June 1

AGENDA:

1) Presentations on Literature Circles
2) Turn in Evokes, Literature Circle work, Final Lit Analysis

May 31

AGENDA:

1) Complete movie 
2) Review of class and year



HW: Literary Circle presentations tomorrow

May 30

AGENDA:

1) War Dance


DISASTER RELIEF MISSION
EDUCATION MISSION

Response to Dr. Preston's post

The project Dr. Preston is talking about is the EVOKE project.

ROGUE POST

Hey everyone, this isn't Mrs. Byrne writing-- it's Dr. Preston (click this link if you want to verify).  Thought I'd take a walk on the sophomore side and see what you're doing. 

Your projects look amazing!  But, I confess that I don't completely understand them.

So here's the deal: write a 1-3 paragraph comment to this post that describes why you're doing this project and what you hope to achieve in the world (beyond a star on your report card).  I will make it worth your while by rewarding anyone who posts by midnight tonight with one essay's worth of "A" credit in my class.

"Wait," says the enterprising sophomore honors student, "Who cares?  We're not even in his class!"

No kidding.  But, unlike the driver's license you probably don't have yet, this credit is transferable.  You can select any senior in my class-- or more than one-- and give them your total of 100 points or divide it among 100 seniors (actually, I only have 95 in class).  Of course, you could keep it all to yourself, but then you'll be missing all the fun: Have you ever had a senior owe you a favor?

Here's all you have to do after you get your 100 points.  Find a senior online or offline, ask him/her about the work we're doing in class, and determine how valuable you think the work is, both to the author(s) and the rest of the world.  Assign your points accordingly by logging on to Project Infinity (or sending our sys admin an email at: projectinfinitysite@gmail.com).  That's it.

Have fun... now teach me!

May 29

AGENDA:

1) Uganda
2) War Dance

May 24

AGENDA:

1) Poetry
2) TED - http://www.ted.com/talks/suheir_hammad_poems_of_war_peace_women_power.html
3) SOMALIA

"Break Clustered"

All holy history banned. Unwritten books predicted the future, projected the past. But my head unwraps around what appears limitless, man's creative violence. Whose son shall it be? Which male child will perish a new day? Our boys' deaths galvanize. We cherish corpses. We mourn women, complicated. Bitches get beat daily. Profits made, prophets ignored. War and tooth, enameled salted lemon childhoods. All colors run, none of us solid. Don't look for shadow behind me. I carry it within. I live cycles of light and darkness. Rhythm is half silence. I see now, I never was one and not the other. Sickness, health, tender violence. I think now I never was pure. Before form I was storm, blind, ign'ant -- still am. Human contracted itself blind, malignant. I never was pure. Girl spoiled before ripened. Language can't math me. I experience exponentially. Everything is everything. One woman loses 15, maybe 20, members of her family. One woman loses six. One woman loses her head. One woman searches rubble. One woman feeds on trash. One woman shoots her face. One woman shoots her husband. One woman straps herself. One woman gives birth to a baby. One woman gives birth to borders. One woman no longer believes love will ever find her. One woman never did. Where do refugee hearts go? Broken, dissed, placed where they're not from, don't want to be missed. Faced with absence. We mourn each one or we mean nothing at all. My spine curves spiral. Precipice running to and running from human beings. Cluster bombs left behind. De facto landmines. A smoldering grief. Harvest contaminated tobacco. Harvest bombs. Harvest baby teeth. Harvest palms, smoke. Harvest witness, smoke. Resolutions, smoke. Salvation, smoke. Redemption, smoke. Breathe. Do not fear what has blown up. If you must, fear the unexploded.

May 23

AGENDA:

1) Congo - City of Hope - Speaker
2) Literary Circles HUMAN RIGHTS MISSION
PANDEMIC MISSION

May 22

AGENDA:

1) Kenya - Story of the Kikuyu Tribe "Pink Cheeks"

May 21

AGENDA:


1) Analyzing "Nomadic Life" from Niger

May 18

AGENDA:

1) Sudan - Darfur
2) Video overview on Darfur

May17

AGENDA:

1) African Children's Books

LITERATURE ANALYSIS[1]

May 16

AGENDA:

1) Angels in the Dust

HW: EVOKE Extra Credit

ENERGY MISSION
POVERTY

May 15

AGENDA:


1) South Africa - Apartheid
2) Apartheid Video
3) AIDS PPT
4) Angels in the Dust

May 14

AGENDA:

1) Miniature Earth
2) Peace in Africa PPT
3) What we Eat

EVOKE PROJECT!

