Oprah's Summer of Faulkner

A couple of summer's ago, Oprah chose three Faulkner classics for her reading group. The website is still functional and has great materials. Consider exploring answers to your As I Lay Dying questions with the video lectures and FAQs. I also highly recommend The Sound and the Fury or A Light in August for someone looking for a challenge this summer ... two more of my all-time favorite books. Click here to go to the main site.

The video lectures are interesting and you might get a kick out of the Q&A, including:

Are the Tulls' opinions Faulkner's?
Why is Jewel's mother a horse?
Why did Faulkner choose the horse and fish metaphors?
Why does Vardaman say his mother is a fish?
Why is water such a powerful 'character'?
What does Cash mean by 'it's not on a balance'?
What did Dewey Dell mean by 'I killed Darl' on p. 121?
Why were holes drilled into Addie's coffin?
What do the characters' names mean?
Are Peabody and the Bundrens' neighbors reliable narrators?
What does the italicized text mean? (cont.)
What does the italicized text mean?
How old are the Bundren children?
How old are Addie and Anse?
Is there sexual tension between Jewel and Addie?
What do Darl's 'is' and 'was' passages mean?
Why aren't Dewey Dell and Addie closer? (cont.)
Why aren't Dewey Dell and Addie closer?
How does Darl know when Addie dies?
Who is Lafe?
Why do the characters use both vernacular and educated vocabulary?
Is Jewel the most misunderstood Bundren?
Am I missing something in the road imagery?
Where does the title 'As I Lay Dying' come from?

Click here for the answers!

Week of June 2nd

Monday, June 2nd (S)
• Due: As I Lay Dying Reading #4: “The Moral Universe” (through pg. 179). Reaction to Addie (prompts on worksheets).
• Class: Discussion: “Understanding Addie” (hopefully; maybe).

Tuesday, June 3rd (U)
• Due: Keep reading. Work on logistics for your film project.
• Class: Wrap up Faulkner discussion. Documentary film analysis.

Wednesday, June 4th (M)
• Due: Class does not meet today. Sniff!

Thursday, June 5th (T)
• Due: As I Lay Dying Reading #5: “The Barn Burning” (through pg. 231).
• Class: Exercise: “Charting the Verities.”

Friday, June 6th (W)
• Due: Keep reading.
• Class: Wrap up Faulkner discussion. Documentary film analysis.

Monday, June 9th (H)
• Due: As I Lay Dying Reading #6: “Jefferson” (through pg. 261).
• Class: Discussion: “What’s in Jefferson.”

Tuesday, June 10th (F)
• Due: Work on film project.
• Class: Found poetry and Faulkner.

Wednesday, June 11th (S)
• Due: Bring your copy of As I Lay Dying to turn in.
• Class: Silent discussion of As I Lay Dying (language fails us, after all).

Thursday, June 12th (U)
• Due: Identify a source for your film (e.g., a review, an article on the subject matter from a Media Center database or other reputable source, etc). Read it, bring a printed copy, and be ready to share highlights with your group.
• Class: Time to work on group film projects.

Note: Our exam is scheduled for 8.15a on Monday, June 16th. I’ll bring the popcorn; unless we’ve made other arrangements, it is YOUR responsibility to bring a copy of the film and your written analysis. Be sure that know where to find your scene so that we don’t run out of time for everyone to present! Is that too early for popcorn, do you think?

Documentary Films

Click here to see the list of films with descriptions borrowed from Netflix.com.

I'll ask you to sign up for your preferences on Thursday. Thanks!

Week of May 26th

Monday, May 26th
• Memorial Day (no school today).

Tuesday, May 27th (T)
• Due: As I Lay Dying Reading #2: “Addie’s Death & Reactions” (through pg. 93).
• Class: 20 questions, ask Oprah’s professor.

Wednesday, May 28th (W)
• Due: Multiple perspectives creative exercise.
• Class: Share creative exercise; film lecture.

Thursday, May 29th (H)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Wrap up film lecture.

Friday, May 30th (F)
• Due: As I Lay Dying Reading #3: “The River Crossing” (through pg. 165).
• Class: Unlikely heroes; voice; “Do You Speak American?”

Monday, June 2nd (S)
• Due: As I Lay Dying Reading #4: “The Moral Universe” (through pg. 179).
• Class: Understanding Addie (hopefully; maybe).

Week of May 19th

This week is a work in progress as we decompress from exams, go AWOL (okay, technically it's more like AWL) for the psych fair, etc, etc. The following deadlines are known:

• Due Wednesday, May 21st: Read As I Lay Dying through page 40.
  
• Due Thursday, May 22nd: Read As I Lay Dying through page 40 again. Because you know you need another go at that nonsense. Add notes (or guesses) to your character chart as you go.
  
• Due Monday, May 21st: Read As I Lay Dying through page 93. Add notes (or guesses) to your character chart as you go.

Again, read closely but I would rather that you came into class with lots of questions we can tease out together than having consulted a "study guide" for assistance. Figuring it out is half the fun.

