Comp. Lit. II:

Today:

Journal:  Write a poem about the person that you care most about.  This can be yourself.

We did black out/ransom poems and shared them with the class.

We remixed the poem Annebel Lee, changing the end rhyme, but keeping the pattern.

Your important poem + your 1/2 page explaining why was due.  We will be reading both in front of the class Friday.  If you did not remember to do this, please make sure it is ready for Friday.

Brit Lit Final Exam:

Portfolio Final Assessment

For your final assignment, I will ask you to reflect back on the work that we did together.  A portfolio allows you the opportunity to think about what you have done, what you have learned, and how you may have changed through the process.  A completed portfolio consists of the following four parts:

Part I:  Journal Prompts  Please select 5 out of the 30 journal prompts that you are most proud of.  For each one, please type out  a revised and improved version.  Please follow each one with a 3-5 sentence reflection piece as to why the prompts that you selected were meaningful and what specifically you chose to improve upon in your rewrite.

Part II:  Selected Assignment  Please select one assignment that you are the most proud of and include it in your portfolio.  Please include a 10 sentence reflective piece commenting on:

1.        What specifically did you learn from this assignment?

2.       What specifically did you find most challenging in this assignment?

3.       If you could do this again, what could you improve on?

Part III  Victorian Fiction

H: Like any movie adaptation, the movie we watched has some major plot differences from the novel Jane Eyre.  In a 5 paragraph essay, please discuss some of the many differences between the novel and the movie.  Your final paragraph should be opinion based on if you think these differences made for a better or worse story.  I will be grading this on how well you demonstrate your understanding of the novel (did you really read).  Please make sure to use detailed examples.

CPA:Please examine the two examples of Victorian Fiction that we covered.  In a well written, 5 paragraph essay, please explain how they both fit the characteristics of fiction from this period.  Please use the notes bellow to help frame your discussion. 

 1. Literature of this age tends to come closer to daily life which reflects its practical problems and interests. It becomes a powerful instrument for human progress. Socially & economically, Industrialism was on the rise and various reform movements like emancipation, child labor, women’s rights, and evolution.

2. Moral Purpose: The Victorian literature seems to deviate from "art for art's sake" and asserts its moral purpose. Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, Ruskin - all were the teachers of England with the faith in their moral message to instruct the world.

3. Idealism: It is often considered as an age of doubt and pessimism. The influence of science is felt here. The whole age seems to be caught in the conception of man in relation to the universe with the idea of evolution.

4. Though, the age is characterized as practical and materialistic, most of the writers exalt a purely ideal life. It is an idealistic age where the great ideals like truth, justice, love, brotherhood are emphasized by poets, essayists and novelists of the age.  

 

 

Part IV:  Letter to Yourself  Please write a letter to yourself.  In this letter, please comment on specific areas that you have improved upon while taking this course.  Think about thoughts and feeling that you have had while reading and writing in this class.  Please try and give specific evidence to back up your statements.  You should aim to cover at least three areas of improvement, with three specific examples.  Please also feel free to comment on how you have changed as a person through assignments and class discussions.

Part V:  To be completed in class during your final exam:

5 Paragraph Essay (H) 3 paragraph (CP/CPA):

Please answer the following question.  Please structure your response in a well- written (as opposed to poorly written) 5 paragraph essay.  Please make sure to give specific examples to back up your thesis.

Obtaining greater power or status is something that many people strive for, but is this ambition good or evil? In other words, what effect does trying to change one’s position in society have on a person? In at least three works of literature we’ve read in class, identify characters who struggle to change or maintain their power or status.  Explain whether this struggle turns out to be good or bad for them.  Do they succeed? What causes their success, or failure?           

Please include all parts along with this assignment sheet in a manila folder, with your name, date and class clearly marked on the front.  If you do not have one easily available, please see me.

Brit Lit:

Today:

I went over your final exam.  Juniors- your Victorian fiction paper is also due next Tuesday at the end of class.

