. His head is put on the wall as a warning to others.

The King of Norway shows up and attacks. Macbeth and Banquo were not frightened. They fought as if they were planning for a fight. The sergeant exits.

Macbeth and the King of Norway fought. Macbeth wins. The King of Norway asks for a peace treaty and to bury his dead. The men make him pay a lot of money for this privilege.

The King of Norway is killed. It is decided that Macbeth will be given the King’s title.

Historical Notes: This scene takes place in Forres. At the time it was the Scottish capital, and home to the famous cave where a group of witches allegedly attempted to shipwreck James I, the King of England and Scotland.

Representations: The camp is the very model of order and procedure. It is in direct contrast to the chaos of the witches’ storm camp.

Good & Evil: It was thought that witches controlled storms. Since the King of Norway showed up during a storm, he is linked with the evil the storm represents. This means that he would have been seen as evil right from the start.

Power & Temptation: This is a warrior’s society. Titles and power are given to those who succeed on the battlefield.

-----------

Act I,iii Scene: At the witch’s field.


One of the sisters shows up and tells the others how she had asked a woman for food and was refused. They decided to cast a spell on her husband, a sailor. (see historical note from I,ii.)

Macbeth & Banquo show up. They are confused by the witches. They are not sure what the witches are.

The witches greet the men by name. They even tell Macbeth that he is to become king. Banquo is still confused. He asks them if what they are saying is a prediction or a telling of the future. Macbeth is amazed at what he is hearing!

The witches disappear. Banquo thinks they might have been a hallucination. He keeps thinking about how the witches said that Banquo’s sons will be king and how they also said that Macbeth would be king. His is puzzled!

Noblemen arrive, telling Macbeth how happy the king was to hear how brave Macbeth had been. They also tell him that the king awards him the title of Thane of Cawdor as a way of thanking him for his brave deeds.

Macbeth & Banquo are amazed to see the witches’ first prophesy come true! They are tempted to believe the witches and “the forces of Evil!” Macbeth thinks to himself that he is afraid to believe, but that things he imagined have come true!
“ My thought…” (I iii 147)

Macbeth thinks, “if this is my fate, it will come true and I cannot do anything thing to change it.” (Where does his responsibility end?)

They all leave to go see the king.

Notes: The witches’ desire to shipwreck the husband connects to the famous event when witches allegedly tried to shipwreck the king, James I. He claims that his faith saved him. This invites comparison between when the witches meet Macbeth & Banquo as the men go from the chaos of the battlefield to the order of the city. Macbeth’s description of the weather, “Fair is foul…” (I iii ) echoes what the witches had said earlier. It was intended to remind the audience that things are not at all right!

Banquo’s struggle to figure out the gender of the witch sisters show how they are out of order in nature.
Calling Macbeth by the new title is an attempt by them to manipulate him. Their predictions make Macbeth fearful. Banquo asks for his prediction. Since titles are only passed one once someone dies, Macbeth does not fully understand what the witches are saying. Later, he changes his mind.

----
Act I, iv Scene: Forres. A room in the palace

The king’s son, Malcom, says that the Scottish king died well, as if he had been practicing to die his entire life.

Macbeth & Banquo arrive. The King greets them and thanks them heartily. They are very humble in return. The King announces that Malcolm will inherit the throne and that he wants to honor Macbeth. The King also states that he want to go to Inverness, Macbeth’scastle that evening. Macbeth leaves before the King.

Macbeth says to himself that Malcolm will be in his way to become king, so he must deal with it. He thinks about killing Malcolm.
“Stars, hide…”

Historical Notes: Just a few generations before, the Scottish Council of Thanes would elect the next king. Now, the first born male of the king inherits the throne. Under the new system, Malcolm is the logical choice. Under the old system, Macbeth would have likely been chosen to become king.

Reality & Illusion: Macbeth realizes what he is thinking about doing is wrong, but his ambition pushes him forward, to a point.

