Brit Lit:

Today in class:

I introduced 14 century writing with Chaucer. We began the Canterbury Tales. I broke you into study groups and each group needed to report back to the class about your section.

HW: Please work on your Hero paper, which is due at the end of class Friday.

Soph Lit:

The Murder of John Lennon: Mark David Chapman's Statement

Then this morning I went to the bookstore and bought The Catcher in the Rye. I'm sure the large part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil.

World of Shakespeare:

You may find this clip of interest in understanding what Othello is up against:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHB95FZndcc

Soph Lit:

Journal #6 " All you need is love." The Beatles

Today we had a quiz on CH 7-11

HW: Please read ch 12, 13, 14. Also, find a piece of music that matches the mood and tone of the novel and bring it in to class. Thursday you will be "scoring" the page that you selected.

Soph Lit:

Today:

We finished the last 5 min. of Shakespeare in Love.
I introduced the tivo and explained how we use it to pause and control classroom performances.
We did small commercials to get us warmed up.
We worked on Act 1.

Last 10 minutes, I had you take Othello's 11 lines on Pg 37 and convert them into modern English.

No HW

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

We started with journal #5: Education has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading. G.M. Trevelyan

We looked at your ipod playlists. We speculated what Holden would have on his play list. We did a profile assignment on what the play list would say about the person. Can music define a person?

We discussed Ch 8-10.

I passed back your last quizzes. Papers back this Wed.

We concluded our debate on censorship.

HW: Please read CH 11-12

Brit Lit:

Today in class:

We looked at the next evolution in storytelling: using music to help remember the tale. We "sung" Sir Patrick Spens, Get Up and Bar the Door, and the Twa Corbies. All three were mixed live in class with drum beats and a bit O' the blues on this Tuesday morn.

Second half, I broke you into groups of two and asked you to make a modern ballad which followed the rules that we went over in class. These had to have 4 lines each stanza X 10.

HW: Please read Barbara Allen on Pg. 85. For each line (36) please convert each to modern English.

Wed we will watch the documentary on The Power of Myth. Tuesday and Friday I have us in the computer lab to work on you 1st paper.

Think:

The name Wendy was made up for the story of Peter Pan.

Brit Lit:

Today we finished Beowulf and I assigned your first paper. Here is the link of Cambell for those that may be interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell#Film

Here is the assignment:
The Hero’s Quest
Over the last week, we have looked at the classical definition of a hero. Specifically, we discussed the research and findings of Joseph Cambell. He believed that mythology was our one single truth as humans, and these stories connected us all in a very deep and spiritual way.

In a 3-4 page traditional 5 paragraph typed paper, please take a popular movie, play, or novel, and examine how it fits Cambell’s classical definition. Please use the sheet that I gave you on this. You may pick any hero that you feel fits this mold, however, here are some suggestions that would work well: Pinocchio, Dumbo, Star Wars (1st 3), the Matrix, The Lion King, Indiana Jones, Batman, Harry Potter

Your paper needs to have a clear thesis and you must use solid examples in your body to answer the question.

A listing of the books most frequently banned in the United States is from Banned in the U.S.A by Herbert N. Foerstel (Greenwood Press, 1994).


Impressions Edited by Jack Booth et al.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
More Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
The Witches by Roald Dahl
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
Curses, Hexes, and Spells by Daniel Cohen
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
Blubber by Judy Blume
Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
Christine by Stephen King
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Fallen Angels by Walter Myers
The New Teenage Body Book by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman
Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Snyder
Night Chills by Dean Koontz
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks
The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Snyder
My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Cujo by Stephen King
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
Grendel by John Champlin Gardner
I Have to Go by Robert Munsch
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
My House by Nikki Giovanni
Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz

Summer Reading:

A reminder:

You have your Summer reading prompt today. Good luck!

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

We took a quiz on your reading. I collected your final drafts. Please remember that you continue to loose 10 points a day for a late paper assignment. Please get them in ASAP!

We held our first debate on the topic of censorship.

Have a great weekend.

Brit Lit:

Today in class:
We watched sections of Beowulf in class. I passed back your assignments thus far. Please remember to make up any missing work as soon as you can. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed and make it up if you are out. This is a great place to find that information, BTW.

With Summer reading today, I have delayed assigning your first paper. I will assign this and go over it in detail Monday. Over the weekend, please thing of a movie that you enjoyed that follows the hero's quest. Have a great weekend

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

Something to do if you are bored online:
http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/

I passed out some interesting speculation on Shakespeare. These are different than the factual dates. Most of the things that we talked about are speculation.