Discussion

An email from Jule follows:

"I know people have been interested in making an AP English T-shirt. I was thinking, that maybe you could make a blog post about it so people could post ideas - a sort of class-brainstorming. Remember, we need to show up all the other AP's!"

Click the comments link to read more and share your thoughts.

Week of May 12th

Monday, May 12th (S)
• Due: Prompt #3 (outline or draft).
• Class: Discuss Singer prompt; log writing in portfolios; Jeopardy and reminders.

Tuesday, May 13th (U)
• Due: Get lots of sleep!
• Class: Final thoughts on the big day!

Wednesday, May 14th (M)
• Be in the Blue Gym at 7:15am with everything on your checklist!!

Thursday, May 15th (T)
• Due: Your breakfast assignment.
• Class: Celebratory breakfast.

Friday, May 16th (W)
• Due: Hang out with your parents; they’ve been missing you during AP season.
• Class: Exam debrief.

Monday, May. 19th (H)
• Due: Go see a movie or something.
• Class: Introduction to Mr. William Faulkner.

Week of May 5th

Monday, May 5th (M)
• Class does not meet today. Sniff!

Tuesday, May 6th (T)
• Due: Review poster and handout; finished literature circle book with 10 more notes.
• Class: Present review posters to the class; literature circle groups meet to discuss books and work on study guides.

Wednesday, May 7th (W)
• Due: Prompt #1* (outline or write); review your tone flashcards.
• Class: Tone exercise; review Prompt #1 and sample essay; distribute review packets.

* Note: We will look at three more practice essays this week. While you are certainly welcome to write full essays for all, your assignment is to outline two thoroughly and write one in full (take 40 minutes). Which one you write out is up to you.

Thursday, May 8th (H)
• Due: Literature circle study guide due.
• Class: Share projects; “speed dating.”

Friday, May 9th (F)
• Due: Prompt #2 (outline or write).
• Class: Review Prompt #2 and sample essay; play Jeopardy; make celebratory breakfast plans. Think fond thoughts in the direction of those taking the History exam!

Monday, May 12th (S)
• Due: Prompt #3 (outline or write); multiple-choice exercises.
• Class: Review Prompt #3 and sample essay; play Jeopardy. Take a deep breath; we’re almost there! Think fond thoughts in the direction of those taking the Bio exam!

Tuesday, May 13th (U)
• Due: Homework to be announced (possibly).
• Class: Final review, lots of deep breathing. Think fond thoughts in the direction of those taking the Chemistry and Psych exams!

Wednesday, May 14th (M)
• Due: Get to bed early and eat a great breakfast; consult the checklist to make sure you’ve got everything and be in the Blue Gym at 7:15 am.
• Class: We don’t meet, but kick some College Board behind for me!

Thursday, May 15th (T)
• Due: Bring a breakfast item (we’ll sign up) and your appetite.
• Class: Breakfast and decompression.

Friday, May 16th (W)
• Due: Nothing! Nothing at all! We’ll start Faulkner next week.
• Class: Debrief on the exam.

Week of April 28th

Monday, April 28th (W)
• Due: Read first half of literature circle selection; complete 10 sticky or dialectic notes.
• Class: Introduce study guide project. Literature circle discussions. Review poster/handout assignments and initial paired work.

Tuesday, April 29th (H)
• Due: Continue reading literature circle selection. Work on review poster and handout (make sure you’ve read your packet).
• Class: The “Ten Commandments” of AP essay writing. Review of synthesis prompt from practice exam. Scoring responses in small groups.

Wednesday, April 30th (F)
• Due: Multiple-choice exercise. Continue with literature circle selection, review poster and handout.
• Class: Multiple-choice strategies. Review of rhetorical analysis prompt from practice exam. Scoring responses in writing groups.

Thursday, May 1st (S)
• Due: Multiple-choice exercise. Continue with literature circle selection, review poster and handout.
• Class: Review of multiple-choice answers. Review of argument prompt from practice exam.

Friday, May 2nd (U)
• Due: Multiple-choice exercise or practice essay (TBA). Finished review poster and handout; be prepared to present your poster.
• Class: Wrap up from yesterday. Presentation of review posters.

Monday, May 5th (M)
• Class does not meet.

Tuesday, May 6th (T)
• Due: Finish reading literature circle selection; complete 10 additional sticky or dialectic notes. Additional review exercise (TBA).
• Class: Literature circle discussions; work on study guide questions.

Week of April 14th

Monday, April 14th (F)
• Due: Reread Ch. XVI-XX of The Scarlet Letter for today’s lesson.
• Class: Lesson on Ch. XVI-XX. Return Onion rhetorical analysis essays and grades.

Tuesday, April 15th (S)
• Due: Reread Ch. XXI-XIV of The Scarlet Letter for today’s lesson.
• Class: Lesson on Ch. XXI-XIV. Initial reactions to simulation test; wrap up from yesterday.

Wednesday, April 16th (U)
• Due: Rough draft of paper on The Scarlet Letter (topic of your choice; see reverse of your calendar).
• Class: Peer editing and final discussion.

Thursday, April 17th (M)
• Class does not meet today.

