Important Dates

A few important dates...

12/14: Assignment 2 is due
12/16: Rough Draft of paper is due for peer review!
12/23: Final Copy of Banned Books paper is due!

Thieves

I am attaching a picture to this post of the thieves by English poet William Blake (also known for his engravings and art). Is it an accurate depiction? Would you change anything about it? Does it enhance your understanding of this circle, or not? Explain!

A few notes about the upcoming weeks.

http://org.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/english/research_guide/pdfs/outline_sample_sentence.pdf

Above is the example sentence outline.

Additionally, I am moving your canto presentations back to next week. Tomorrow, you will peer review your outlines. :)

Levels of Hell

Hi all! Sorry this is posted later than hoped...please respond by Tuesday at class time! I would like you to comment on whether or not you think Dante is accurate in his placement of souls in hell. Should anyone be moved or not be there? Let everyone know what you think! Use all cantos you have read through for this!

ALSO, vocab mastery test 10-12 TOMORROW (Monday the 23)

Oedipus in the Movies

If Oedipus were a modern movie, what would it be like? Now, you get to imagine it!
Your assignment is to update all of the characters and the plot of Oedipus. Where would it take place? What are the characters names? What do they do? How is the plot new and different? Explain it all. Every piece of the play must be explained in its 21st century re-creation. Be sure to account for all major plot points and every character. Here it is. Your chance to get your name "in lights" (or, at least, on the blog).

Ponder Oedipus

I don't have the exact question with me...but I want you to ponder the following...

What is the significance of 3s in Oedipus? Three messengers tell Oedipus about his past, Oedipus is damned three times, the sphinx tells her story and it refers to three times of life, etc...

The number three is said to have spiritual significance. So what is the connection?? (You can research the significance of three, if you wish!)

An American in Manila (or something like that)

Scenario: (Manila is pictured above)

American in Paris (ok, or Manila).

Problem:

The, not-so-pretty, American stereotype.

Question:

Is the American in "Pulse of the Land" an accurate stereotype? Is this how other countries really view us? If so, why do you think we are portrayed in this light??

BLOG AWAY! (oh, and, quiz tomorrow!)

Homework 9/22/2009

Hi class. I am truly enjoying your posts and I am so glad that you are enjoying the blog! It is working the way I had hoped, and I love the conversation that can happen after school hours. Anyway, the following is for your Wednesday night homework. For "The Bet" we did a character study. That is, we studied dynamic and static characters and their function in literature. Our next story is "Love Orange." This story will be a study of symbols, specifically the orange as a symbol.

Your assignment is to answer the following on the blog...

1. Analyze the main character. How would you characterize her? What shapes her behavior?

2. What is the girl's belief about the orange? What does it symbolize to her?

3. Re-read the final scene. What is so significant about the scene (the door slamming on the hand)? What is the symbolic significance of the hand being slammed in the door?

4. When you were a child what were things that you believed in that you later lost faith in? How did that loss affect you? What perspective does this give you on the main character?

You need to have your posts in by 6am on Thursday morning. Thanks!

REMINDER: Friday your vocabulary and you lit terms are due! :)

Focus Questions

Hello all...

The following are the focus questions for "The Bet." You don't need to respond to these on the blog, just read them over for tomorrow!

1. Who won the bet? Why? (Did anyone really win the bet?)

2. Which do you think is worse- imprisonment or the death penalty? Why?

3. How do you interpret the letter at the end (written by the lawyer)?

4. The characters in "The Bet" are both considered dymanic characters. How are they dynamic characters? What do we learn about them? How do they change? How do we know?

Happy reading!

Homework 9/17/2009

Due Date: Monday, September 21, 2009

Assignment: Morals, morals, morals. What makes a good moral? Today, we created modern fables with classic morals. Now, it is your job to create a modern moral. What makes a good modern moral? Well, probably the things that make a good modern fable. Think about the things relevant to you...especially technology. Create two modern morals and post them to the blog. Then, respond to a moral that your classmate created. Please make sure what you say is appropriate and constructive. Search for words beyond "nice job." Say why the moral is interesting, what it might say about society, or how it instructs! Have fun!!

My morals:

Be sure to check your contact before you push send.

Don't count your on your itunes before it loads.

Voice...

Today, while typing your class syllabus (well, modifying it), I realized I need to update the blog and give a little more information on what you will be doing here. One of the major points of emphasis this year is developing original voice. We will be using excerpts from Discovering Voice: Voice Lessons for Middle and High School and Voice Lessons by Nancy Dean to understand and develop our individual voice in writing. This being said, one of your first assignments will be to respond to a topic from Discovering Voice. Please bear in mind I am looking for QUALITY not QUANTITY. I want you to be thoughtful in answering the question and to write carefully. I will embed Discovering Voice and Voice Lessons in daily classroom work and here on the blog. They will be a vital component in helping you develop a clear, consistent voice (this, of course, is important for any English course, especially AP Language and Composition).

I realize, also, that these posts are mostly introductory. As we begin the year together I will post clear direction for your writing. This blog is in its infancy, so we will see where it will take us. I am excited to journey with you through English this year; I hope you are equally as excited (and ready for the challenge)!

Guidelines for Blog Posts

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the 2009-2010 GT English 10 blog. This is where you will be able to share your thoughts and observations about the readings we will be doing in class. Before you start blogging, please read the following guidelines for posts. You will be required to contribute to the blog as a part of your participation grade. It will be up to you to keep up with posts, so be sure to check the blog a few times per week!

Guidelines

1. You must make 2 posts per week. One post must be an original post about something we are reading in class or an extension of a class discussion. The other must be a response to a classmates' post.

2. Posts must be at least 250 words in length, but no more than 500 words in length.

3. Posts must be appropriate; that is, they must be written as if you were submitting them as papers in class. If you are responding to a classmates' post please remember to be respectful of their opinions and thoughts.

4. Grammar and spelling will only be taken into account if they interfere with meaning.

5. Each post will count as a particpation grade. They will be each be worth 15 points, so they will equate to three good discussion points in class.