---------
Act I,v Scene: Inverness, Macbeth’s castle

Lady Macbeth read the letter from Macbeth that tells her about the witches & their predictions. She says that Macbeth is “…too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness…” (I v 15) or too soft-hearted to do the dirty deeds that need to be done. She wants him to take short cuts (murder) so that he can become king. She bids him to come home so that she can talk him into doing what she thinks needs to be done.

A messenger says the king is on his way. At the same time, a raven caws outside the castle.

Lady Macbeth takes the raven’s caw to me a hearld of the King’s death. She asks the spirits to transform her from a weak woman into a cruel, murderous machine that can commit crimes without remorse. This is her famous “Unsex me here…” (I v 43) speech

Macbeth arrives. Lady Macbeth tells him of her plans to kill King Duncan. She warns Macbeth that he must look innocent, even while he knows of this bad deed. He should look “…like an innocent flower…” (I v 70-73) bush with a snake hidden underneath. She also tells him to leave it all to her – she will take care of business!

Notes: Lady Macbeth’s strong actions in the scene help the audience develop sympathy for Macbeth since he is being pushed around. The sympathy comes from knowing how tormented Macbeth feels since he can still tell right from wrong, and is being pushed to murder the King.

Like Macbeth in a previous scene, Lady Macbeth asks the darkness and the “smoke of Hell” to disguise her evil actions.

Reality & Illusion: Lady Macbeth reminds Macbeth that his face needs to cover up what he is really thinking. He need to look innocent and welcoming, even while he is planning murder.

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Act I,vi Scene: Inverness, Macbeth’s castle

King Duncan arrives and is greeted by Lady Macbeth. They fuss over each other, each saying how thankful they are for the other. Then the King asks to be taken to Macbeth.

Reality & Illusion: There is a disjunction between the mild and fresh air that the King comments on and the impending danger that hangs over the castle.
----

Act I,vii Scene: Inverness, Macbeth’s castle

Macbeth agonizes as he thinks about the murder of King Duncan. On one hand, he thinks if it could be done quickly and without consequence, it would be okay. However, he is conflicted since he know that the King should be able to trust him, and the he has been a good, kind king. Macbeth feels that to kill the King would be such an injustice that the angels in heaven would cry for him. He knows the country would be very sad. Macbeth realizes that ambition is the only thing pushing him forward.

Lady Macbeth enters. She calls Macbeth a coward. She says that he wants good things without having to pay a price for them. Macbeth asks her not to push so hard. Lady Macbeth asks him where his ambition went. She reminds him that he made a promise that he needs to keep. She even goes on to say that she would kill her own child, a smiling babe in arms, if she had promised to do so.

Lady Macbeth plans to get King Duncan’s guard drunk, go into his bedroom and kill him. Later she would frame the guards for the murder. She believes no one would suspect her since she would cry so loudly.

Notes: The consequences of regicide would be big.
 Macbeth realizes that he would risk his “afterlife” since murder is a mortal sin;
 If he became king, he would become a target for regicide himself;
 Murder would break his bond with the King as both a loyal subject and relative;
 The murder would cause the country much grief;
 Killing the King would diminish Macbeth’s manhood
 Lady Macbeth thinks honoring a promise is more important that the sin of murder (i.e. she would kill her own child, if she had promised to do so.) However, since she has not child, this is no real threat, no actual possibility that she will have to prove that she meant what she said.

 Emotions/Reality
- Lady Macbeth speaks only from her own emotions. Macbeth is in the midst of rational exploration. Although he knows it is wrong to murder, he agrtees to it when he understands how another person can take the blame for it.

-----
1) What two enemies does the kingdom of Scotland face? How are they dealt with?

2) What powers do the three witches possess?

 What three names do they use to greet Macbeth?


 What predictions do they make for Macbeth?

o How does Macbeth react to what the witches have told him? What does this tell us about Macbeth?


 What do they predict for Banquo?

o How does Banquo react to what the witches have told him? What does this tell us about Banquo?