Friday, April 18th (T)
• Due: Final paper on The Scarlet Letter. Bring The Scarlet Letter to return and literature circle books to set deadlines.
• Class: Correct and discuss multiple-choice questions; brief literature circle group meetings; wrap up loose ends. Have a great vacation!

Reminder: Locate a copy of your nonfiction literature circle book early this week so we can talk if there are any problems! Read the first half of your book (as determined by your group) for the Monday we return from break with ten sticky notes or dialectic journal entries. Keep your eyes on rhetoric as well content, style as well as substance.

Blogging for Dummies

To post your response, click on the “Comments” link following the specific prompt. Some recommendations, requirements, and reminders:

• Sign with your first name so I can give you credit. Never use your full name.
  
• Keep it brief: about 150 words does the trick. You don’t need to say everything at once, just make a solid point. More will overwhelm your classmates.
  
• Proofread your work. You may want to compose your response in Microsoft Word and then paste it in.
  
• Unless you are the first to post, acknowledge at least one comment made before your own. You might support (and extend), challenge, or qualify positions that have already been taken.
  
• Support your ideas with specific reasons or examples; be respectful; basically, treat blogging like a very public class discussion.
  
• Try not to wait until the last minute!
  
• Let me know if you have any technical problems. In a worst case scenario, print out or email me your work.

Blog Assignment #1: Public Humiliation

Read the news articles below, then post a response to the discussion prompt.

• Justice as a Morality Play That Ends With Shame (New York Times)
• Shame on You (Washington Post)

What is your position on the role of public humiliation as punishment in the criminal justice system today? Is it appropriate? Is it effective? Support your view with appropriate evidence.

The deadline for posting is 11:59p on Wednesday, April 9th.

Blog Assignment #2: Exploring Transcendental Thought

Read and annotate the excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance.” Consider the various arguments Emerson makes, considering specifically what he says about the importance of non-conformity and independent beliefs.

To what extent do you agree with the ideas Emerson expresses in “Self-Reliance”? Consider the virtues and the costs of such emphasis on individualism. Do you believe that there’s too little, too much, or just the right amount of emphasis on individualism in our society today?

As we continue to discuss The Scarlet Letter, consider how Hawthorne might answer these same questions. What does Hester (“little accustomed, in her long seclusion from society, to measure her ideas of right and wrong by any standard external to herself”) suggest about Hawthorne’s beliefs?

The deadline for posting is 11:59p on Friday, April 11th.

Week of April 7th

Monday, April 7th (U)
• Due: Reread Scarlet Letter, Ch. I-III.
• Class: Lesson on Scarlet Letter, Ch. I-III. Sign up for literature circles.

Tuesday, April 8th (M)
• Class does not meet today.

Wednesday, April 9th (T)
• Due: Blog on public humiliation (by 11:59p). Reread Scarlet Letter, Ch. I-III.
• Class: Lesson on Scarlet Letter, Ch. I-III.

Thursday, April 10th (W)
• Due: Reread Scarlet Letter, Ch. IX-XII.
• Class: Lesson on Scarlet Letter, Ch. IX-XII.

Friday, April 11th (H)
• Due: Blog on Emerson excerpt (by 11:59p). Reread Scarlet Letter, Ch. XIII-XV.
• Class: Lesson on Scarlet Letter, Ch. XIII-XV.

Monday, April 14th (F)
• Due: Reread Scarlet Letter, Ch. XVI-XX.
• Class: Lesson on Scarlet Letter, Ch. XVI-XX.

Note: If you are not planning to sit for one of our practice exams, be sure to get a copy of the test questions (due the Friday before vacation).

Literature Circle Selections

Click here to see summaries of each book (taken from Amazon.com) or click on the title to go directly to its entry on Amazon. Remember that I need your choice on Monday; email me if you'll be out of school.

Books Relating to Medicine:
• Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science
• How Doctors Think
• The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Books Relating to American History & Contemporary Politics:
• In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
• The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
• Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib
• A Walk in the Woods

Books Relating to the Workforce:
• Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
• Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream
• The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century

Books Relating to Struggling in America:
• There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in The Other America
• Random Family
• Lives on the Boundary: A Moving Account of the Struggles and Achievements of America’s Educationally Underprepared

Books Relating to Negotiating Cultural Differences:
• The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
• Paris to the Moon

Books Relating to the Nature of Good and Evil:
• We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda
• In Cold Blood

Books Relating to Language & Literature:
• Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare
• The Power of Babel

Books Relating to Science & Technology:
• The Mismeasure of Man
• Silent Spring
• Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
• Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology
• The Female Brain

Week of March 31st

Monday, March 31st (T)
• Due: Vocabulary exercises for Unit #6.
• Class: Lesson on tone.

Tuesday, April 1st (W)
• Due: Finish tone exercise and definitions. Be sure to have finished reading “The Custom House,” of course!
• Class: Lesson on “The Custom House.” Teaching assignments made.

Wednesday, April 2nd (H)
• Due: Read and analyze article for literary criticism jigsaw (précis and reaction).
• Class: Wrap up “Custom House”; literary criticism jigsaw.

Thursday, April 3rd (F)
• Due: Review your assigned chapters in The Scarlet Letter.
• Class: Lesson planning in groups.