I finished my notes on the Globe. Please look over your notes, as they will show up on future quizzes.

HW: Please find one (or more) lines from a play or sonnet that has meaning to you. We will be doing different things with your line, so please do not pick something that you do not connect with. It will be far more interesting to us both if you connect to what you bring in.

Here is more information on your last bonus question if you are interested:
http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/life/death.html

Brit Lit:

Today in class:

We went over a Hero's Quest. I introduced your 1st paper on this topic. I will have an assignment sheet for this on Friday if you wish to start it.

I used the film Dumbo to show some examples of the hero's quest.

I collected any late kenning examples.

No HW this evening.

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

We started with journal topic #3:
It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.
Jeseph Joubert


We discussed what is in a title. We then looked at the title of the novel and explored where it came from. I tried to rap it unsuccessfully. Here is the promised link to here it and see the lyrics:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin'_Through_the_Rye

We looked at your 1st draft and I answered questions that you had. We exchanged papers and did a peer edit to the checklist given. For edutainment, I asked you to grade it.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time and postponed our debate until Friday.

HW: Please type your final draft. Please make sure to look over the checklist, as I will be basing my grade on these requirements.

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

We took a quiz on your reading. I began my lecture on the life and times of WS. I collected S. Alive!!. HW: Please read the History of Elizabethan Theatre.

We will finish with our notes, and continue on in Othello Thursday.

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

We played our first three strikes and we quiz.

We wrote on writing prompt #2: Education is what remains after one has forgotten everthing one learned in school. Albert Einstein

We talked about the reading last night. I ended class breaking you into 4 groups to quickly improve a scene from the book.

HW: Please read CH 5-6. Thursday in class we will be having a debate on censorship.

Brit Lit:

Today in class:

You had your first quiz. We reviewed Beowulf and continued reading.

HW: Please finish Beowulf. Thursday we will be looking deeper into the Hero's Quest and take a look on how the movie Dumbo follows this same path. You will never look at the movie the same way. Cambell was on to something....

We will also watch select parts of the animated Beowulf and discuss the ending.

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

We talked about some of the racial issues that we are about to encounter in Othello. We acted out Act 1, sc1 in class. I introduced the costumes.

HW: Please read Ch 2-4 in S. Alive! Be prepared for a short quiz on the reading.

Tomorrow, I will be giving a lecture on the life and time of Shakespeare. Please make sure to have a notebook ready for class.

Think:

111,111,111 X 111.111.111= 12,345,678,987,654,321. Why?

Word O' the Week:

Draffsack: A bag of garbage

Brit Lit:

Today in class:

Caesura: Pause in the line of verse

Kenning: A colorful, indirect way of saying something

Epic Poem: A long narrative poem that tells a story; Often oral.

I broke you into rows and asked you to use the above terms.
We looked at storytelling in terms of: pictures, words, and actions.

HW: Please read pg 26-27 in Beowulf.
Find an example of a kenning in a modern song and bring to class. Remember, as always, make sure that it is appropriate for school.

Soph Lit

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

Directions: Write a narrative essay about an incident that
happened to you this year in school, and do so from Holden's
point of view.

To start, think about an incident that remains especially
clear to you.

Next, write the incident using Holden's style and his
philosophy of life.

Holden's Style
~ slang
~ sarcasm
~ judgmental
~ repetition
~ exaggeration
~ digressions
~ addressing the reader directly
~ expressions such as "It really did," "I swear," "It's true.
It really is," "If you really want to know the truth," and
"I'm not kidding" to emphasis a point
~ frequent use of the expression "...and all"
~ an ambivalent* tone of both sadness and humor

Holden's Philosophy
~ disliking phonies
~ confusion about girls and sex
~ feeling isolated
~ sad about Allie's death
~ loves his sister
~ at moments very depressed, lonesome, and almost suicidal

A length of 2-3 double-spaced typed pages (or 5-7 double-
spaced handwritten pages)

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

We did various acting/group bonding exercises in the auditorium. It was great to see so many of you smiling and enjoying education.

HW: Please read S. Alive! and be prepared to become a person from Elizabethan times.

Soph Lit:

I introduced my favorite book to teach of all time, The Catcher in the Rye.

HW: Please read ch 1-2. Please ask an adult what was their experience reading, or not reading the novel. Please be ready to share these stories Thursday in class.

