Poetry
Homework:
1. Print the following four poems and bring to class next time Autumn Poems
You need to memorize one of the four poems for Oct 8/9.
2. Read chapters 3 and 4 in The Scarlet Letter (remember, 10 pages every day)
Give points for annotation of summer reading novel.
45 min. Lottery essay
Quizlet list of 25 Scarlet Letter words. You will be tested on these first 10 words Thursday or Friday and all 25 next Thur/Friday
Below you will find one of my other favorites poems, this one about poetry itself and the source of poetic inspiration.
"Poetry" by Pablo Neruda
Monday, September 21, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
HOMEWORK:
1. Start memorizing the first 10 words from the Scarlet Letter vocabulary list, which are found on this Quizlet list of 25 Scarlet Letter words. You will be tested on these first 10 words Thursday or Friday and all 25 next Thur/Friday. We learn 10 words per week and have a vocabulary quiz every SCARLET LETTER:
It's time to check out The Scarlet Letter from the library. ACTUALLY, I recommend that you go to Amazon.com and spend $1.99 to but the Kindle version of The Scarlet Letter that is published by Kaplan. We will start reading this week and the sooner you get on it, the better. This is a TOUGH READ. Note: you may skip the 45 page introduction called "The Custom House." Yes, you're welcome :)
2. Tonight you are to read the first two chapters of The Scarlet Letter. We will read 10 pages of the novel (Kaplan edition) per night, including weekends--10 pages of text, that is, not five pages of text and five pages of vocabulary in the Kaplan edition.
Give points for annotation of summer reading novel.
15 more minutes to finish PSAT Writing Test.
Read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and annotate as you go.
Over the next three periods you will write an essay (rough draft and final draft in pen). Follow the prompt. The story is intriguing and if you spend a fair amount of time thinking about it before you write, you should be able to write something that we will all want to read. Remember, that is always the objective when writing: write a piece that people will find interesting or insightful and well thought out. B's go to essays that are well supported. A's go to the essays that are well supported AND insightful.
1. Start memorizing the first 10 words from the Scarlet Letter vocabulary list, which are found on this Quizlet list of 25 Scarlet Letter words. You will be tested on these first 10 words Thursday or Friday and all 25 next Thur/Friday. We learn 10 words per week and have a vocabulary quiz every SCARLET LETTER:
It's time to check out The Scarlet Letter from the library. ACTUALLY, I recommend that you go to Amazon.com and spend $1.99 to but the Kindle version of The Scarlet Letter that is published by Kaplan. We will start reading this week and the sooner you get on it, the better. This is a TOUGH READ. Note: you may skip the 45 page introduction called "The Custom House." Yes, you're welcome :)
2. Tonight you are to read the first two chapters of The Scarlet Letter. We will read 10 pages of the novel (Kaplan edition) per night, including weekends--10 pages of text, that is, not five pages of text and five pages of vocabulary in the Kaplan edition.
Give points for annotation of summer reading novel.
15 more minutes to finish PSAT Writing Test.
Read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and annotate as you go.
Over the next three periods you will write an essay (rough draft and final draft in pen). Follow the prompt. The story is intriguing and if you spend a fair amount of time thinking about it before you write, you should be able to write something that we will all want to read. Remember, that is always the objective when writing: write a piece that people will find interesting or insightful and well thought out. B's go to essays that are well supported. A's go to the essays that are well supported AND insightful.
Sept 17/18
Quiz--poem, 40 literary terms, Young Goodman Brown
Give points for annotation of summer reading novel.
15 more minutes to finish PSAT Writing Test.
Read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and annotate as you go.
Over the next three periods you will write an essay (rough draft and final draft in pen). Follow the prompt. The story is intriguing and if you spend a fair amount of time thinking about it before you write, you should be able to write something that we will all want to read. Remember, that is always the objective when writing: write a piece that people will find interesting or insightful and well thought out. B's go to essays that are well supported. A's go to the essays that are well supported AND insightful.
Give points for annotation of summer reading novel.
15 more minutes to finish PSAT Writing Test.
Read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and annotate as you go.