Friday, April 4th (S)
• Due: Work on lessons. Submit draft plans by the end of the day on Friday.
• Class: Introduction to April break literature circle titles; lesson planning.

Monday, April. 7th (U)
• Due: Review Ch. 1-3 in preparation for today’s lesson.
• Class: Lesson on Ch. 1-3.

Week of March 24th

Monday, March 24th (H)
• Due: Start reading The Scarlet Letter.
• Class: Satire assessment (timed essay).

Tuesday, March 25th (F)
• Due: Read Rex Murphy editorial; work on Scarlet Letter.
• Class: Debate Rex Murphy editorial; introduction to Puritanism.

Wednesday, March 26th (S)
• Due: Work on Scarlet Letter.
• Class: Guidance appointment for course selection.

Thursday, March 27th (U)
• Due: Completed reading assignment on Scarlet Letter.
• Class: Introduction to Romanticism and Transcendentalism.

Friday, March 28th (M)
• Class does not meet.

Monday, March. 31st (T)
• Due: Vocabulary exercises for Unit #6.
• Class: Lesson on tone.

Week of March 17th

Monday, March 17th (U)
• Due: Study for vocabulary quiz on Unit #5.
• Class: Vocabulary quiz on Unit #5; finally review those satire terms and finish multiple choice on “Modest Proposal”; The Daily Show and school violence.

Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• No class today.

Wednesday, March 19th (T)
• Due: Read and annotate packet of satire readings.
• Class: Analysis and discussion of readings.

Thursday, March 20th (W)
• Due: Read and annotate packet of readings from The Onion.
• Class: Discuss readings. In small groups, write a satiric newspaper article about Arlington High School à la The Onion. Share with the whole class and save to turn in on Monday.

Friday, March 21st
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!

Monday, March. 24th (H)
• Due: Start reading The Scarlet Letter.
• Class: Satire assessment (timed essay).

Scarlet Letter: Choices, Values, and Themes

Directions: As you read The Scarlet Letter, pay attention to moments in which characters make significant choices or face important crises. Identify five such scenes occurring throughout the novel. In preparation for our study of Hawthorne’s classic, write up the following brief response for each of these moments. No response should run longer than one page (including the quotation).

1. Include the quotation itself (probably a brief paragraph of text … you can use ellipses if necessary).
2. Briefly explain the moment of choice or crisis. That is, which characters are you focusing on, what important decision is made, and what are the consequences of that decision?
3. Respond critically to this moment in the novel: How does this character’s decision advance or complicate the plot? What theme or value is raised by this choice?

Quote Note: Note that the novel is in the public domain, so you can easily copy sections of the text from sites like Bartleby.com. Just go to http://www.bartleby.com/83 and you can search for the text you’ve identified within a chapter using your browser’s “find” function. You can also download the entire novel as a document from the Gutenberg Project. Go to http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/33. Click on one of the download links next to the “Plain text” format, below the heading “Download this ebook for free.” See? The Internet loves you.

Deadline: Due in class on Thursday, March 27th.

Week of March 10th

Monday, March 10th (T)
• Due: Read and annotate all essays in Comparison and Contrast and write “one-pager” (remember those?) on choice of topics to be announced.
• Class: Class discussion of essays (focus on “Disability” and “Dumpster Diving”) led by Ben, Susannah, and Emily; peer review of one-pagers.

Tuesday, March 11th (W)
• Due: Read and annotate the following Definition essays: “I Want a Wife,” “The Androgynous Man,” and “The Meanings of a Word.” Write a detailed outline for Writing Topic #2 on pg. 255, reproduced below:

A recent grassroots movement tried but failed to have the word nigger removed from dictionaries. Are there some words so hateful that they should be banned from the language? Or is such an attempt to control language even more objectionable? Write an essay that states and supports your answers, giving plenty of examples.

• Class: Class discussion of “The Meanings of a Word” led by Mary, Michelle, and Tim; review and critique outlines.

Wednesday, March 12th (H)
• Due: Read and annotate all essays in Cause & Effect. Complete vocabulary exercises for Unit #5.
• Class: Class discussion of “Cultural Baggage” led by Aaron, Alisha, and Alice. Review vocabulary exercises.

Thursday, March 13th (F)
• Due: Read and annotate “A Modest Proposal” in Argument & Persuasion. Complete reading questions (worksheet).
• Class: Discussion of “Modest Proposal.” Introduction to satire unit.

Friday, March 14th (S)
• Due: Multiple-choice questions for “Modest Proposal.” Then view 15-20 minutes of television that is likely to contain satire (we’ll brainstorm sources together, online and broadcast). Write a paragraph response:

Describe one clip or scene that you believe to be satirical in nature. What is being ridiculed or what folly is exposed? Is there an implied reform? What is the tone of the satire – is it more Horatian (gently mocking) or Juvenalian (sternly indignant)? Is the satire effective? Why or why not?

• Class: Discuss and correct homework. Satire and The Daily Show.

Monday, March. 17th (U)
• Due: Reading and annotations to be assigned. Vocabulary quiz on Unit #5.
• Class: Analysis and discussion of readings.