I collected journals #20-30

C Block broke into groups to complete the presentation on the Victorian age.

A Block began work on the final

I will be collecting the big books on Friday.

Comp. Lit. II:

No classes Tuesday, Wednesday due to MCAS testing.  We will get back at it Thursday.

Brit Lit:

Tuesday: 
We watched Wuthering Heights.  1/2 way thru:
Journal #30:  In one page, explain how Heathcliff might extract his revenge.  Please explore 3 different ways.                                1 page

Wed:  We finished Wuthering Heights.

We will be finishing our Victorian fiction unit Thursday.

Comp. Lit II:

I gave a my poetry pack- all the notes that you need for this unit.

We defined a sonnet.

Journal #22:  Please write a sonnet following the rules given in class.

HW:  Please find a meaningful poem to you.  Once found, print out and write a 1/2 page description as to why the poem connected to you.  Please be prepared to share after MCAS.  You have 2 days to find these, as we don't meet again until Wednesday.

Good luck on MCAS!  Make your Math teachers proud!

Brit Lit:

Today:

We finished Jane Eyre

Journal #29:  From 1st person obs. write the next two page of the novel/film.  Consider all the conflicts in the story and attempt to resolve at least one.

We broke into small groups to:

Directions:  Please research the topic that you group was given.  Your end product should be a powerpoint presentation.  Know your audience- try and make it multimedia and visually interesting.  You will present these at the end.

 

Topic 1:  Living in the Victorian Age

What was day to day like during this time?  Please look at social, political, and domestic problems.  Some possible ideas:  electoral reform, Corn laws of 1846, Rights of women, future of Ireland. Please do part of this as a narrative describing the conditions of a single person, describing what daily life was like for you.

Topic 2:  Religion and science

Please research evangelicalism, The Oxford Movement, YMCA, Darwin, Social Darwinism.  What was the conflict between the two?  Did this have an impact on the literature of the time?  What were some of the advancements in science that cause tension in the church?

Topic 3:  Victorian poetry

Who were the major poets of this time?  What characteristics do these poems share?  Find three examples and present to class with a picture for each that corresponds with the central theme.

Topic 4:  Victorian Fiction

Please explain romanticism, realism, and naturalism.  Please choose 3 literary works.  For each, what specifically made them Victorian?

Topic 5:  Victorian Fashion

Please present the different fashions of the time.  As this is visual, please make sure to include drawings/pictures.

Comp. Lit. II:

Today:

We watched sections from America's Fav. Poem Project.

Brit Lit:

Today:

We continued watching Jane Eyre.

HW:  H students- novel due May 19th.  End in greatness!

Be safe and have fun at prom

Comp. Lit. II:

Today:

We took notes on stress and meter.

We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went outside to write poetry.

You were asked to compose a poem on the following themes:

Spring
Love
hope/dreams

We shared these with each other.

Brit Lit:

I passed out the novel Jane Eyre to all honor students.  This is due May 19th.  There will be a section of your final exam that covers your understanding and comprehension.

I passed out a review pack with difficult vocal and review questions.

We watched a film version of the novel.  CPA students will use the first chapter from your anthology and the film to complete the end assessment.

C block took advantage of the weather and did journal writing outside.

Journal #28:  Write a 2 page letter to yourself 20 years in the future.  If you are a senior, what are the feelings that you are experiencing?  What are your hopes and dreams?  What will you miss?

I posted the video that we made together.  Please feels free to save the file or share.  Poetry is much more powerful when it connects with real human emotion.  Remember, just like writing, good poetry comes from writing honest.

Comp. Lit. II:

Today:

We finished Dead Poets.

1/2 of you shared your poem in front of the class on the mic.  We will finish the second 1/2 Wed.

Brit Lit:

Today:

Journal Prompt:  Write a love/Spring poem

We finished up or magnet poems

A block went to the Aud to hear a former student play piano.  I asked can art, create art?  You had to write a poem that was inspired by the performance.

C Block:  We spent the last 20 minutes outside completing you magnet poems.