Over the next three periods you will write an essay (rough draft and final draft in pen). Follow the prompt. The story is intriguing and if you spend a fair amount of time thinking about it before you write, you should be able to write something that we will all want to read. Remember, that is always the objective when writing: write a piece that people will find interesting or insightful and well thought out. B's go to essays that are well supported. A's go to the essays that are well supported AND insightful.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Tuesday
1. Take PSAT Writing section test--30 minutes. I will also give you an additional 10 minutes to finish
section 3 from yesterday.
In order for us to use the same scantron sheet, mark "A" for numbers 49 and 50 and then bubble in
answers for the Writing test starting at number 51 (1 is 51, 2 is 52, etc.)
2. Learn all literary terms by Thursday/Friday (yes, 40, but you already know most)
3. Print Summer Reading Essay and bring it to class Thursday/Friday (17th).
Summer reading essay due Sunday 27th };^}
4. Young Goodman Brown.
Homework tonight:
Print it and bring to class.You will have a reading comprehension quiz over it at the beginning of the period next time and will also have to write out the first three lines of Song of the Open Road. We will combine this test with the literary terms test. 18 points total (5+3+10)
5. Next time, Bring How to Read Literature Like a College Professor AND your summer reading book. You will be sharing ideas from your book and won't have anything to do if you don't bring it. If you didn't hear about summer reading because you went to a different school last year, bring the summer reading book that you have chosen and I will give you reading time. Thanks!
IGNORE THE FOLLOWING. IT'S FROM LAST YEAR For start memorizing the first 10 words from the Scarlet Letter vocabulary list, which are found on this Quizlet list of 25 Scarlet Letter words. You will be tested on these first 10 words Thursday or Friday September 24/25 and the remainiing 15 the following Thur/Friday, Oct 1,2. Throughout the year we learn 10 words per week and have a vocabulary quiz every Friday (some of the blog entries you will read have been recycled from the things last year. Anytime you read "due Friday" that means due the last day of the week for your class). It is not my responsibility to remind you that you will be quizzed. NOTE: Many "B" students drop from the "A" because they don't ace all of the vocab quizzes.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Welcome to Honors American Lit!
Welcome to Honors American Lit
S.A.T. I recommend that you all take the SAT between now and January. Because you have taken the PSAT, you are familiar with the format and might do better on the current SAT than you will on the Revised SAT (percentile rating, that is).
--The best books, they don't talk about things you never thought about before. They talk about things you'd always thought about, but that you didn't think anyone else had thought about. You read them, and suddenly you're a little bit less alone in the world. You're part of this cosmic community of people who've thought about this thing, whatever it happens to be. -Tommey Wallach
Class syllabus
Homework:
1. Read syllabus, have parent or guardian read it, sign, and return Monday.
2. Learn all names by Thursday after next.
3. Learn all literary terms by next Thursday/Friday (yes, 40, but you already know most)
4. Finish Getting to Know You handout, including 1/2 page telling me about yourself. Make it interesting and revealing. I want to know the real you, not just typical biographical information--your passions, what makes you tick, things like that. Due Monday.
5. Print Summer Reading Essay and bring it to class next Thursday/Friday (17th). Actually due Sunday 27th };^}
6. Bring your copy of How to Read Literature like a college professor next Tuesday.
7. First three lines of Song of the Open Road by Whitman Monday.
What can I say, I love teaching Honors American Lit where the discussions are lively, the insights keen, and the writing enjoyable to read (please keep it that way :^]
Rather than create a website, I've set up this blog for our class and you will be required to view it from time to time. I prefer blogs to websites because they can be updated so easily and they also give you the opportunity to comment on the things that are said here and to give me input concerning neat and useful links to add to the "Resources" tab and the "Cool Stuff "tab."
My goal is to make this class as stimulating as it is challenging. The works that I've chosen for us to study, as well as the assignments, should give you opportunities to think through challenging issues and to solidify your new ideas as you write your papers and produce creative projects.
_______________________________________
Homework:
1. Read syllabus, have parent or guardian read it, sign, and return Monday.
2. Learn all names by Thursday after next.
3. Learn all literary terms by next Thursday/Friday (yes, 40, but you already know most)
4. Finish Getting to Know You handout, including 1/2 page telling me about yourself. Make it interesting and revealing. I want to know the real you, not just typical biographical information--your passions, what makes you tick, things like that. Due Monday.
