A fresh start part two...

Just checking this out again. It's been a while...

Welcome Back!

Hello!
I am so looking forward to working with all of you this school year! Over the summer I did take some vacation days to spend with the Mr. and the kidos, but I also spent two weeks with intense work on Mark Twain and analyzing poetry.

Macbeth Anticipation Guide

Answer the following questions to prepare for our unit on Macbeth. Feel free to read and comment on other posts. When you finish view the Macbeth links provided for you on the homepage.

1. Have you ever given in to temptation?


2.Do you believe in prophecies? If you are unsure of the meaning, look it up at Merriam-Webster Dictionary.


3. Do you believe everyone is in a personal battle of good versus evil?



4. How do you decide what is good and what is evil?



5. Do you believe in witches?



6. What is the difference between greed and ambition?



7. Do you believe the adage, "You reap what you sow?"



8. Do you believe that fate directs our lives or that our actions alone determine our circumstances?



9. You probably would not break your moral code for a stranger, but what about for a loved one?



10. If someone prophesied you would become someone of importance (i.e.-President, Homecoming King/Queen, etc), would you wait for it to happen or would you try to make it happen? Explain.


11. Do you listen to your conscience?


12. Have you ever experienced the feeling of guilt?
If so, explain how it made you feel.

What is Diction?

The following comes from Bedford/St. Martin's literary terms webpage.

Diction A writer’s choice of words, phrases, sentence structures, and figurative language, which combine to help create meaning. Formal diction consists of a dignified, impersonal, and elevated use of language; it follows the rules of syntax exactly and is often characterized by complex words and lofty tone. Middle diction maintains correct language usage, but is less elevated than formal diction; it reflects the way most educated people speak. Informal diction represents the plain language of everyday use, and often includes idiomatic expressions, slang, contractions, and many simple, common words. Poetic diction refers to the way poets sometimes employ an elevated diction that deviates significantly from the common speech and writing of their time, choosing words for their supposedly inherent poetic qualities. Since the eighteenth century, however, poets have been incorporating all kinds of diction in their work and so there is no longer an automatic distinction between the language of a poet and the language of everyday speech. See also dialect.

"The Story of an Hour" Kate Chopin AP Essay

One of the intriguing elements of this story is the way in which Mrs. Mallard is revealed. Chopin uses the traditional methods of character action and thought. She also uses progression and/or shift in the character's development. Describe Mrs. Mallard as she is first introduced to her husband's death. In addition to detail, identify other devices or techniques used to show this progression. Provide examples of each. Explain how this characterization contributes to the meaning of the work.

This essay is due Monday, September 13, 2010. It must be free of errors, typed, stapled, in 12 pt. font Times New Roman and ready to be turned in at the start of class.

Back to School Week 1 2010

Monday
8/30/2010 (Period D and E)

Summer Reading Essays
Students compose 2 essays on Huck Finn and Frankenstein

Tuesday
8/31/2010 Back to School Basics and Course Introductions Period E
 Assign Books and HWK
 Collect Summer Reading Assignments/Books
 Finish Summer Reading Essays
 Read Syllabus- visit blog site and website

HWK: read pages 1-7 take notes/ask questions/make comments
Wednesday

9/1/2010
Back to School Basics and Course Introductions
Reading Imaginative Literature

Period D
 Assign Books and HWK
 Collect Summer Reading Assignments/Books
 Finish Summer Reading Essays
 Read Syllabus- visit blog site and website

HWK: read pages 1-7 take notes/ask questions/make comments

Period E
 Students discuss and take notes: “What information is important to note from last night’s reading assignment?”
 Students take a few minutes to reflect on the following: “When you reflect upon your summer reading- what did you get out of Frankenstein and Huck Finn? Why do you think this? How do you know? More importantly, why is this important?

HWK: Reading Focus: How do the author’s lives factor into the novels they wrote? Students reading autobiographical information about Twain and Shelly.


Thursday
9/2/2010
Reading Imaginative Literature
Practicing Close Reading
Period D
 Students discuss and take notes: “What information is important to note from last night’s reading assignment?”
 Students take a few minutes to reflect on the following: “When you reflect upon your summer reading- what did you get out of Frankenstein and Huck Finn? Why do you think this? How do you know? More importantly, why is this important?

HWK: Reading Focus: How do the author’s lives factor into the novels they wrote? Students reading autobiographical information about Twain and Shelly.

Period E
 Read and discuss in class “Where to Begin” and “How to Read Literature Like a Professor”
 Using the same skills as notes in the handouts students analyze “American Gothic” by Grant Woods using the think-pair-share strategy. Students use analysis handout questions to guide them…
 Students conclude with a whole group discussion on their analysis of the painting.

HWK: Read and take notes on pages 13-22. Practice your close reading and analysis skills when reading “The Story of an Hour.” Be prepared to discuss. Compose formal letter of introduction to me- All due Tuesday.

Friday
9/3/2010 Period D
 Read and discuss in class “Where to Begin” and “How to Read Literature Like a Professor”
 Using the same skills as notes in the handouts students analyze “American Gothic” by Grant Woods using the think-pair-share strategy. Students use analysis handout questions to guide them…
 Students conclude with a whole group discussion on their analysis of the painting.

HWK: Read and take notes on pages 13-22. Practice your close reading and analysis skills when reading “The Story of an Hour.” Be prepared to discuss. Compose formal letter of introduction to me- All due Tuesday.