3) Describe what kind of person and leader King Duncan is.

4) How does Macbeth react to the news when King Duncan announces that his son, Malcolm, will be the next king? Why does he react in such a manner?

5) After reading her husband’s letter, what does Lady Macbeth say or think about him?

6) Describe what kind of person Lady Macbeth is.

7) What is ironic about King Duncan’s impression of Macbeth’s castle in contrast to what it actually is?

8) What does the following quote mean?

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” (I i 12)

Thursday, October 8, 2009

"This is What It Means to Say Pheonix, Arizona" by Sherman Alexie


We read "This is What It Means to Say Pheonix, Arizona" by Sherman Alexie. The students had a list of look fors that they need to find and comment on. You will have to see me to get this assignment.

We then watched, "Smoke Signals". The movie is based on the short stories that we read in class.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Sherman Alexie's "Because My Father Always Said He was the only Indian who saw Jimi Hendrix play ‘The star-spangled banner’ at Woodstock” Look- Fors




“Because My Father Always Said He was the only Indian who saw Jimi Hendrix play ‘The star-spangled banner’ at Woodstock”
Look- Fors


Directions: Explain the importance of the items on this list. They are given in the order they are found in the story. This is practice doing analysis.

(You can find the story at http://picard.montclair.edu/~lorenzj/unisinos/alexie-jimi.pdf

1. “Although his prison sentence effectively kept him our of the war, my father went through a different kind of war behind bars.” (Alexie, 25)

2. “We’d dream together until the sun came up.” (Alexie, 26)

3. “Somehow my father’s memories of my mother grew more beautiful as their relationship became more hostile.”

4. “But she loved him, too, with a ferocity that eventually forced her to leave him. They fought each other with the kind of graceful anger that only love can create.”

5. Near –blizzard conditions

6. Learning to play the guitar

7. War

8. Fighting for this country

9. Explain what the following statement means in the context of the story:
“Music turned my father into a reservation philosopher. Music had powerful
medicine.” (Alexie, p. 29)

10. Find a quotable passage from page 29 and copy is down here, including citation.

11. Jimi Hendrix’s grave

12. “Only the good die young.” (p.32)

13. Survival

14. Motorcycle

15. “When he didn’t need her anymore, she went back to the life she had created.” (Alexie, p.33)

16. “Instead of remembering the bad things, remember what happened immediately before.” (Alexie, p. 34)

17. Christmas and my birthday

18. Indian men who abandon their children

19. Robert Johnson

20. “I was dreaming it all but I let it be real for a moment.” (Alexie, p. 35)

21. “…she wrapped me in her favorite quilt…” (p. 36)

-----------------

“Because My Father Always Said He was the only Indian who saw Jimi Hendrix play ‘The star-spangled banner’ at Woodstock”

“What’s real? I ain’t interested in what’s real. I’m interested in how things should be.” (Alexie, 33)

Creating Connections Between Literary Elements and Themes


Directions: In order to complete this assignment you will need to be in a team of three people. Each person within the team will be responsible for specific parts of the assignment. You will create a presentation of your findings to share with the class.

 Person 1 – The Power of Music and Personification

 Person 2 – Reservation Relationships, Survival and Point of View

 Person 3 – War in Many Forms and Settings as a Catalyst for Developing a Theme



Person 1 – The Power of Music and Personification

• Define Personification

• Look back through the story and copy down passages that exemplify how the music of Jimi Hendrix is personified throughout the story.

• Explain how music develops into a character or important driving force within the story.

• Explain what the purpose is for the personification of the music.

• Take note of the words Alexie uses in his writings related to music.

• Explain why the personification of music in this story is important in crafting the story.



Person 2 – Reservation Relationships, Survival and Point of View

• Define point of view (POV) and explain the different kinds there are.

• Explain what kind of reader response and impact each POV style has.

• Look back through the story and copy down passages that exemplify dialogue is effectively used throughout the story. Explain why some parts are quoted while others conversations are simply reported or summarized

• Explain how the first person point of view used in the story impacts how we react to the story. Explain how the reader’s response would be different if the POV was different.