5. Print Summer Reading Essay and bring it to class next Thursday/Friday (17th). Actually due Sunday 27th };^}
6. Bring your copy of How to Read Literature like a college professor next Tuesday.
7. First three lines of Song of the Open Road by Whitman Monday.
What can I say, I love teaching Honors American Lit where the discussions are lively, the insights keen, and the writing enjoyable to read (please keep it that way :^]
Rather than create a website, I've set up this blog for our class and you will be required to view it from time to time. I prefer blogs to websites because they can be updated so easily and they also give you the opportunity to comment on the things that are said here and to give me input concerning neat and useful links to add to the "Resources" tab and the "Cool Stuff "tab."
My goal is to make this class as stimulating as it is challenging. The works that I've chosen for us to study, as well as the assignments, should give you opportunities to think through challenging issues and to solidify your new ideas as you write your papers and produce creative projects.
_______________________________________
Class today (actually today and tomorrow):
1. The American Dream
- National Public Radio (NPR) video on the singer Bruce Springsteen and the American Dream. Springsteen's American Dream--Beautiful and Bleak
- Born to Run with lyrics (Bruce Springsteen) Discuss meaning of the song. And a link to the lyrics: Born to Run
- Compare and contrast the poems Song of the Open Road by Walt Whitman, and
- I am Waiting, by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Both deal with the American dream. Which is more similar to Springsteen's Born to Run? Why do you think these poets and singers see the American dream differently?
- As a group, decide what the song Born to Run is saying. Take notes.
- Homework: Write three paragraphs telling me what you think Springsteen is saying. Remember, good writing makes a specific point, supports that point with specific examples, and discusses those examples.
- Another Whitman poem: I Hear America Singing
- Literary terms--Quizlet
My hope is that you'll find the class both challenging and fun.
Homework (to be done tonight)
1. The first thing I'd like you to do is to have your parent or guardian read the syllabus.
2. Start memorizing the first 10 words from the Scarlet Letter vocabulary list, which are found on this Quizlet list of 25 Scarlet Letter words. You will be tested on these first 10 words Thursday or Friday and all 25 next Thur/Friday. We learn 10 words per week and have a vocabulary quiz every Friday (some of the blog entries you will read have been recycled from the things last year. Anytime you read "due Friday" that means due the last day of the week for your class). It is not my responsibility to remind you that you will be quizzed. NOTE: Many "B" students drop from the "A" because they don't ace all of the vocab quizzes.
4. Begin memorizing the names of all students in class. Quiz next Friday. Yes, it's true, I make you memorize everyone's name because we have lots of class discussions and I want you to be able to refer to one another by name. "Yes, I agree with what Jimmy is saying," "You know, Gladys, I have to respectfully disagree with you on this point."5. Do mental calisthenics to make the transition from "kicked back summer mode" to "hardworking, conscientious student and seeker of truth."
6. Memorize the first three lines of Walt Whitman's poem "The Open Road" for this Friday (see link above)
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Friday
TODAY: Go to lab in room 147 to work on papers and PowerPoints. Same Monday.
Finish Bean Trees for test Friday, June 5th.
HOMEWORK/DAYWORK: Watch this great example of a an Ignite style PowerPoint:
Phi, My Favorite Irrational Number
It hits all of the bases: 15 sec/slide, background info, examples, presenter's position.
It's a good model for what you will be doing.
Due date reminder: Papers June 3; Bean Trees presentations June 3 and 4, others June 8
How to set 15 second automatic transitions in PowerPoint: 15 sec transitions
Your research paper needs to follow MLA as far as citations and bibliography go. Google scholar creates citations for you if you just click the blue "cite" button at the bottom of the entry. You can also find MLA bibliography format at the MLA sites under the Resources tab on this blog.
Do citations like this. "Here's my quote from the article" (Isom 6).
And if another quote from "Isom" is included after that quote, omit the name (7).
Then when you cite another author, let the reader know that you've switched references by changing last name (Obama 8).
RESEARCH PAPER on topic relating to one of the novels studied this semester
FINAL PROJECT--PowerPoint showing the connection between your research area and the novel.
Your final paper is a 750-1000 word mini-research paper on a topic related to one of the novels that we have studied this semester. Topics range from WWI to baseball to the Women's Movement. 5 sources minimum, one of which is a Google Scholar article and one is your novel.