One-Pager Topics

Directions: Choose one of the assignments below as the basis of an argument or persuasive one-pager. If none of these topics engage your interest you may write and respond to your own: just be sure that you take a position, writing in an argumentative / persuasive mode. (Yes, these are more about shaping arguments bouncing off the content, rather than writing in the mode of the essay.)




Classification: “But What Do You Mean?”

In this essay, Tannen writes that “Many of the conversational rituals common among women are designed to take the other person’s feelings into account, while many of the conversational rituals common among men are designed to maintain the one-up position, or at least avoid appearing one-down. As a result, when men and women interact – especially at work – it’s often women who are at the disadvantage.”

Assignment: Support, refute, or qualify the claim that on the basis of conversational style, boys enjoy an advantage over girls in the high school classroom.



Process Analysis: “Embalming Mr. Jones”

“There is perhaps nothing else so distinctive of the condition and character of a people as the method in which they treat their dead.”
— William Tegg
“The cost of the funeral is the third largest expenditure, after a house and a car, in the life of an ordinary American family.”
— Jessica Mitford, The American Way of Death Revisited

Assignment: Support, refute, or qualify the claim that the American approach to death and burial, including embalmment, is a wasteful extravagance.



Comparison and Contrast: “Disability”

“I’m easy to spot in a crowd. So when I tell you I haven’t noticed any women like me on television, you can believe me.”
— Nancy Mairs, “Disability”

Assignment: Support, refute, or qualify the claim that television advertisers have the responsibility to portray “disabled people in the ordinary activities of everyday life.”

Homework Survey

I'm doing a little research into my own teaching. Help me (and hopefully yourself!) out by taking this short survey on homework. Click here to start. Thanks for your feedback!

Homework Survey

I'm doing a little research into my own teaching. Help me (and hopefully yourself!) out by taking this short survey on homework. Click here to start. Thanks for your feedback!

Week of March 3rd

Monday, March 3rd (H)
• Due: Copying assignment.
• Class: Introduction to multiple choice; planning the SAT essay.

Tuesday, March 4th (F)
• Due: Read and annotate the essay “Shaping Argument” (handed out in class) and “The Ways We Lie” in 40 Model Essays (Classification).
• Class: Analysis of our analysis (meta!) and class discussion of “The Ways We Lie”

Wednesday, March 5th (S)
• Due: Style imitation assignments; I will also collect your book notes. Also please read remaining essays in Classification (Baker, Tannen).
• Class: Share style imitations assignments. Class discussion (focus on “But What Do You Mean?”).

Thursday, March 6th (U)
• Due: Read and annotate all essays in Process Analysis (Eighner, Lamott, Mitford).
• Class: Class discussion of essays (focus on “Embalming Mr. Jones”).

Friday, March 7th (M)
• Class does not meet today.

Monday, March. 10th (T)
• Due: Read and (lightly is fine!) annotate all essays in Comparison and Contrast and write “one-pager” (remember those?) on choice of topics to be announced.
• Class: Class discussion of essays (focus on “Disability” and “Dumpster Diving”) and peer review of one-pagers.

Note: During the next few days as we wrap up 40 Model Essays, I would like to turn the task of leading discussion over to the class. To that end, I will assign you in groups of three to upcoming essays. Your task is to prepare – in written form that I can collect – a set of three to four meaningful questions for class discussion. Bring these to class the day that your essay is assigned for discussion and be prepared to do a little moderating. Discussions will take approximately half of the class period. Obviously, no late days allowed since this is the substance of our lesson! Assignments follow:

• “The Ways We Lie” – Jeremy, Galen, Dan F.
• “But What Do You Mean?” – Eliza, Zoe, Stephanie
• “Embalming Mr. Jones” – Henrietta, Daniel N., Jule
• “Disability” (pair with “Dumpster Diving”) – Ben, Susannah, Emily
• Definition (TBA) – Mary, Michelle, Tim
• Cause & Effect (TBA) – Aaron, Alisha, Alice

If you will be out of class on your assigned day please make arrangements to trade with someone else and let me know.

Week of February 25th

Monday, Feb. 25th (S)
• Due: First half of literature circle book with ten stickies or dialectic notes.
• Class: Discuss literature circle books; assign revision exercise.

Tuesday, Feb. 26th (U)
• Due: Start work on revision exercise; keep reading.
• Class: Sentence types; the loose-periodic continuum.

Wednesday, Feb. 27th (M)
• Class does not meet today.

Thursday, Feb. 28th (T)
• Due: Revision exercise due: revision (glossed), original, reflection; read Section II (“Elementary Principles of Composition”) in Elements of Style.
• Class: Taking a style inventory (comparative).

Friday, Feb. 29th (W)
• Due: Second half of literature circle book with ten stickies or dialectic notes.
• Class: Discuss literature circle books; collaborative style inventory.

Monday, March. 3rd (H)
• Due: Copying exercise and TBA.
• Class: TBA.

Note: The style imitation assignment for your literature circle books will be due on Wednesday of next week!

