Thursday, March 24, 2011

Extra Credit

Okay, so I intended to give you extra credit for researching and explaining allusions in The Hollowmen, however, someone beat us to it!  When I looked up the poem to provide a link to an  electronic copy for folks who lost theirs, I found an annotated version.  Check it out!  It answers every question you never had about the poem :)  More importantly though, I think that by reading the annotations, it becomes clear that while the specific references do not pertain to Gatsby, the theme of the empty modern man ties the two texts together.

That said, there is another extra credit opportunity listed on the blog that no one has jumped on yet-- will you be the first one from your reading group to find it?

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Gatsby Reading Schedule

Because you look tired (I mean that in a loving and supportive way), I thought it might help to have a schedule of the reading, so that you can make choices about when to read and when to sleep.
  • Chapter 5 is due 3/24
  • 6 due 3/28
  • 7 due 3/30.  DO NOT READ PAST 7 UNTIL AFTER CLASS ON 4/1--  I MEAN IT!!!!!
  • 8 due 4/5
  • 9 due 4/7  (we'll also talk about the essay on this day...it will be due 4/28--why so long you ask?  Because of spring break and STAR testing.)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Gatsby Resources

There's tons of material out there on the big wide web that relates to Gatsby.  I encourage you to make the most of your reading to explore some of the materials out there.
  • ebook - nice if you lose yours or for cutting and pasting rather than typing out quotes.
  • source for primary documents about the 1920s, so you can better understand the cultural context of the book
  • a goofy little interactive "game" about life in the 1920s.
  • NY Times article about relevance of Gatsby's dream today.
  • Index of where to find key words and ideas from the novel.  This could help you to notice patterns and potentially save you TONS of time when writing a paper.  I'm not sure if the page numbers are the same as yours, but if not, they're close enough to still be worth it :)
  • Several critical essays that might help stretch your thinking about the book-- like what does it have to do with Oz? and was Fitzgerald anti-semitic?
  • Our library also has a great book with SHORT critical essays to help you consider the book from different perspectives-- how would a marxist read this book?  a feminist?  etc..




If you read through this whole post, then you deserve an extra credit opportunity.  The first person in each reading club group may receive extra credit by putting together a list of online resources that would add to a reader's experience.  When done email me the write up of the list (use this list as a model).  I will publish it as a post, so that other group members can post comments.   Please do not include sites which require you to pay, offer free essays to students, spark notes, etc or you will not be eligible for the extra credit.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Thinking about Japan

I can't stop thinking about Japan... and wanted to recomend a book for anyone else who is thinking about it.
Hiroshima by John Hersey is a very short read-- it's a journalist's account of what happened in Hiroshima when the atom bomb was dropped.  It follows the story of several survivors as they deal with a variety of issues from fire to radiation sickness.  I'll bring my copy tomorrow if anyone would like to borrow it.  I believe we also have several copies in the library.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

How did I do on my speech?!?!

I am reading, scoring, and entering speeches as they come in.  When yours shows up on IC, yo umay look in the black box for it.  Please return it to the red tray though, so I can file it in your portfolio (there are too good to let them vanish into the pit of your bedroom!).  They are out of 65 pts and 5 of those points are for the works cited.  If you didn't turn in a works cited, you may still do so for up until the last day of speeches.  Another thing to note is that the rubric score only represents your work on the first 3 rows, since the district doesn't include public speaking in the persuasive paper.  However, your work on the last row of the rubric does go into your overall points... it's confusing, but you're smart-- you'll get it :)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

English Placement Test-- any day now!

Next week we will be taking the English Placement Test for CSU.

I STRONGLY encourage you to take a moment and use the resources under "Standardized Test Prep" on the right of this blog to familiarize yourself with the test. You will have 45 minutes to read a short passage and write an essay in response. The passage will be MUCH shorter than the articles we read in class (those are more like what you might expect for the UC equivalent test.)

Literature Circles


Assignment and Reading


In preparation for each group meeting, you will:
  • Reading to the agreed upon page
  • Write two open-ended questions about the reading, which you look forward to discussing with the group. (How?  Why?  Questions can be about content, such as plot, character development, etc or about stylistic choices such as imagery, figurative language, etc)
  • Choose two passages that you feel are interesting, important, or confusing. 

During each meeting, you will:
  • Take turns asking your questions.
  • Each contribute as you discuss your group member’s questions.
  • Jot down notes about the answers to your discussion questions and/ or thoughts on other people’s questions/
  • Share the passages you chose, explain why you chose them, and comment on each other’s choices.  Why are they interesting, important, or confusing?  If confusing, help each other to better understand them.
  • Jot down notes on your passages or on those of your group members.


Book Discussion Work Sample
Meeting
Open Ended Questions
Passages
#2 Prep work
1.       Why is Jim so patient with the boys’ escape plan?
2.       Why does Twain bring Tom into the end of the book? What function does this serve in the message of the novel?
  1. Tom said it warn’t borrowing, it was stealing.  It ain’t no crime in a prisoner to steal the thing he needs to get away with, Tom said (223).
  2. “Here a poor prisoner, forsook by the world and friends, fretted out his sorrowful life” (236).

Notes








Maybe Jim is giving up at this point?  Maybe he feels like he needs to stick around for Huck? 
Tom’s moral values highlight how much Huck’s have changed. 