40 points, due June 3. You will have four class periods to do your research and to work on these papers and the project (which is described after the research paper)
Finish Bean Trees for test Friday, June 5th.
HOMEWORK/DAYWORK: Watch this great example of a an Ignite style PowerPoint:
Phi, My Favorite Irrational Number
It hits all of the bases: 15 sec/slide, background info, examples, presenter's position.
It's a good model for what you will be doing.
Due date reminder: Papers June 3; Bean Trees presentations June 3 and 4, others June 8
How to set 15 second automatic transitions in PowerPoint: 15 sec transitions
Your research paper needs to follow MLA as far as citations and bibliography go. Google scholar creates citations for you if you just click the blue "cite" button at the bottom of the entry. You can also find MLA bibliography format at the MLA sites under the Resources tab on this blog.
Do citations like this. "Here's my quote from the article" (Isom 6).
And if another quote from "Isom" is included after that quote, omit the name (7).
Then when you cite another author, let the reader know that you've switched references by changing last name (Obama 8).
RESEARCH PAPER on topic relating to one of the novels studied this semester
FINAL PROJECT--PowerPoint showing the connection between your research area and the novel.
Your final paper is a 750-1000 word mini-research paper on a topic related to one of the novels that we have studied this semester. Topics range from WWI to baseball to the Women's Movement. 5 sources minimum, one of which is a Google Scholar article and one is your novel.
40 points, due June 3. You will have four class periods to do your research and to work on these papers and the project (which is described after the research paper)
RESEARCH PAPER. Your research is to focus on a very specific area or issue that is dealt with in one or more of the novels studied this semester. There are numerous approaches to finding a topic.
Probably the easiest is to simply review the plot of the novel and look for interesting details in the story, and ask yourself if those details might relate to a bigger societal issue that would merit research. Here are a few examples:
--The Old Man and the Sea--Joe DiMaggio
--The Catcher in the Rye--the correlation between wealth and the frequency of stealing
--The Great Gatsby--the Valley of Ashes and exploitation
--Of Mice and Men--compensation for farming accidents during the 1930's
--The Bean Trees--flapper balls in toilets--Taylor's feminist view of men
Another way to come up with a topic is to think about issues in the world that take place during the setting of the novel, or which might have influenced the author's perspective on life and thereby influenced his writing. For example, when Nietzsche said "God is dead," that pronouncement and accompanying rejection of a theistic view of the world changed the perspective of authors, and their perspective is seen in the stories they tell (think Hemingway).
A list of these topics can be found below.
Structure of the paper:
1. Background. Introduce the novel and the issue that you will be researching
2. What you found in your research
3. How this information helps us better understand the novel
Probably the easiest is to simply review the plot of the novel and look for interesting details in the story, and ask yourself if those details might relate to a bigger societal issue that would merit research. Here are a few examples:
--The Old Man and the Sea--Joe DiMaggio
--The Catcher in the Rye--the correlation between wealth and the frequency of stealing
--The Great Gatsby--the Valley of Ashes and exploitation
--Of Mice and Men--compensation for farming accidents during the 1930's
--The Bean Trees--flapper balls in toilets--Taylor's feminist view of men
Another way to come up with a topic is to think about issues in the world that take place during the setting of the novel, or which might have influenced the author's perspective on life and thereby influenced his writing. For example, when Nietzsche said "God is dead," that pronouncement and accompanying rejection of a theistic view of the world changed the perspective of authors, and their perspective is seen in the stories they tell (think Hemingway).
A list of these topics can be found below.
Structure of the paper:
1. Background. Introduce the novel and the issue that you will be researching
2. What you found in your research
3. How this information helps us better understand the novel
Some possible topics to consider for your paper include:
- WWI--how did it change perspective--Fitz enlisted; Hemingway went and were changed
- Nietzsche and nihilism--"God is dead"; Hemingway influenced, perhaps.Code Hero
- Freud, psychology, therapy--
- Post-traumatic stress disorder--attitudes of Salinger, Holden, and Hemingway
- The Lost Generation, including Gertrude Stein and expatriates. Characters are lost
- Alienation
- Existentialism--individual responsibility for moral code. Sartre and Hemingway, perhaps?