May 11

AGENDA:

1) Speaker

May 10

AGENDA:

1) Literature Circles - African
2) Plan next three weeks in your groups

HW: Don't leave vocabulary and literary terms to the last minute for your final LITERATURE+CIRCLES2
WATER MISSION
FOOD MISSION

May 9

AGENDA:

1) Unit Test

May 8

AGENDA:

1) Complete trial


HW: Unit Test tomorrow

May 7

AGENDA:

1) Trial begins

HW: Unit Test on Wednesday

May 4

AGENDA:

1) Science Projects

HW: Prepare for trial


Trial will proceed as follows:
- Opening statement by plaintiff's attorney
- Opening statement by defendant's attorney
- Interrogation of plaintiff's witnesses by attorney for the plaintiff
- Cross examination of plaintiff's witnesses by attorney for the defendant
- Interrogation of defendant's witnesses by attorney for the defendant
- Cross examination of defendant's witnesses by attorney for the plaintiff
- Closing arguments from both attorneys
- Jury will deliberate and submit verdict in writing to judge
- Judge will read aloud the verdict

May 3

AGENDA:

1) Science Presentations

HW: Prepare for trial and unit test

May 2

AGENDA:

1) Themes
2) Roles for the Trial of the Monster


HW: Science presentations start tomorrow; begin to prepare for trial

April 30

AGENDA:

1) Science and Frankenstein - draw for your subject and present to the class Thursday/Friday
2) Silent Debate

HW: Work on your science project

April 27

AGENDA:

1) Dr. Phil Show

HW: Complete book through Afterward; in a one page write, critically analyze one of the following questions:

1. "Mary Shelley in Frankenstein clearly comes down on the side of nurture in the Nature-versus-Nuture controversy." Attack or defend.
2. "Victor Frankenstein and the monster share the same personality. Like father, like son." Attack or defend.
3. What is the occurence and effect of passages about light in this "dark" novel? Search for the day, light, sunlight, sun, radiant, bright and so on and contrast these with terms related to darkness such as dark, darkness, night, black, darkened, gloom.

Then post it to the ENGLISH HONORS WIKI - http://rhshonorsenglish.wikispaces.com/
under your class for everyone else in your class to read. Due Sunday, April 29 by midnight.

This on-line socratic seminar will give each of you the opportunity to understand these questions at a deeper level from each other's perspective. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

April 25/26

AGENDA:

1) Discuss horror genre with homework questions
2) Comparisons - language in novel vs. movies
3) POV Victor/the Monster

HW: Complete book including afterward by Monday, April 30 

Prepare for Dr. Phil assignment:

We live in an imperfect world. Some days we may feel as though we are dealing with a monster. Every once in a while, we may even feel as though we ARE the monster. How can we come to terms with the people who have hurt us? How can we atone for the hurt we have caused? How can we find something positive to do with our imperfect lives?

Scenario - Can Victor Frankenstein get past his anger and guilt to forgive his monster and accept him as he is? Can the monster get past his anger and loneliness to forgive Frankenstein and find something positive to do with his life? Write the script of their interaction.

It is the afterlife. Dr. Frankenstein and his monster are appearing on the Dr. Phil Show.

You will be graded on how well your script reveals insight into both characters; how well the script reveals insight into all people (universal); how well the script explains the characters’ thoughts and feelings accurately, based on the novel; how well the script is reasonably true to the format of Dr. Phil’s show; and finally, how well one clear problem is presented, discussed, and resolved in a realistic manner. You can also gain or lose points on your commercials. (Keep them relative and clean.)

Format:
Dr. Phil introduces the show and the situation
Dr. Phil introduces the first guest and they talk
Commercial
Dr. Phil introduces other guest and audience hears their side to the story
The three discuss the issues
Commerical (optional)
Dr. Phil summarizes the conflict, solution, possible outcomes.

April 24

AGENDA:

1) Meet in Mr. Greeley's room for a speaker presentation

HW: Read chapters 22-23 and be ready to discuss the "horror" genre and Frankenstein

April 23

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary quiz + quiz on Chapter 18-21
2) The language of Frankenstein
3) What are the benefits of horror? 
4) Movie Clips + "Horror Movies"


HW: Read Chapters 22 and 23 tonight; Answer questions on Frankenstein movies in your journals and be prepared to discuss tomorrow in class

1. What elements, if any, have the film makers kept the same as in Shelley's tale? Why have they chosen these elements? Alternatively, are there important elements of the novel left out of the film? How might these changes affect the audience? Are elements of humor included in the film? How does it affect the viewer?