• Look closely at the words used in the story. Is there any sort of shift between when he is talking about someone else versus when he is talking about himself? What patterns do you notice?

• Explain why the POV in this story is important in crafting the story.



Person 3 – War in Many Forms and Settings as a Catalyst for
Developing a Theme


• Define setting and theme.

• Look back through the story and copy down passages that describe the setting.

• Explain how the shifts from one setting to another helps highlight or bring focus to specific events, emotional responses, etc.

• Explain what a literary theme is.

• Skim back over the story and look for passages from the text that help develop the idea of war as one of the main themes in this story. Why is this theme important?

• Develop a statement that explains the theme of war in this story and what the message might be and/or why it is important.

Notes of Personification in Literature:

Sometimes a writer will give human characteristics to nonhuman things. Objects, ideas, places or animals may be given human qualities. They may perform human actions. This type of figurative language is called personification. It helps the writer create an exciting picture in the reader’s mind.

• The sailboat danced gracefully past us.
• The flames ate hungrily at the burning house.
• The once-proud trees bent meekly before the storm.
• The broad, flat rock lay sunning itself by the stream.

• Sometimes a writer will give human characteristics to nonhuman things.
• Objects, ideas, places, or animals may be given human qualities.
• They may perform human actions.
• This type of figurative language is called personification.


Notes on Point of View:

Types of Point of View
Objective Point of View
With the objective point of view, the writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story's action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer.
Third Person Point of View
Here the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through this outside voice.
First Person Point of View
In the first person point of view, the narrator does participate in the action of the story. When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of the accounting.
Omniscient and Limited Omniscient Points of View
A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or omniscient.
A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a limited omniscient point of view.
As you read a piece of fiction think about these things:
How does the point of view affect your responses to the characters? How is your response influenced by how much the narrator knows and how objective he or she is? First person narrators are not always trustworthy. It is up to you to determine what is the truth and what is not.
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=teaching+literature+of+point+of+view&page=1&qsrc=2352&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.learner.org%2Fexhibits%2Fliterature%2Fread%2Fpov1.html
In short fiction, who tells the story and how it is told are critical issues for an author to decide. The tone and feel of the story, and even its meaning, can change radically depending on who is telling the story.
We should remember that someone is always between the reader and the action of the story , that someone is telling the story from his or her own point of view. This angle of vision, the point of view from which the people, events, and details of a story are viewed, is important to consider when reading a story.
Here are some Questions we should Ask Ourselves when we Read a Story :
1. Who is telling the story?
2. How much does the narrator know?
3. To what extent does the author reveal the inner thoughts and feelings of characters?
AND
4. What is the amount of time lapsed between event and telling: as events occur or after they occur ( which is more likely )?
5. Which are the mental processes of the narrator i.e. the attitude that underlies the telling, e.g. feminist, Marxist, existential ?
6. What are the narrator's character and behavior ? For example, a narrator may be revealing a changed attitude through reflection or maturity as in a story of childhood told by an adult looking back , or story of loss of innocence told by the mature person.

AND
7. How does the point of view affect our responses to the characters?
8. How is our response influenced by how much the narrator knows and how objective he or she is?

TYPES of Point of View :
A- First Person
1. He is recognizable by use of first person pronoun, generally "I" but sometimes "we"
2. He offers a singularity of perspective
3. He asks reader to take into account the character of the storyteller
4. He may be a participant, a character involved in the events, or a non-participant, an observer-character not actually involved and therefore closely resembles third person .
When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of the accounting.
B- Third Person
An outside force without any clear identity tells the story [described elsewhere as like the eye of God]
1- Omniscient: narrator moves freely about in time and space and into characters’ thoughts and feelings . He knows everything about them , interprets and comments on their behavior, and even comments on the significance or meaning of the story.
2- Limited omniscient: Like omniscient, the story is told in third person, but the author tells it from the viewpoint of only one character. The author looks at events through the eyes, mind and emotions of that one character. The writer moves inside and outside the character and knows what that character sees, hears, feels, and thinks. However, nothing is revealed about the other characters except for what his chosen character knows or infers. This point of view is closer to the conditions of real life and may serve to unify the story since all details are seen through the eyes and experience of one person.
3- Objective : narrator refrains from any editorial commentary . He can go anywhere, but can only record what is seen and heard . He tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story's action and dialogue. He never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer.
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=teaching+literature+of+point+of+view&page=1&qsrc=2352&ab=2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.fortunecity.com%2Fnadabs%2Fliterature-pointview.html