- White supremacy, racism
- Organized crime--be specific. Did crime change perspective of people? New morality?
- Prohibition, alcohol--drinking culture among characters in Fitzgerald and Hemingway
- Nouveau riche--
- Capitalism; free market system
- The Women's Movement, suffrage
- Feminism
- Divorce rights
- Single mothers
- WWII
- Communism, socialism
- Minimum wage; New Deal
- The Oklahoma Dustbowl; drought
- Latin American revolutions of the 50's-70's
- Che Guevara
- Immigrants/emigrants
- Immigration policy
- Where do the ducks go in winter? :)
- Others abound. Check with Mr. Isom
FINAL PROJECT
Ignite PowerPoint presentation (30 points) of 4 minutes, 16 slides, 15 seconds per slide.
6 minutes, 24 slides if done with a partner, which I recommend.
An Ignite presentation is simply a timed PowerPoint, not some special slideshow software.
The PowerPoint will cover the same research topic but will discuss that topic in a more dynamic manner. The idea here is that your research will help the class better understand an aspect of the novel. During your slide show you will need to make at least one reference to the novel (more is better, if you have the time) as you show the connection of your research to the book.
The presentation doesn't have to cover exactly the same material as the research paper and definitely should not use the same wording. These PowerPoint presentations are meant to be dynamic, perhaps even funny, and research papers are more formal.
An Ignite presentation is simply a timed PowerPoint, not some special slideshow software.
The PowerPoint will cover the same research topic but will discuss that topic in a more dynamic manner. The idea here is that your research will help the class better understand an aspect of the novel. During your slide show you will need to make at least one reference to the novel (more is better, if you have the time) as you show the connection of your research to the book.
The presentation doesn't have to cover exactly the same material as the research paper and definitely should not use the same wording. These PowerPoint presentations are meant to be dynamic, perhaps even funny, and research papers are more formal.
Bean Trees Ignite presentations must be delivered on June 4 and June 5.
*Students who work with partners will submit their own papers, which MUST show individual work.
Due final exam period, at which point you will present.
Our Bean Trees final test will be June 3. No vocab final. These presentations are much more important.
HOMEWORK tonight. Watch YouTube video showing how to do an Ignite presentation and read the recommendations for Ignite presentations found at the following links:
Ignite YouTube video--the why and the how to of Ignite PowerPoint presentations
Ignite Portland presentation--Automated Cat Feeding Robot
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Wednesday
RESEARCH PAPER on topic relating to one of the novels studied this semester
FINAL PROJECT--PowerPoint showing the connection between your research area and the novel.
Your final paper is a 750-1000 word mini-research paper on a topic related to one of the novels that we have studied this semester. Topics range from WWI to baseball to the Women's Movement. 5 sources minimum, one of which is a Google Scholar article and one is your novel.
40 points, due June 3. You will have four class periods to do your research and to work on these papers and the project (which is described after the research paper)
FINAL PROJECT--PowerPoint showing the connection between your research area and the novel.
Your final paper is a 750-1000 word mini-research paper on a topic related to one of the novels that we have studied this semester. Topics range from WWI to baseball to the Women's Movement. 5 sources minimum, one of which is a Google Scholar article and one is your novel.
40 points, due June 3. You will have four class periods to do your research and to work on these papers and the project (which is described after the research paper)
RESEARCH PAPER. Your research is to focus on a very specific area or issue that is dealt with in one or more of the novels studied this semester. There are numerous approaches to finding a topic.
Probably the easiest is to simply review the plot of the novel and look for interesting details in the story, and ask yourself if those details might relate to a bigger societal issue that would merit research. Here are a few examples:
--The Old Man and the Sea--Joe DiMaggio
--The Catcher in the Rye--the correlation between wealth and the frequency of stealing
--The Great Gatsby--the Valley of Ashes and exploitation
--Of Mice and Men--compensation for farming accidents during the 1930's
--The Bean Trees--flapper balls in toilets--Taylor's feminist view of men
Another way to come up with a topic is to think about issues in the world that take place during the setting of the novel, or which might have influenced the author's perspective on life and thereby influenced his writing. For example, when Nietzsche said "God is dead," that pronouncement and accompanying rejection of a theistic view of the world changed the perspective of authors, and their perspective is seen in the stories they tell (think Hemingway).