2. Discuss the special effects. Consider lighting, music, and sound. How do these elements add to your understanding of the novel? What differenmces exist between the film's interpretation and your own while reading? Do these differences add or change your analysis of Shelley's work? Explain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mJNYSV-OXc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7w9uWFIMBs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3-GlvKPcg&feature=related   -- PSYCHO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKyiXjyVsfw   -1931 Frankenstein

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOPTriLG5cU  - Young Frankenstain comedy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg17y6iz7Xs -- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein 1994

April 20

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary Review

HW: Read Chapters 20-21 by Monday

April 19

AGENDA:

1) Philosopher's Stone / Promethean Ambition
2) Do you think Victor should or should not make a mate for the monster? Advantages? Disadvantages?
3) Similarities and Differences between Victor Frankenstein and the Monster
4) Social and personal influences on Mary Shelley


HW: Read chapters 18 and 19 tonight

April 18

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary Worksheets / Turn in your poem analysis from last night / update on AP4 game
2) Quiz on literary periods, genres and chapters 14 and 15
3) Mary Shelley background

AP4 - Feats of Wisdom page - http://5ph1nxc1u4prnylc.blogspot.com/


HW: Read chapter 16 and 17 tonight

April 17

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary Handout - due tomorrow
2) Go over yesterday's quiz answers
3) Frankenstein inspired art and music
4) Discuss Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by David Friedrich - comparative analysis

HW:
Like Frankenstein, William Wordsworth  examined man's relationship to Nature - answer the following questions to turn in tomorrow:

1. How does the poet feel when he revisits the banks of the Wye? How do you know?
2. What gifts does he receive from Nature?
3. What does the poet mean by the use of the word sublime? How do you know?
4. How does Nature serve the poet?



Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey

April 16

AGENDA:


1) Extra Credit????
2) Turn in "A Doll's House" if you haven't already
3) Literary Periods
4) Frankenstein and literary periods / genres
5) The double framed narrative + epistolary writing
6) Quiz on Frankenstein - Chapters 1-13

HW: In your journals begin a list of comparing Victor Frankenstein and the monster - what traits do they both have, how are they linked, what could they represent, how are they opposites? Read Chapter 14 and 15 tonight.

April 5

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary quiz
2) Turn in Essays
3) Turn in "A Doll's House"
4) Treats + Challenge (Video)

http://www.ted.com/talks/charlie_todd_the_shared_experience_of_absurdity.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2011-11-15&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

http://drprestonsrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/ - in case you want to find out more about what his class is doing- keep checking the blogs of his students......


HW: Read 102 pages of Frankenstein

April 4

AGENDA:

1) Return essays and discuss
2) Inspiration
3) Bring "A Doll's House" to class tomorrow

HW: Finalize essays and turn in tomorrow; vocabulary quiz tomorrow

April 3

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary worksheet
2) Pick up Frankenstein at library
3) Frankenstein reading assignment - through page 102 over break
4) Exchange essays again - peer editing

April 2

AGENDA:

1) Handout vocabulary worksheets
2) Exchange typed essays
3) Hand out on editing and scoring
4) Peer editing

HW: Bring your school ID's tomorrow

March 30

AGENDA:

1) Work on your essays

HW: Type your essays - no names on them for Monday; bring in printed version - I can not print out these essays in class so bring them with you.

March 29

AGENDA:

1) Work on your essays

March 28

AGENDA:

1) There are many lenses through which to read a literary work. Once you generate a central idea (what becomes a thesis) about a work (what you believe to be true), you set about forming an argument. A substantive argument might use external evidence, "A Letter from a Nineteeth Century Husband," "Girl," internal evidence or both. Regardless of the approach, it is essential that you be thoroughly familiar with the text before examining it under a particular lens.

Things to consider:
        Is "A Doll's House" a window or a mirror? Consider your answer.
        What is it's relevancy today?

2) The back cover of the Signet Classic edition says this about A Doll's House: "...brilliantly exemplifies Ibsen's landmark contributions to the theater: his probing of social problems, realistic dialogue, and depiction of his characters' inner lives as well as their actions. Rich in symbolism...deals convincingly and provocatively with the universal human emotions of greed, fear..., and confronts the eternal conflict between reality and illusion."

Defend these statements using examples from the text. Avoid plot summary.



       

March 27

AGENDA:

1) Socratic Seminar

HW:  Nora and her husband Torvald have both contributed to the fact that their home is a Doll House. Each also has a chance to make it something less, to make their marriage more a shared experience. Track the changes each experiences in their character development.

Nora/Torvald:
How does this character behave toward the other in the beginning of the play?
In what ways does this character contribute to the Doll House?
What is this character's opportunity for positive change?
How does this character change positively or how does this character fail to change?