Sources: Want to read more about sentence types or the loose-periodic continuum? My sources for the class presentation included:

• Everyday Use by Hephzibah Roskelly and David A. Jolliffe
• http://www.infoplease.com
• http://www.arts.uottawa.ca
• http://www.azed.us

Chesterfield: Work in Progress

Our draft is progress is pasted below. Feel free to make edits. If you can email me your completed drafts (totally rough is totally fine), we'll workshop a couple tomorrow ... then celebrate the vacation with some Abe Lincoln and satire.

Here goes:

In the letter written by Lord Chesterfield, many rhetorical devices can be found. Chesterfield uses such devices as antithesis, irony, and repetition. These devices allow Chesterfield to subtly convey his values to his son.

One of the main rhetorical devices employed by Chesterfield is antithesis. With the use of antithesis, Chesterfield is able to contrast what his son may believe with what he believes. Chesterfield defines his purpose in the letter through negative comparisons: he does not mean to “dictate as a parent,” but to “advise as a friend”; he does not wish to “censor” his son’s pleasures, but to “guide” them (17-21). And yet, the enigmatic Lord Chesterfield seems to follow these kind words with thinly veiled threats …

Week of February 11th

Note: Click here to access Diana Hacker exercises!

Friday, Feb. 8th (U)
• Due: Final draft of speech project.
• Class: Diction: Latinate vs. Anglo-Saxon word origins.

Monday, Feb. 11th (M)
• No class today.

Tuesday, Feb. 12th (T)
• Math exam today. If you are in class, bring work and/or conferencing questions.

Wednesday, Feb. 13th (W)
• Due: Read “Style” handout from Everyday Use; complete online exercises W4-1, W2-1, W2-2, W2-3 from Diana Hacker and print or email your results.
• Class: Diction: Euphemism and wordiness.

Thursday, Feb. 14th (H)
• Due: Read Part V (“Words and Expressions Commonly Misused”) in Elements of Style; complete online exercises W4-2, W5-1, W5-2, W5-3 (“Grammar Exercises”) and C4-2 (under “Writing Exercises”).
• Class: Diction: Misused words and expressions. Collaborative writing exercise.

Friday, Feb. 15th (F)
• Due: Write full draft of AP exam prompt begun in class; complete online exercises S1-1, S1-3, S5-1, S5-2.
• Class: Collaborative revision exercise. Then, a surprise.

Special Directions:

To access the online grammar exercises:

• Go to bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref6e.
• Click on “Grammar Exercises.”
• When prompted to login, click “Cancel.”
• Select assigned exercises.

To print two pages (or more) per page:

• In Internet Explorer, select “Print” from the “File” menu to pull up the print options.
• Choose the tab marked “Finishing.”
• Look for the option that says “Pages per Sheet and Posters” and select “Two Pages per Sheet.”

Literature Circle Deadlines:

• Monday, Feb. 25th: First half of your novel with 10 “meaty” sticky notes or dialectical journal entries due.
• Friday, Feb. 29th: Second half of your novel with 10 “meaty” sticky notes or dialectical journal entries due.

Note: I am looking for meaningful inquiry and analysis in your notes! Don't bother with plot summary. Do consider style, characterization, theme, symbolism, etc, etc.

Speech Project

Remember, the following items will be included with your final project:

• The preface or introduction, containing historical background (citations in MLA format; no more than a page)
• The prompt itself with accompanying excerpt (formatted a la AP exam)
• Your response to the prompt (no more than two pages)
• A works cited page (in MLA format, including your source for the text of the speech)

All work should be double spaced with the exception of the prompt itself. I’ve scanned two sample introductions from last year so you can get a sense of the tone you might take (note that they’re both on the long side; an effective intro could easily be shorter).

• Sample Introduction #1
• Sample Introduction #2

You will need Adobe Reader (downloadable for free!) to view these files.

On the Trail

While most of the class was over at the Ottoson on Friday, the rest of us checked out the campaign trail. A few things that might interest you:

• The New York Time's multimedia presentation of the most recent Democratic debate was stunning, with links to each topic and a fascinating word analysis feature.
  
• A cartoon analysis of campaign logos from the Times had us wondering, "How much time do these political pundits have, anyway?"
  
• For comparison, another analysis of presidential campaign fonts published in the Boston Globe: Is a serif ever really just a serif?
  
• I found a link to the "Tour of Hope" logo that I told the class about. If you weren't in class on Friday, take a look at the logo on the right before you read the analysis; see if you can guess what the ruckus was about.

Have a great weekend! Check back soon for some more info on the speech project.

Week of January 28th

Monday, Jan. 28th (F)
• Due: Mock rhetoric exercise.
• Class: Share mock rhetoric exercises (small group and whole class highlights); introduce The Great American Speech Project; share highlights from MLK responses.

Tuesday, Jan. 29th (S)
• Due: “Cold” reading of Lincoln’s second inaugural speech; read “Inauguration Day.”
• Class: Rhetoric Presentation II: “How to Intimidate Friends and Impress Parents”; analyze Lincoln passages in small groups.

Wednesday, Jan. 30th (U)
• Due: Read assigned chapter in White book; annotate your selection again using a second color for new information and observations.
• Class: Discuss chapter and report findings to the class.