Strengths of First Person Point of View - “I”

 psychological insight of narrator

 psychological insight into narrator

 feels personal, confessional, intimate

 reader must be involved in assessing

 the motivation and purpose of the 1st person narrator, assessing whether the narrator is reliable, unreliable, stable, unstable, sincere, insincere, etc.

Strengths of Third Person Point of View - He, She, It

 A feeling of Objectivity - Outer world over the inner world (for the most part)
 Power of description, scene, dialog, and action

 Transparency of narrative and author’s hand in the story (usually)

 Access to knowledge and sensibility of multiple characters is possible

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=teaching+literature+of+point+of+view&page=1&qsrc=2352&ab=3&u=http%3A%2F%2Fla.gulfcoast.edu%2Feng2111%2FPresentations%2Fpov-lit.htm


Notes on Setting:


Setting and Meaning
People exist in a particular time and place. Where we live may contribute not only to our personality, but also to our values, attitudes, and even our problems. In literature, setting (time and place) can also influence characters and what they do.
Time
We need to consider four kinds of time that may carry particular associations with them:
• Clock time: this can be used to provide suspense or create certain moods or feelings.
• Calendar time: the day, month, year, or more generally a day of the week or time of the month may provide an understanding of what takes place in a piece of literature.
• Seasonal time: the seasons or a span of time associated with a particular activity may be important.
• Historical time: this can establish a psychological or sociological understanding of behaviors and attitudes.
Place
We may find significance in the actual location where the action occurs, but we need to pay attention to the nonphysical as well as the physical environment.
The physical environment, including weather conditions, may be specifically described.
The nonphysical environment includes cultural influences such as education, social standing, economic class, and religious belief. These may be revealed by physical properties in the scene or through the characters' dialogue, thoughts, statements, and behaviors.
Uses of setting
The setting may be nothing more than the backdrop for what occurs; however, it may be directly linked to mood or meaning.
• It can create an atmosphere that affects our response to the work.
• It may have a direct effect on a character's motivation.
• An external force may enter the setting and change it, causing conflict for the characters.
• The setting itself may be an antagonist.
• Two settings may come into conflict with each other, causing conflict in the characters who must live in them and perhaps have to choose between them.

Reading for setting
Sometimes the setting is clearly described by the narrator. However, some works will require you to search for clues, especially with regard to the nonphysical environment.
• Learn about the author and the time and place of writing.
• Note suggestive details.
• Note unique uses of language and, perhaps, hidden references to the historical or cultural environment.
From:
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=Teaching+Literature+of+Setting&page=1&qsrc=6&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Faliscot.com%2Fensenanza%2F1302%2Fsetting.htm