Period 4 only:
What does Mrs. Linde (Christine) mean when she talks about "how would it be if we two shipwrecked people could join forces"? Explain thoroughly.

March 26

AGENDA:

1) ACT 3 discussion

March 23

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary quiz - give a piece of advice to someone in the play using 10 of your vocabulary words
2) Read "A Nineteeth-Century Husband's Letter to his Wife"
    a - What is the tone of Marcus' letter to his wife? What differences and similarities do you find between Marcus and Torvald Helmer?
    b.- Write a response (a letter) to this letter from what you imagine the wife's point of view to be. How difficult would life have been for a woman abandoning her husband and family?
3) If you finish early, begin reading Act 3


HW: Read Act 3

March 22

AGENDA:

1) In class worksheet on character's
2) Writing assignment on roles

HW: Vocabulary quiz tomorrow

March 21

AGENDA:

1) Share music (optional) and comparisons for class discussion
2) Check off Act 1 questions
3) Act 2 questions in groups

March 20

AGENDA:

1) Turn in vocabulary worksheets
2) Journal Write:  How do we create gender stereotypes?
3) Scene from Act 2 - tone


HW: Complete reading Act 2

Extra Credit for tonight: Bring in a piece of music that closely matches Act 2 and explain how the music reflects the literary component of the play.

March 19

AGENDA:

1) Hand out vocabulary worksheets 
2) Journal your thoughts on "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid (TPCAASSTT?)


HW: Begin reading Act 2...

March 16

AGENDA:

1) Non fiction Literature Analysis Due
2) Short quiz on ACT 1
3) EPIC Speaker from Cal Poly
4) Discussion questions in groups


HW: Read "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid; be ready to discuss on Monday


Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

March 15

AGENDA:

1) Dramatic Genre - "A well made play"
2) Realism + 19c literature
3) Act 1 from movie

HW: Review Act 1 - quiz tomorrow

March 13/14

AGENDA:

1) Journal Write:

What made you laugh and why? What was used?

What is the tone of Act 1? How do you know?

2) The Suffragettes
3) Marriage and Family Roles - discussion

HW: Non fiction literature analysis due Friday

March 12

AGENDA:


1) Reader's Theater - A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
2) Discussion


HW: Read ACT 1 completely; be ready to answer the following quesitons:

Initial Impressions of: Nora, Helmer, Mrs. Linde, Dr. Rank, Krogstad.

What do you think the external conflict will be?

What are the potential internal conflicts?

Examine the staging directions at the beginning of the Act. What significance do you think these stage directions have on the play’s conflict and/or themes?

March 9

AGENDA:

1) Turn in Satire/Parody homework
2) Vocabulary quiz
3) The Simpsons


HW: Non fiction literary analysis due March 16

March 8

AGENDA:


1) Turn in letter (both)
2) Introduction to satire / ppt



HW: Satire assignment due tomorrow; Vocabulary quiz tomorrow;
Non fiction literary analysis due in one week - March 16

I am trying to attach the PPT from today but it is having problems - I will keep trying. In the meantime - here is the assignment for tonight:

Find a magazine advertisement or company logo/slogan.

Create a parody, satire, or both using inspiration from the advertisement or logo/slogan.

You can either create an entirely new image or manipulate the existing image with new words and graphics.

Write a one paragraph explanation of your parody/satire to show that you know why it is one or the other (or both).  On the back of your advertisement, you will include your one paragraph explanation.  Remember to use proper grammar, sentence structure, spelling, capitalization and punctuation.  You will attach a flap with tape.  Under the flap you will have the “answer” to your advertisement. This is where you will indicate if your advertisement is a satire, parody, or both.

 

You could parody almost any company logo.

Think about controversial topics or problems we have in our world today.  You can satirize one of these issues and parody a logo/slogan at the same time.

If you are strictly creating a satire, you do not need to directly reference a company or brand. Your work must be school appropriate! 

Satire - for real_

March 7

AGENDA:

1) Choose the art form (music, photo essays, speeches, painting, etc.) that you believe is most persuasive, and write an essay on what elements of the text most moved you. Be sure to address the essential question, "How does one construct a persuasive argument?"


HW: Take the letter you wrote earlier in the week and take another look at it. Keeping the first draft, make any changes that you think might make it a more persuasive, moving letter. Attached the new letter to the front of the old and turn both in. Due tomorrow at the beginning of class.

March 6

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary worksheets (15 points)
2) Music / Art / Photography
2) Discuss artistic messages, compare persuasive text


There is NO homework tonight. I changed my mind. I am sure I haven't disappointed any of you. Prepare for your non-fiction literary analysis.