Thursday, Jan. 31st (M)
• No class today.

Friday, Feb. 1st (T)
• Due: Draft of prompt for speech project (excerpt and assignment). Be sure to use the sample AP prompts for guidance. If you are out of class, drop off or email your work.
• Class: Speech project workshop.

Monday, Feb. 4th (W)
• Due: Practice AP test question (write for 40 minutes; use a timer).
• Class: Debrief AP test question; critique sample responses.

Tuesday, Feb. 5th (H)
• Due: Work on speech project.
• Class: Diction Presentation I: “Latinate and Anglo-Saxon Roots.”

Wednesday, Feb. 6th (F)
• Due: Speech projects (remember all parts: background information, prompt, excerpted text, essay response). Study for vocabulary quiz.
• Class: Vocabulary quiz on Unit #4; share speech projects.

Thursday, Feb. 7th (S)
• Due: First assignment of the next unit.
• Class: TBA.

Week of January 21st

Note: Click here for writing folder contents.

Monday, Jan. 21st
• No school today!

Tuesday, Jan. 22nd (M)
• No class today!

Wednesday, Jan. 23rd (T)
• Due: Read assigned chapter in Hansen text; complete SOAPSTone analysis.
• Class: Rhetoric Presentation I: Canons, Schemes, Tropes.

Thursday, Jan. 24th (W)
• Due: Vocabulary exercises for Unit #4; review Hansen text for class discussion.
• Class: Close analysis of MLK in groups; prep for peer teaching of Hansen chapters.

Friday, Jan. 25th (F)
• Due: Close analysis of MLK (see below).
• Class: Peer teaching of Hansen chapters.

Monday, Jan. 28th (S)
• Due: Mock rhetoric exercise (see below).
• Class: Share mock rhetoric exercises; introduce speech project.

Note: Vocabulary quiz tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 29th.

Also: Make sure all papers wind up in your writing folders with appropriate reflection. If you were out last week I need your make up work (see blog) by Thursday night.

Focused Rhetorical Analysis on “I Have a Dream”

Your assignment is to write up a brief (one page) rhetorical analysis of a specific section of King’s speech – identifying and explaining the significant tropes and schemes, and analyzing their effects.

In detail:

• Focus your analysis on one section of text (most likely the one assigned to your group).

• Identify the dominant theme, impression, and/or tone of this section, citing examples to illustrate how King’s purpose is achieved.

• Identify the most significant figures of rhetoric, integrating examples, and commenting upon their effects. Stay away from a “laundry list” of schemes and tropes, however. Think critically: prioritize and thoroughly analyze a few.

• Optional thought: You might conclude by placing this section of the speech – and its effects – in context of the entire address.

• You may use Hansen as a source, but cite him if you do.

Mock Rhetoric Exercise

Your assignment is to write a one page persuasive speech on a topic of your choice. Load it up with as many rhetorical devices as you can – you have complete artistic license to be as silly as you want. When you are done, annotate the devices you have used (footnotes, marginal notes, or handwritten annotations are all fine). Review the notes from our class presentation for possibilities.

For Your Interest

I compiled a few highlights from your research paper self-reflections to share with next year's group (and maybe my American literature kiddos this spring!). In case you're curious to see what some of your classmates had to say, click here. Although I couldn't fit everything, you all had some really helpful advice!

People out on Thursday and/or Friday of this week, keep reading for make up work (group work reflection, MLK video clips, and revised calendar all follow!!).

Literature Circle Reflection

Note: We will complete this assessment in class on Thursday. If you are out of class, please email me your thoughts. See too the video clips below.

1. Comment on how your group worked together. Was the division of labor fair? Briefly describe your contribution. Is there anything else I should know about the group dynamic?

2. Do you feel you came to a better understanding of the novel as a result of this project? Would you recommend using this project in future classes? Is there anything you would change?

Thank you for your feedback! I can't tell you how much I enjoyed all of your "trailers" today!!

March on Washington

Note: This assignment is for students who were absent from class on Thursday!

While you were out, we discussed the “Prologue” chapter to the reading. What surprised you in reading this introduction? What are your own associations for the Civil Rights Movement? We also watched the following three clips in class, which you should make up at home with an internet connection.

Please shoot me a very brief email just to let me know that you were able to access the clips. Include a couple of short “takeaways” from the viewing (a question or connection, something you learned or that surprised you, etc).

The Eyes on the Prize videos are a great resource for American history research or just general interest, by the way – you can get whole episodes at the public library.

Caution: The PBS links don't seem totally stable. If you are taken to the main page of the episode, just click on the "Video" tab. If you are taken to the main page of the series, follow the links to the "Project 'C'" and "March on Washington" episodes -- you can go by episode or you can follow the links to the Video Index. But hopefully it'll take you where you need to go! Ugh!

Video #1: Project “C” in Birmingham
Click here to access the show’s video page and watch the short clip of Bull Connor(1:44m).

Video #2: The March on Washington
Click here to access the show’s video page; watch the first clip about getting ready for the March (3:08m).