Notes on Literary Themes:
The main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work. A theme may be stated or implied. Theme differs from the subject or topic of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the topic. Not every literary work has a theme. Themes may be major or minor. A major theme is an idea the author returns to time and again. It becomes one of the most important ideas in the story. Minor themes are ideas that may appear from time to time.
It is important to recognize the difference between the theme of a literary work and the subject of a literary work. The subject is the topic on which an author has chosen to write. The theme, however, makes some statement about or expresses some opinion on that topic. For example, the subject of a story might be war while the theme might be the idea that war is useless.
Four ways in which an author can express themes are as follows:
1. Themes are expressed and emphasized by the way the author makes us feel.. By sharing feelings of the main character you also share the ideas that go through his mind.
2. Themes are presented in thoughts and conversations. Authors put words in their character’s mouths only for good reasons. One of these is to develop a story’s themes. The things a person says are much on their mind. Look for thoughts that are repeated throughout the story.
3. Themes are suggested through the characters. The main character usually illustrates the most important theme of the story. A good way to get at this theme is to ask yourself the question, what does the main character learn in the course of the story?
4. The actions or events in the story are used to suggest theme. People naturally express ideas and feelings through their actions. One thing authors think about is what an action will "say". In other words, how will the action express an idea or theme?
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=Literary+Term+Theme&page=1&qsrc=6&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.orangeusd.k12.ca.us%2Fyorba%2Fliterary_elements.htm

Friday, August 21, 2009

"The Moths" and Short Story Activities on Identity


The following assignments go along with our reading of "The Moths" by Helena Maria Viramontes. You can find a link to her story in my sidebar.

Please understand that this blog format does not allow for the proper formatting that I have on my assignment sheets in class.

# 1 A Pre-learning Activity

Our identities have many sides, the way we perceive ourselves, how others perceive us and how we want to be perceived.

The goal of this first assignment is to take note of what we know about identity and how we respond based on the criteria given. This is a preunit awareness activity.

Look at the picture above. It is the cover from the book where our story, “The Moths” comes from. I’d like you to generate ideas, thoughts and predictions about the story based on this image and the topics listed.


Identity – How she sees herself:

How others might see her:


Reputation - How she sees herself:

How others might see her:

Impression - How she sees herself:

How others might see her:

Character - How she sees herself:

How others might see her:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#2 Creating Reading Notes

Next up we have a chart that we will fill in as we read the story. You will have to copy and paste this information into your own chart in order to do the assignment at home. You'll need to make a chart with six columns and six rows. Here are the categories:

Structured Notes on Identity & Events from the Story

Summarize the Event

Who She Interacted With Her

Response to Them

Their Response to Her

What That Person
Might Think About Her

Why Might This Be Important?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#3 Structured Notes on Identity & Interactions

Now we have a chart that we will fill in after we read the story. You will have to copy and paste this information into your own chart in order to do the assignment at home. You'll need to make a chart with three columns and six rows. Here are the categories:


Column Categories:

Person/Relationship

Example / 2 +Quotes
from the Text

Explanation of How This
Impacts Her Identity

Row Categories:

Abuelita

Ama

Apa

Teresa

Narrator

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before we started reading, we completed a chart about identity. We are doing the same chart a second time with the idea that with more information from our reading we will have more to say. Some of our ideas might even have changed.

#4 Elements of Identity


Directions:
At the beginning of this unit we made predictions using a similar chart to the one below. Now fill in the chart with information you know from having read the story.
Be sure to be very specific in your responses.

Identity – How she sees herself:

How others might see her:


Reputation - How she sees herself:

How others might see her:

Impression - How she sees herself:

How others might see her:

Character - How she sees herself:

How others might see her:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#5 On to Writing

Identity: Considering Perspective, Purpose and Message

Directions:We will use the notes you will create below to write two different letters from two different perspectives. Understand that each person’s perspective and purpose will change how the message is written. Please follow the following guidelines.



Part A

• Review the information that you recorded in the charts we completed during our reading of the story. Look back at the story and copy down some of the specific lines from the text that seem important and useful in communicating the narrator’s perspective, purpose and message that you think she would wish to communicate. Her letter can be intended for any of the main characters in the story. Consider what she might want to say to her mother or grandmother. Would she want to explain, defend or justify her actions? Would she want the reader to understand her motivation, her feelings or her response?

• Review the information that you recorded in the charts we completed during our reading of the story. Look back at the story and copy down some of the specific lines from the text that seem important and useful in communicating the Abuelita’s perspective, purpose and message that you think she would wish to communicate. Her letter can be intended for any of the main characters in the story. Consider what she might want to say her grandaughter. Would she want to explain, defend or justify her actions? Would she want the reader to understand her motivation, her feelings or her response?