A list of these topics can be found below.
Structure of the paper:
1. Background. Introduce the novel and the issue that you will be researching
2. What you found in your research
3. How this information helps us better understand the novel
Probably the easiest is to simply review the plot of the novel and look for interesting details in the story, and ask yourself if those details might relate to a bigger societal issue that would merit research. Here are a few examples:
--The Old Man and the Sea--Joe DiMaggio
--The Catcher in the Rye--the correlation between wealth and the frequency of stealing
--The Great Gatsby--the Valley of Ashes and exploitation
--Of Mice and Men--compensation for farming accidents during the 1930's
--The Bean Trees--flapper balls in toilets--Taylor's feminist view of men
Another way to come up with a topic is to think about issues in the world that take place during the setting of the novel, or which might have influenced the author's perspective on life and thereby influenced his writing. For example, when Nietzsche said "God is dead," that pronouncement and accompanying rejection of a theistic view of the world changed the perspective of authors, and their perspective is seen in the stories they tell (think Hemingway).
A list of these topics can be found below.
Structure of the paper:
1. Background. Introduce the novel and the issue that you will be researching
2. What you found in your research
3. How this information helps us better understand the novel
Some possible topics to consider for your paper include:
- WWI--how did it change perspective--Fitz enlisted; Hemingway went and were changed
- Nietzsche and nihilism--"God is dead"; Hemingway influenced, perhaps.Code Hero
- Freud, psychology, therapy--
- Post-traumatic stress disorder--attitudes of Salinger, Holden, and Hemingway
- The Lost Generation, including Gertrude Stein and expatriates. Characters are lost
- Alienation
- Existentialism--individual responsibility for moral code. Sartre and Hemingway, perhaps?
- White supremacy, racism
- Organized crime--be specific. Did crime change perspective of people? New morality?
- Prohibition, alcohol--drinking culture among characters in Fitzgerald and Hemingway
- Nouveau riche--
- Capitalism; free market system
- The Women's Movement, suffrage
- Feminism
- Divorce rights
- Single mothers
- WWII
- Communism, socialism
- Minimum wage; New Deal
- The Oklahoma Dustbowl; drought
- Latin American revolutions of the 50's-70's
- Che Guevara
- Immigrants/emigrants
- Immigration policy
- Where do the ducks go in winter? :)
- Others abound. Check with Mr. Isom
FINAL PROJECT
Ignite PowerPoint presentation (30 points) of 4 minutes, 16 slides, 15 seconds per slide.
6 minutes, 24 slides if done with a partner, which I recommend.
An Ignite presentation is simply a timed PowerPoint, not some special slideshow software.
The PowerPoint will cover the same research topic but will discuss that topic in a more dynamic manner. The idea here is that your research will help the class better understand an aspect of the novel. During your slide show you will need to make at least one reference to the novel (more is better, if you have the time) as you show the connection of your research to the book.
The presentation doesn't have to cover exactly the same material as the research paper and definitely should not use the same wording. These PowerPoint presentations are meant to be dynamic, perhaps even funny, and research papers are more informative.
An Ignite presentation is simply a timed PowerPoint, not some special slideshow software.
The PowerPoint will cover the same research topic but will discuss that topic in a more dynamic manner. The idea here is that your research will help the class better understand an aspect of the novel. During your slide show you will need to make at least one reference to the novel (more is better, if you have the time) as you show the connection of your research to the book.
The presentation doesn't have to cover exactly the same material as the research paper and definitely should not use the same wording. These PowerPoint presentations are meant to be dynamic, perhaps even funny, and research papers are more informative.
Bean Trees Ignite presentations must be delivered on June 4 and June 5.
*Students who work with partners will submit their own papers, which MUST show individual work.
Due final exam period, at which point you will present.
Our Bean Trees final test will be June 3. No vocab final. These presentations are much more important.
HOMEWORK tonight. Watch YouTube video showing how to do an Ignite presentation and read the recommendations for Ignite presentations found at the following links:
Ignite YouTube video--the why and the how to of Ignite PowerPoint presentations
Ignite Portland presentation--Automated Cat Feeding Robot
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