Video #3: “I Have a Dream”
Click here to go to the American Rhetoric page on the speech popularly known as “I Have a Dream.” Scroll down to find the video version. Try to make the time to watch the entire speech; King’s oratory style is something you do not want to miss (17:02m).

Note: If you can't get the video from American Rhetoric (I could at school yesterday, but can't today ... argh) then just do a quick search on YouTube, or listen to the audio that is available.

Week of January 14th

Monday, Jan. 14th
• Snow Day!

Tuesday, Jan. 15th (H)
• Due: Be wrapping up work on literature circle projects.
• Class: Final research presentations.

Wednesday, Jan. 16th (F)
• Due: Literature circle projects. Let me know if you need special technology to present.
• Class: Presentation of trailers; viewing and discussion of projects.

Thursday, Jan. 17th (S)
• Due: Read “Prologue” from The Dream.
• Class: Historical context; Eyes on the Prize excerpt; viewing of speech. If you are out please see blog post (coming soon) for videos to watch.

Friday, Jan. 18th (U)
• Due: Reread and annotate the MLK speech in preparation for SOAPSTone analysis.
• Class: Log research papers; semester reflection. Work on SOAPSTone analysis.

Monday, Jan. 21st
• No school today.

Tuesday, Jan. 22nd (M)
• Class does not meet.

Wednesday, Jan. 23rd (T)
• Due: Finish SOAPSTone analysis. Read assigned chapter of The Dream. Identify and be prepared to discuss the most important and illuminating ideas from your chapter.
• Class: Presentation on rhetoric: canons, schemes, and tropes. Focused rhetorical analysis of MLK speech in small groups.

Schedule Change

We will finish our last three research presentations on Monday, which means the literature circle projects will be moved to Tuesday (seems to have been a popular decision!). If we have extra time on Monday I will donate it to the groups to touch base ... but I can't guarantee there will be much or any time to spare.

The literature circle projects will be included on third term grades. Please bring me your books/sticky notes/journals on Tuesday to be collected.

Thanks!

Week of January 7th

Note: The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University has a great explanation of the basic business letter here.

Monday, Jan. 7th (S)
• Due: Read and annotate second half of literature circle novel with 10 more sticky notes or dialectic journal entries.
• Class: Second literature circle discussion. Explanation of group project.

Tuesday, Jan. 8th (U)
• Due: Begin work on research paper letter, group project.
• Class: Group work on literature circle projects.

Wednesday, Jan. 9th (M)
• Class drops today. I’ll be thinking of you!

Thursday, Jan. 10th (T)
• Due: Be prepared for research presentation if you’ll be going today.
• Class: Research paper presentations.

Friday, Jan. 11th (W)
• Due: Research paper letter. Be prepared for presentation if you’ll be going today.
• Class: Research paper presentations.

Monday, Jan. 14th (H)
• Due: Literature circle projects.
• Class: Presentation of literature circle projects.

Presentations in Order

Just a reminder! This is the order we signed up (or were signed up) for research presentations:

• Henrietta
  
• Aaron
  
• Galen
  
• Daniel
  
• Dan
  
• Tim
  
• Alice
  
• Jeremy
  
• Emily
  
• Susannah
  
• Ben
  
• Michelle
  
• Eliza
  
• Jule
  
• Mary
  
• Stephanie
  
• Zoe
  
• Alisha

Looking forward to hearing about your projects!

Research Paper Presentation

Instructions for the research paper presentations are below. The rubric will include preparedness, visual, presentation skills, response to questions, and conventions. Click here to view the draft rubric. Please email me your slides before your presentation so that I can load them onto the computer and we don't waste class time; send a copy to yourself as well in case there are technical problems, or save them in your student folder.

You should plan a short presentation of your research – no more than five minutes – for the class. Begin by briefly discussing your initial interest in the subject; your early questions, hypotheses or opinions; what you expected to find. You might comment on the process: challenges, surprises, or breakthroughs in your research. Finally, give a synopsis of your findings, which might come in the form of an overview of arguments for and against a certain position, and share your recommendations and suggestions.

Create a few short slides to accompany your presentation. I recommend not going overboard with text, but make the slides visually interesting with any images or other graphics that will help you clarify your position. Bring some notes, but resist the temptation to read directly from a script.

Be prepared to answer a few friendly questions from your peers.

We will begin the oral defense presentations on Thursday, January 3rd.

Before we wrap all this up, you will also have the opportunity to write a letter to someone in the community – local, state, or national – to present your point of view on the topic. I’ll give you the details on that when we get back from the holidays, but you could start thinking about a potential audience.

Week of January 2nd

Wednesday, Jan. 2nd (W)
• Due: Read the first half of your lit circle pick.
• Class: Literature circle discussions.

Thursday, Jan. 3rd (H)
• Due: Prepare research paper presentation and keep reading your books.
• Class: Begin research paper presentations; wrap up Fitzgerald episode of Biography.

Friday, Jan. 4th (F)
• Due: Keep reading those books!
• Class: Continue research paper presentations.

Monday, Jan. 7th (S)
• Due: Finish reading your lit circle pick.
• Class: Literature circle discussions.