• Review the information that you recorded in the charts we completed during our reading of the story. Look back at the story and copy down some of the specific lines from the text that seem important and useful in communicating Ama’s perspective, purpose and message that you think she would wish to communicate. Her letter can be intended for any of the main characters in the story. Consider what she might want to say her daughter. Would she want to explain, defend or justify her actions? Would she want the reader to understand her motivation, her feelings or her response?

Part B
Think about the details you will use in the two letters you will write. Think about similes, metaphors or figurative language you can use to enliven your writing.

Use these notes to write two letters.
• They may be from the narrator, Abuelita or Ama.
• Be sure to address at least two of the following topics: reputation, impression, character or intent/purpose.
• Be sure to use at least two direct quotes (with citation) from the story.
• Be sure to write it as if it were a real letter. Be sure to include at least two similes, metaphors and/or other figurative language.
• Be sure each letter is clear and distinct. Each should have its own voice.
• Proof read your final copy before turning it in.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Quotes on Identity

Here are the quotes that we used in class as part of our preunit learning activity:

An identity would seem to be arrived at by the way in which the person faces and uses his experience.
James Baldwin

As a young teenager I looked desperately for things to read that might excuse me or assure me I wasn't the only one, that might confirm an identity I was unhappily piecing together.
Edmund White

First of all, what happens is, when you're good at something, you spend a lot of time with it. People identify you with that sport, so it becomes part of your identity.
Mike Krzyzewski

Human identity is the most fragile thing that we have, and it's often only found in moments of truth.
Alan Rudolph

I have done everything I can to make sure my daughter knows her father because you form your own identity by rebelling against your parents - but first you have to know them.
Greta Scacchi

Joy, rather than happiness, is the goal of life, for joy is the emotion which accompanies our fulfilling our natures as human beings. It is based on the experience of one's identity as a being of worth and dignity.
Rollo May

Strengthening our identity is one way or reinforcing people's confidence and sense of citizenship and well-being.
David Blunkett

The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes.
Sallust

We don't need a melting pot in this country, folks. We need a salad bowl. In a salad bowl, you put in the different things. You want the vegetables - the lettuce, the cucumbers, the onions, the green peppers - to maintain their identity. You appreciate differences.
Jane Elliot

Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self.
B. R. Ambedkar

You have your identity
when you find out, not what you can keep your mind on, but what you can't keep your mind off.
A. R. Ammons

Your life will be a blessed and balanced experience if you first honor your identity and priority.
Russell M. Nelson

You manifest based on who you are already - so you must own the identity of the dream in order to manifest it.
Joy Page

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. ~Epictetus

You cannot belong to anyone else until you belong to yourself. -Pearl Bailey

Telling others about oneself is...no simple matter. It depends on what we think they think we ought to be like—or what selves in general ought to be like. Nor do our calculations end when we come to telling ourselves about ourselves. Our self-directed self-making narratives early come to express what we think others expect us to be like. Without much awareness of it, we develop a decorum for telling ourselves about ourselves: how to be frank with ourselves, how not to offend others....
-Jerome Bruner

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.
-Buddha

A verse from the Veda says, 'What you see, you become.' In other words, just the experience of perceiving the world makes you what you are. This is a quite literal statement.
-Deepak Chopra

Always be a first rate version of yourself, and not a second rate version of someone else.
-Judy Garland

No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.
-Nathaniel Hawthorne

If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves, it is because self-knowledge is painful and we prefer the pleasures of illusion.
-Aldous Huxley

"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."
-François de La Rochefoucauld

Beware of no man more than yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.
-C. H. (Charles Haddon) Spurgeon

“Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” ~ Kevin Arnold

“If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?” ~ Chuck Palahniuk

The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.” ~Richard R. Grant

“Identity is such a crucial affair that one shouldn't rush into it.” ~ David Quammen