Brit Lit:

Today in class:

We read the seafarer, I passed out your anthologies, and we discussed the problems of the oral tradition of storytelling via the game telephone.

We began our look at what makes a hero, and why we no longer have true heroes in our modern day world.

Word O' the Week:

Fussbudget: One who is fussy about unimportant things.

Think:

On average, a normal child utilizes 730 crayolas by the time that they turn 10.

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to Tantasqua. I hope that everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing 10 week break. It is hard to remember a Summer that had better weather.

For those visiting here for the first time, this is a online communication that I use to pass on what we did in class, and also give recognition to positive educational experiences that happen in my class.

It was great meeting you all this week. I look forward to our time together. Thanks for continuing to remind me why I have the best job in the world.

See you soon!

Vader Waves Goodbye

Final Thought of the Year:

End in Greatness......

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

I gave you a print out of all of the terms from your review sheet. I did much of the labor for you in getting definitions- now you should have NO excuse not to study these tonight.

In class I broke you into 5 book groups. Each group was responsible for becoming "experts" on their novel or play. The last 20 minutes of class, each group ran a 5 minute lesson on your book/play.

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

We reviewed all 10 essay questions on the final. Remember, you only need to answer 5 of the 10. You may use One page (one side) of notes to assist you. The notes can not be from spark/cliff/e/notes etc. They must be in your own words. If you use notes, they must be passed in with your exam.

Please make sure that you have solid examples for all of your responses. I will be looking for specific examples in grading these.

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

We finished A Midsummer Nights Dream.

We will have a review for the final Thursday. Please look over your review sheet and be ready with any last minute questions. As always.....

END IN GREATNESS.

World of Shakespeare:

I told you we could do it!

We completed primary filming today in our production of The Taming of the Shrew. We will do some quick voice over work and any pick up shots needed Thursday. I will have the final movie on DVD for each of you on the last day of school- so if you are not going to be here, give me your address and I will mail you a copy this summer.

I had a blast putting this together with you guys. Made me miss my old video days at Shepherd Hill a tad.

We will be reviewing for the final exam Thursday. Please look over the review sheet and come ready with questions on anything that you need help on.

I am also after school today if you need help, or have any assignments that still need to be mad-up.

Word O' the Week:

Finifugal: (adj.) Shunning the end of something.

Think:

M + M stands for: Mars and Murrie

Soph Lit;

Yesterday we finished acting Act 2. We also recited our Puck lines. Remember, this is a full test grade- so if you were not ready, please do so by today. You loose 10 points for each day.

Today we defined Shakespeare's "special effect" terms:
Alteration, Reversed word, Reversed though, Metaphor, Simile, Classical Allusion

We finished Act 3.

We will finish the play Wed. and review for the final Exam Thursday. You final is this Monday, with no class for us this Friday. The end is near...finish strong and end in greatness....

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

We worked on finishing filming Our production of The Taming of the Shrew.

We will complete any last minute shots/edits/voice over work Thursday.

We will have a final exam review this Thursday.

The Beatles do The Bard....

Very rare clip.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y24geONER0k&feature=related

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

We began Act 2 and reviewed the play.

I showed you a very rare clip from the Beatles performing the play within a play scene. Please share this if you have any fans in your family- I bet they have never seen this and would greatly appreciate it!

We did a short activity performing Act 1 in 32 sec or less. Time to beat: 19.7 sec!

Puck lines due Monday. Test Grade! Good luck- I know that you can do it; do not be afraid to try....

World of Shakespeare:

A Block: This morning we filmed Act 2, sc 1 Thanks for your help with the pie :-)

B Block: We put together our footage, but were unable to film do to a certain missing student. We brainstormed and decided to do Act 5 as the prom. We will film this Wed- so make sure that you bring your old prom dresses for Monday. See...and you all thought that you would never use them again :-)

Soph Lit:

Today we started Midsummer.

For this Monday: Please memorize

If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

A Block: We worked on our cue cards for filming. We needed to move filming to this Friday due to a certain student missing school- be here Friday. We need you

B Block: We filmed our epic fight scene in the pool for Act 2. Pictures to follow....

Shakespeare Review Sheet

The World of Shakespeare: Final Exam Review Sheet

Your final exam will ask you to answer 5 of 7 questions based on the plays and sonnets that we read in this course. To assist you in remembering, you may bring in one sheet of notes to remind you of specific plays and characters.

We read the following: Othello, Hamlet, The12th Night, Measure for Measure, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet (selections) and selected sonnets.

