Brit Lit:

Journal prompt:  As of pg. 185, many of the truths that we cling to in this world, are false.  What three things do you think are fake.  Please consider relationships, technologies and plot.  1 pg.

We reviewed your reading.

We finished Blade Runner and had a discussion as to why we enjoy dystopian worlds.

We finished our debate on censorship and government surveillance.  It was a tie- so dum-dums all around....

I gave you an essay from 1943 on Politics and the English Language.  We will be looking at this Monday- so please bring this to class.

Comp. Lit. II Alt. Assignment

Poetry Project 2013:

For this assignment, you will be making a poetry book with the following requirements:

Cover Page:  A cover that in a creative way invites the reader into you project.

Table of Contents:  List each section of poetry book

Section 1  Poet Bio:  Please research a poet that we read and give a one page bio about them. Please be aware of plagiarism, and make sure this is your own words.

Section 2  Poem Analysis:  Please write a detailed analysis on one of the poems that we read in class.  Please base this on the following:

Meter/foot

End Rhyme pattern

What is the poem about?

Section 3: Original Poem  Please write an original poem on any of the themes that we discussed during the poetry unit. Min 10 lines.  No max.

Section 4:  Favorite Song Lyric  Please Type out the lyrics of your favorite song.  These should be lyrics that you love- not the music.  Please include a paragraph at the end that explains your connection to the lyrics.

Section 5:Your Favorite Poem  Please type out the lines to your favorite poem.  This does not have to be British, but needs to have been published.  Please include a 3-5 sentence explanation as to why this is your favorite at the end.

Section 6  Evaluation of project  Please include a brief 3-5 sentence evaluation of the project.  What did you like/dislike?

Due Date:_________________

WOS:

Today:

I gave you day 1 of 2 workdays on your sonnet movie project.  These are now due next Thursday.

If you do not have PowerPoint on your computer at home, openoffice.org is a free download for all platforms and will let you open edit and save as a PowerPoint project.  Did I mention that it is free?  Free is always good...

We gave Mr. Metz his Yankee jacket and communist hat that he needs to wear for the day as part of his lost bet with us before the break.  Thanks you Mr. Metz for being a good sport!  I know wearing both was not easy for you....Movies and pictures to follow....

Comp. Lit. II:

Today:
We started class looking at examples of the Favorite Poem Project from last year.

We also watched a few additional ones from the series.

I assigned the project and gave you a sheet detailing the requirements.  To those interested in the alternative assignment, it will be posted here tonight.

We ended class looking at the poems referenced in Dead Poets Society.

HW:  Begin to record and work on your video portion of the project.  These are due by next Friday, but I would love to get them earlier so that I can begin editing them together.

Lost Bet....

Sample of Project from last year...

Favorite Poem Project

http://www.favoritepoem.org/project.html

Brit Lit:

We discussed the article that I gave you to read for HW last night on doublespeak.  We looked at specific examples of how we are manipulated by people through language.

We went over the rules of Newspeak.  We translated terms into newspeak and shared them.

I broke you into small groups and asked you to re-write an article from yesterday on the us pullout of Iraq.  You were asked to re-write this like you were a proof reader in the world of 1984.

We shared your revisions.

We had the final round of your debate on censorship and surveillance. 

New Class rule

WOS:

Today:

Journal prompt:  Please write a sonnet based on the theme of death.

We shared these.  Many were quite powerful.  Remember, truth and honesty always force incredible writing.  This is true for poetry as well.

I tried to lighten the mood with a comic sonnet:

Sonnet - Billy Collins

All we need is fourteen lines, well, thirteen now,
and after this one just a dozen
to launch a little ship on love's storm-tossed seas,
then only ten more left like rows of beans.
How easily it goes unless you get Elizabethan
and insist the iambic bongos must be played
and rhymes positioned at the ends of lines,
one for every station of the cross.
But hang on here wile we make the turn
into the final six where all will be resolved,
where longing and heartache will find an end,
where Laura will tell Petrarch to put down his pen,
take off those crazy medieval tights,
blow out the lights, and come at last to bed.

 

I showed examples of the sonnet movie project.  We will have Friday and Monday as work days for this project.  Please have anything needed to complete these.  These are due next Wed.

 

HW:  Make sure you have a sonnet selected that you connect to.

Comp. Lit. II:

Today:
Journal Prompt #34:  Headline poem.  Cut out 25 words from the magazine that you were given and build a poem around these words.  Min= 15 lines.  Please use three examples of alliteration.

I introduced you to the favorite poem project.  We watched three examples.

I gave you notes on meter and foot.  Please begin studying and understanding these terms.  They will be part of your poetry test.

HW:  Please get your journals up to date.  I will be collecting and grading prompts 21-34 Friday and Monday

Brit Lit:

Today:  We debated censorship and surveillance:

1984:  The Debate

 

During this class, I will be breaking you into two groups to debate the following:

 

Side One:  Government censorship and surveillance are both needed to protect our freedom and safety. 

Side 2: Censorship and spying on American Citizens’ are both wrong and counter our basic fundamental rights as Americans.

 

Directions:  Please break into two groups and assign the following parts:

 

Captain:  You will read your opening statement expressing your main point to prove.  This will be very similar to the thesis of a paper.  You will pick the order of your team to make your top 4 points.

 

Thinkers (4):  You will direct the 4 examples that your team uses.

 

Scribe:  You will write the main thesis of your group and record the four examples to prove your point.

 

Debate team:  You will carefully listen to the argument from the other side and attempt to counter their argument.

 

WOS:

Today:

Journal Prompt:  Please use the rules that we discussed and write a Shakespearian sonnet on the theme of love.

We watched the last 10 minutes of Shakespeare High

I gave you intro notes on the sonnets.

I assigned the Sonnet Movie Project:

The Sonnet Movie Project

Introduction:

As we have been discussing in class, Shakespeare’s sonnets revealed a much deeper and complex picture of his heart.  For your next project, you will need to visualize the feeling and emotion in the sonnet.

 

Procedure:

Pick a sonnet that you connect with, or just like.  It will be easier if you pick one that holds a special connection to you specifically.  If not, that is ok- just try and have one that you have feeling towards.

 

Next, you are to make a visual representation of the images and feelings in the sonnet.  Here are some suggestions:

 

A short film: 

This needs to be 3 minutes long.  Please narrate your sonnet over the footage.  The footage and images in the movie must tie in with the sonnet.

 

Powerpoint/slideshow:

For each of the 14 lines, please pick an image that expresses the feeling or imagery of the line.  Please use background music to score these emotions as well. 

 

Painting/Drawing:

Draw an emotional representation for each of the 14 lines.  You will need to read your sonnet to the class, and hold up each image.

 

 You will be graded on the following rubric:

 

You successfully understood the poem……………………30 points

You had a correct visual representation for each of the 14 lines

                                                                             ………30 points

You presented it live in front of the class…………………..40 points

 

Comp. Lit. II:

Today:

Journal Prompt #32:  What do you think about poetry?  Have you ever used poetry in your life outside of school?  If you dislike poetry or are frustrated by it, why?  1/2 page.

Reminder I will collect these again on Friday after journal prompt #35.

We finished Dead Poets (or close to it).

HW:  Please make sure that you have song lyrics that are meaningful to you.  No excuses!