“Identity is theft of the self” ~ Estee Martin

“The identity of one changes with how one perceives reality” ~ Vithu Jeyaloganathan

~ I think history is inextricably linked to identity. If you don't know your history, if you don't know your family, who are you? ~ Mary Pipher

~ Integrity simple means not violating one's own identity. ~
Erich Fromm

A people must have dignity and identity. ~Andrew Goodman

A racial community provides not only a sense of identity, that luxury of looking into another's face and seeing yourself reflected back, but a sense of security and support.
Wentworth Miller

Monday, August 17, 2009

Welcome to My English 10 Class

Welcome to my class. I truly hope you will enjoy what we do. I am working hard to make sure that we satisfy all our requirements in an interesting manner. My class has four main components:

1) Writing Skills (Including Grammar) and Editing Skills: Is that a groan I hear? Hey, communication is very important in EVERY part of your life. I want to make sure you know how to express yourself in a clear, thoughtful and well-presented manner.

2) Looking at Literature: It is through literature that we can gain an appreciation of other people/cultures/time periods.

3) Study Skills: Good organizational skills, study skills and time
management skills are all qualities I want to help you develop. It will make your life easier.

4) Poetry Appreciation: We will be working with poetry in order to help you have a better understanding of good writing and the tools authors use to achieve excellence in text.

5) CSAP Preparation – we will combine our study of the texts with
skills practice that will get you ready and accustom to CSAP-style exams.

I want you to succeed in my class. Even if you don’t feel like you’re “good” at writing or reading, you can still get a good grade in my class. So, you say, how do I do that? Here’s the drill:

• COME TO CLASS EVERYDAY! Having an interesting mix of students makes the class more fun. I want to see your smiling face every school day.

Absences & Tardies: I will be enforcing the school attendance policies. Unexcused absences will hurt your grade. When you have an unexcused absence you cannot get points for the work you are required to do. This includes tests. Also, if you ditch class because you do not have a major assignment done on the due date, I will know! This may result in “0” points for that assignment

• BE PREPARED! For my class you will need your brain, a well fed body, a good attitude, respect, and the following supplies:
• Pens: All assignments must be done in pen or typed/word processed.

• Paper: You need to have loose leaf paper to use for your assignments. Spiral bound paper should be used for items such as class notes.

• Your Time Tracker: This should be used to record assignment, especially homework due dates. It also serves as your hall pass.

• Markers or Colored Pencils that have been sharpened: We will be doing some fun things in class that you require a nice visual presentation. Be sure to put your name on your markers or colored pencils. (optional)

• A Highlighter: These will also be used to enhance your study skills. (optional)

Grading Criteria:
All assignments are given points. Grades are awarded based on points earned.

90% = A 80% = B 70% = C 65% = D

How do you earn points?
• Major Projects (these will usually be essays) and Tests

• Quizzes

• In Class Work

• Homework: The amount of homework you get depends on how fast you work in class and the grade you want to earn. Some homework will be given independently of class work. Work is due at the beginning of class on the day it is due. All work completed on a computer must be printed out. I do not accept discs. Do not procrastinate on your homework, especially the reading assignments. Procrastination is a tempting mistress that will ditch you like a dog when you need her! Don’t get stuck in her trap!

* Extra Credit Work: This is readily available for students who are passing the class.
Students who are not passing must do the regular class work before extra credit can be earned. See me for
more specific details. These opportunities are announced in class.

• Resubmitting Work: If you turned your work in on time you will be allowed to redo it and resubmit it for a better grade. In order to do this, you must attach your old copy to the new copy and write “Resubmit” on the top of the assignment.


Okay, enough said? Feeling overwhelmed already? Stop and breathe. I am strict, but also fair. It is important to me that you know what is going on and expected in my class. I hope to see your face beaming with pride in your own excellent work and feel good about how well you have prepared yourself. Need help with any of this stuff? See me. I am always here before school, during the access period or you can schedule time with me as well.