March 5

AGENDA:

1) MLK "Letter" quiz
2) Justice and Moral scenario / discuss
3) Homework Writing a Letter - begin in class - due tomorrow at beginning of class.
4) Handout vocabulary worksheet - due tomorrow

HW: Like King, you are making an appeal - your task must be centered on either making the person understand and respect your perspective (argument) or change his/her mind entirely on it (persuasion). Thus, you need to pick a person who does not openly accept or "see" your views at the present moment.

Quite obviously, you'll need to rely on those old standbys ethos/pathos/logos to make your argument. You are not required to use all three; it fact, it may not - depending on the situation - be in your best interests to do so. Consider these rhetorical situations:

You don't agree with an elected official (Obama, Romney, Palin, Capps, Gov. Brown) and write to him/her about your views

You write to a boyfriend/girlfriend who does not trust/respect/listen to you

Would logos be an effective method for dealing with the person you're dating? Would relying on pathos persuade a politician from the opposing party? Concentrate on one.

You will need to use ethos, however. Think about it: you're trying to legitimize your perspective.

What else might you use? Structurally there are many ways to convey a message. Think about what we have discussed.

March 1

AGENDA:

1) Read more of MLK's "Letter"
2) anaphora; antithesis
3) Define "civil disobedience"
4) The "Rhetorical Analysis" Question handout

HW: Figure out tonight what you'll write on; return to the text and examine it closely for what you will analyze. Find and list as much as you can from your selected paragraph. Underneath this list, try to articulate in a paragraph how your selections "work" - that is, explain how the message of the sentence, paragraph and/or essay is made clearer or more powerful by the techniques the author uses. 

Metaphor/simile                 Parallel structure                     Semicolons           Anaphora

Allusion                                Diction/loaded language          Syntax                  Antithesis

Use of opposition                Imagery

Complete reading of "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" 

What makes a persuasive argument? How does one construct a persuasive argument? Be prepared to answer this on Monday. 

Avoid all the following! Mrs. Byrne has no idea what these mean:

"It adds depth"
"It flows better"
"It expresses the meaning"
"It makes it more effective"


The Rhetorical Analysis Question

February 29

AGENDA:

1) Macavity


HW: Read MLK "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" to the paragraph that begins with "But despite these notable exceptions, ......"

February 28

AGENDA:

1) Meet in Sword and Shield for registration
2) Macavity

February 27

AGENDA:

1) Allusion worksheet - due tomorrow


HW: Macavity begins tomorrow


allusions2

February 24

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary test (again)

HW: Macavity begins Tuesday

February 23

1) CAHSEE TESTING

February 22

1) CAHSEE TESTING

February 21

AGENDA:

1) Go over vocabulary test
2) Review - what is parallel structure - what is not.....why?
3) MLK - "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"
 One of the neat tricks that King uses to combine form and structure is to develop a series of terms and ideas that are opposed to each other in order to persuade us that his critics are wrong. By redefining many of these words, he forces us to reevaluate the philosophy behind his actions.
                1. Identify a pair of opposite terms used by King in the course of his letter.
                2. What is the meaning of each term according to King? What values is he putting
                     forth by using these terms? Which of the two does he prefer?   (Example: moderate and extremism)

February 17

AGENDA:

1) Vocabulary Test
2) Turn in Career Portfolios


HW: "Macavity" - starting Thursday; fill in and sign your registration paper

February 16

AGENDA:

1) "A Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King - do assignment below in class Due at end of period

HW: Vocabulary test on Friday; Career Portfolios due Friday



Letter from Birmingham journal assignment



CAREER+UNIT+PROJECT[1]

February 15

AGENDA:

1) Journal Write:
"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent." - MLK

2) Discuss parallel structure and what it does for writing
3) Thoreau, Gandhi and Martin Luther King - what do they all have in common? What is their relevance in today's society?
4) Ethos, pathos, logos and how they are used
5) "A Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King

February 14

AGENDA:

Happy Valentines Day!

1) Vocabulary review for extra credit


HW: Career portfolios due on Friday, Feb 17; Vocabulary review test Friday, February 17; "Macavity" will begin Feb 23

February 10

AGENDA:


1) In cafeteria for registration presentation


HW: Portfolios due next Friday; Lit Analysis due today!

February 9

AGENDA:


1) Video / Macavity Handout - in class recitations begin on Thursday, Feb 23
2) David Foster Wallace - "This is Water" - Essay assignment for your portfolio
3) We are in cafeteria tomorrow for class - 10th grade presentations
4) Literature Analysis #4 is due tomorrow - no exceptions!
5) Next Literature Analysis must be non-fiction and is due March 16.


NONFICTION ANALYSIS



David Foster Wallace


Persuasive Essay


Macavity