Welcome Back! Due Wednesday 8:00 p.m.

Hello everyone.
For this week's post I would like you to respond to the following questions and to at least two additional posts. ALL posts are due by Wednesday evening 8:00 p.m. I will set the time- any late posts will not be accepted. Each post is worth 10 points for a total of 30 points for this first blog assignment.

On Frankenstein:
What emotional reactions did you have to the monster’s experiences in Frankenstein?

On Huck Finn:
What is the Twain's purpose in each The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? How is the purpose of the novel made clear by the author? What is the intended effect on the reader? What effect did it have on you? How was the effect achieved through the authors’ writing techniques?

The Crucible

As we read Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, I want you to think about the apparent themes central to the human condition. You will need to visit this post and justify your ideas throughout the reading of this play. Be sure to respond to at least two additional posts.

YAL Reading Challenge

Here is the final assignment for our class. You may start to play around with some ideas...however, there are due dates that you must adhere to. Check out the following link for more information. My goal is for you to not only read something of interest to you...and prepare for summer reading...but also to have fun with literature. :)

Link:

http://ckendallreadingblogcafe.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-is-out-there-in-yal.html

SAT and Reading Blog Cafe Links

SAT Tips:
http://www.sat-essay.net/sat-essay-tips.html

Kendall's Reading Blog Cafe: For the next project look at the YAL Challenge...
http://ckendallreadingblogcafe.blogspot.com/

Books We Should Definately Read After the Exams

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/knowledge/zombies-invade-classics

AP Exam Crunch

Hi- Post any of your final questions or comments about the AP Exam to this posting. Remember your exam is next Thursday, May 6th. I recommend you review your notes, handouts, and essay comments to prepare for the exam. Next week we will review important pointers before the big day!

More importantly, believe in yourselves and know you can do this and will be successful as well. I believe you will all be successful and will do well on this exam!

March 15-19

This week we will begin our unit on Transcendentalism. We will start the week off with a webquest that will take 2-3 days. We will analyze works from Thoreau, Whitman, Dickinson, and other authors and artists from the time period.

Don't forget that your SHF essay is due Friday-preferably typed 12pt font. Don't forget to use the proper MLA format heading!

Art Analysis

Art Analysis
For this part of your Web Quest, you will look choose a piece of artwork that is considered to have been influenced by Transcendental thoughts and concepts in order to give a personal interpretation of the piece.

1. First, choose one of the paintings on this great PSU website:
Hudson River Valley Painters
(Art works on this site have additional links about the artist or painting, if you are interested...)
http://dfl.highlands.com/DFL_Painters/Index.html

2. Second, respond to the following based on your observations and interpretations of the painting.


Describe what is being depicted in the painting. What is happening, whom do the figures seem to be if there are any people, what emotions do you think the painting would evoke from most viewers and why? What are the details, colors, etc? Is it realistic, idealistic, exotic? (6-10 sentences)

Relate the painting to Transcendentalist characteristics and ideas. How do you think the artwork may have been influenced by the way the Transcendentalists viewed human potential, nature, individuality, etc.? There are (almost) no wrong answers if you explain your reasoning! (4-6 sentences)

Poem Analysis

Poetry Analysis
For this part of the Web Quest, you and your partner(s) will choose a Transcendentalist poem and do your own analysis.

1. First, choose a poem from one of the following websites:
The Highlands
I Saw in Louisiana...
Beat! Beat! Drums!
Fairy Song
The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls
June
Poetry.org

2. Next, take the following steps:

Paraphrase the poem (write it in your own words). You can retain the format of the poem's lines, or you can paraphrase in regular sentences. If you use regular sentences, you may need only one or two per stanza. Make sure you name the poem and the poet.

Explain the overall meaning of the poem based what you and your partners interpret it to be. Tell what message(s) you believe the poet tries to convey, and explain why you think so. (2-3 sentences)

Apply, based on your understanding of the poem, the characteristics of Transcendentalism to the work. What qualities of the movement does it embody? What ideas of Transcendentalism does it express? (3-5 sentences)

Identify imagery and figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, and personification. Locate as many examples as you can.
* You may need to use dictionary.com for some words in the poems. Feel free to.

Definition and Timeline

Timeline
Create a timeline of twenty (20) important events and four (4) significant authors related to the movement of Transcendentalism. You should include, for example:

Publication dates of important works
Significant events in Transcendentalist writer's lives
Historical events that influenced Transcendentalist writers and their ideas
Don't include more than 2 or 3 births and deaths (total)

Use the following link as a major source for this info (you can use other sources that you find if you would like):
Transcendentalists.com

Transcendentalism Webquest

Starting week of 3/15/2010
Your Task


For this activity, you will look at the literary movement and important events in the Transcendentalism and use your analytical skills to explain what it is and how major ideas of this movement are present in poetry and visual art. Essentially, I want you to capture the essence of Transcendalism. I have three books available for you to use as well.

Under the Transcendentalism Label you will find three links explaining separate parts of your assignment for today. On each page are accompanying links to help you complete each part.

This project is worth 60 product points for accurate, quality written/typed work completion. Be ready to share your findings with the class.

Kendall's Reading Challenge

http://ckendallreadingblogcafe.blogspot.com/

Slaughterhouse Five- Socratic Discussion Questions

Post at least two socratic questions to this thread...Be prepared for this final discussion on Tuesday, 3/9/2010.