The following prompts are possible questions to consider (hint, hint):

Examine the relationship in terms of a timeline between Desdemona and Othello. Please make sure to examine the end of their relationship, and how specifically Othello believes she has not been faithful.


Please read the first page of each play. How is the opening in each play important to the story? Does it bring you in and make you interested? How? Please have specific examples from at least 3 plays.

Talk about what makes a Shakespearian tragedy. Please examine one tragedy in your study group and discuss how it fits.

Please define the following literary devices that Shakespeare uses:
Alliteration, simile, metaphor, reversed word, reversed sentence construction, classical allusion, personification, inflection, stress, aside, using language to show class and status in the play. Sonnet

Character can be defined by how one handles power. Look at 3 characters and make a list how each handles power.

Discuss the use of comedy in his plays. What ideas and specific plays hold up well and still make us laugh. Please use specific scenes in your discussions.

Please review important information on Shakespeare. Please work to define what we know about him. If you had to write his obituary, what would you list about his life?

Define a Shakespearian Sonnet. What did his sonnets reveal about him that his plays may not have? Pick a sonnet and be familiar enough with it that you could reference it in an answer.

Soph Review Sheet

Questions from the 4 pieces of Literature we read:

George Orwell’s Animal Farm
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye
William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
William Golding’s Lord of the Flies


POETRY:

Allusion –
Iambic Pentameter –
Sonnet -
Rhyming Couplets –
Metaphor –
Simile –


READING COMPREHENSION:

Protagonist
Antagonist
Theme
Plot
Setting
Climax
Characterization
Point of View – (1st person, 3rd person, Omniscient)
Symbolism
Allegory
Satire

Shakespeare:

Reversed Word
Reversed Thought
Metaphor
Simile
Personification
Alliteration

Soph Lit:

We finished Shakespeare in Love and began talking about life during the time of Shakespeare. Tomorrow we will finish this up and begin acting the play in class.

Catcher in the Rye make up exam is this Wed. after school. Please make plans to be there if you need to make it, or anything else up.

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

A Block: We watched our footage from Friday and decided as a class that it could and should be done better.

I taught you the peas and carrot trick to make it look like you are speak in the background, we re-filmed Act 1 and plan on Filming 2&3 Thursday.

B Block: We watched our footage from Friday as well. We went over the pivotal parts from Act 2 and 3, and filmed Act 2 (the locker scene) in the hall. We will watch all of the footage combined and begin act 3 tomorrow.

Think:

Yankee Doodle was the first musical recording.

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

I introduced Shakespeare.
I passed out Midsummer Nights Dream
We watched parts of Shakespeare in Love to visualize his world

World of Shakespeare:

Today in class:

Reviewed filming
Discussed pick up scenes
We worked on the outline for the week
We discussed beginning to Film Act 2 this Wed.

We did a brief improve to get our minds in comedy mode:
I presented you with 4 random objects and you needed to make an infomercial using the object for something that it is not.

Soph Lit:

Today we took the Catcher in the Rye Exam. If your were absent, please see me asap. Make-ups are due by wed. after school. Please make sure that you plan on staying late if needed, as we are running out of time :-)

World of Shakespeare:

Today we began filming! For our first shoot, it went real well. See, I told you that we could do this!

Monday we will look at our footage and begin to piece together Act 2, with the intention of filming by Friday.

We will also film any needed pick up shots that we did not get, so B Block, make sure that you have your same costume/outfit.

I will post some pictures on behind the scenes.....

World of Shakespeare:

Today class was disrupted so we could honor our senior friends at Class Day. We still are on track to film this Friday- so make sure you are here and ready to go.

So proud of all of those graduating!

Soph Lit:

Today we reviewed the end of the novel, worked on a Holden though timeline and prepared for the test this Friday.

HW: Finish the novel (23-26) and work on review sheet for the test.

Soph Lit:

I asked you to look at Holden and give your medical opinion on what is wrong with him. How would you make him happy? Can he be fixed?

After, I broke you into Dr. teams and asked you to debate your diagnosis. Each group presented these to the class.


HW: Please read CH 20-21.

Journals due.

World of Shakespeare:

We began our production of Taming of the Shrew. We will begin filming our first scene this Friday.

Think:

No matter how hard you pinch the skin on your elbow, it does not hurt....

Word O' the Week:

Mirabile Dictu: (mee-RAH-bi-lay-DIK-too)
Interjection. Meaning Strange to say; wonderful to relate.