Susan asked why Twain would have a section in the book about pretending to escape when the whole book is really about escape- Jim from slavery and Huck from alcoholic father.  We think it’s similar to why twain brought Tom back… shows the difference between how they faced their problems at the beginning and now.  However, by killing pap and having the Jim freed, it’s also like saying the escape wasn’t even needed.  Twain sort of sends a mixed message.
“Forsook” means forgotten.  It’s ironic because Jim isn’t forgotten.  They’re working to get him out.

Paul noticed that Jim calls Tom “Mars Tom” as a sign of respect, but just calls Huck by his name.  We think this is maybe more about familiarity than respect, because Jim obviously respects and loves Huck.



 

Final Project


Your group will create a presentation of the book, which includes the following:

  • A VERY short play version of the book, using the passages your group members selected prior to your group meetings as the basis for your script.  You will not use all of the lines you’ve collected, but the body of your play can ONLY use the lines you’ve collected.

  • Character actors who may play multiple characters, will use simple costumes to high light features of their characters, and will read the passages chosen by the group.

  • A narrator who will open the play with basic information about setting, characters, title, etc so that viewers can tell what’s going on.  The narrator will also close the play by clarifying the ending of the story if the play is unclear, commenting on how the book fits into the larger context of American Literature (How does it relate to the history, themes, styles of other books?)

  • An analyzer who will periodically interrupt the flow of the story (which will have a very odd flow anyway given that it’s made up of the passages you chose) in order to comment on the stylistic significance of the lines from the book.  The analyzer must comment on at least four lines and must discuss at least two of the three topics (tone, character development, and theme).

  • Optional: You are welcome to add other features, such as props or sound track, so long as they do not detract from the required elements.

*Some books are collections of stories, rather than one longer story.  In that case, you are responsible for highlighting the style and central themes that unite the collection.  You may need to be creative in how you do this.

















Reading Schedule


1. Date: 3/4
Task: Planning

2. Date:3/14
Read to page:

3. Date:3/22
Read to page:

4. Date:3/28
Read to page:

5. Date:4/5
Read to page:

6. Date:4/13
Finish the book
During this meeting you will write your script, choose your roles, rehearse, etc.

7. Date: 4/15
Present

Assessment


Book Club Discussions
Final Presentation
You could teach a class on this book.  Want my job?

·          Shows deep understanding of what you read
·          Always completely prepared with written work and reading
·          Helpful to group members and on task the entire time
·          Provided accurate, creative, and condensed version of the book, reflecting thorough understanding of plot, character, themes, tone, style, as appropriate.
·          Presentation of role was creative and thorough, as appropriate.
·          Helpful participation in assisting group to prepare for all aspects of the presentation
Good.  You are ready for next year.

·          Shows solid understanding of reading but lacks insight
·          Almost always prepared with written work and reading
·          On task
·          Provided accurate and condensed version of the book, reflecting understanding of elements of plot, character, themes, tone, style, as appropriate. 
·          Presentation of role was thorough in covering all requirements.
·          Participated in assisting group to prepare for all aspects of the presentation
Okay.  Hope you enjoyed the book.

·          Shows a basic understanding of reading
·          Mostly prepared with either written work or reading
·          Mostly on task
·          Provided condensed version of the book, reflecting basic plot, character, themes, tone, style, as appropriate.
·          Presentation of role covered basic requirements of the role.
·          Participated in assisting group to prepare for all aspects of the presentation, but primarily focused on only what your own job.
At least you know how to use Sparknotes

·          Shows a basic understanding of part of the reading or does not demonstrate knowledge beyond Sparknotes level
·          Occasionally prepared
·          Occasionally on task.
·          Provided condensed version of the book, but may fail to include much more than plot.
·          Presentation of role left out essential elements.
·          During preparation time, worked only on your own job.
Let’s practice the alphabet song.
·          Didn’t read
·          Consistently under prepared
·          Distracting during discussions
·          Excessively confusing.  Does not reflect even a basic sense of the book.  Fails to follow the directions.  Chaos abounds.


Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Oh no!

I knew I forgot something!  I just posted grades and then realized that I'd forgotten to include Extra Credits for my eager bloggers who earned a few points by suggesting new texts for next year.  I have now added the points.  They will show on IC and will go into the next 6 weeks-- I'm really sorry.  If any parents need notes, just let me know.

I also just wanted to let you know how AWESOME the speeches were today!  My poor family has had to hear about them all through dinner.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Public Speaking

If you're worrying about your speech, you might consider the following:
1) Review the transcript of the speaking movie
2) Ask a friend to look it over again.  Just becasue we're done editing in class, doesn't mean you have to stop.
3) Practice... do it in front of a mirror, in front of your parents, in front of your dog... dog's really like the attention and they appreciate an animated speech, but then so do people.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Great Gatsby Here We Come!

We'll be starting The Great Gatsby next week.  It's a great book and has a little bit of everything adultery, murder, gangs, gambling, baseball, cars, drunks, jewlery made of human teeth, ... and a 3D movie version coming out in June 2012!  Gatsby Movie
But if that isn't enough to get you interested, there's also a video game.. seriously?!  a video game!?  One of you will have to try this out and tell me what it's all about (it's for NES, whatever that means...)

Grading Period Closing Friday

This is just a reminder to check IC before Friday.  If there are any mistakes, I need to know about them by then.

Also, I would like to remind you that there is NO guarantee of credit for work turned in late.  You MIGHT get partial credit, but I make no promises.  The later you turn it in, the less likely you are to get partial credit.  Thankfully, you have the option to use your one time good deal extension if you think you won't be able to get something done on time.