AP Lit

Oh the wail of a first period class. Thank you all for being somewhat awake. We covered a lot of material as usual. We discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the class compositions and took notes on how to improve. We marked the multiple choice test and tried to analyze what the question is actually asking (what skill) and how to approach it. Be sure to get the notes if you were absent. Ask a friend. We took notes on Prryhus and the Pyrrhic victory. Ask for the handout. Be sure to know these terms. What does the Lethe river represent?

Finally, we discussed Act 2. What is the purpose of a second act? What complications are revealed? How is Ophelia treated in scene 1? Why? What is revealed about Hamlet in Act 2? How is it revealed? His character is revealed through other people's descriptions, via similarities to a ghost, through diction, syntax, imagery,  through letters, through his fishmonger speech and its juxtaposition to his discussions with his friends, through is heartfelt confessions to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, through his interactions with the players and finally through his soliloquy.




Homework: Recitations: Present Wed. Oct. 19

                    Hamlet compositions: Take the essay that you wrote in class last Friday and using the rubrics that I handed out or the ones you already have, mark the essay out of 9. Pretend it is someone else's essay, i.e. you will highlight the passages that work well and explain which passages do not work well. You must justify your mark. Next week, you will sign up for a consultation with me to discuss your essay. Don't worry if it is not finished. Mark it as if it is finished. For example, if it is B quality all the way through, assume, had you finished it, B would remain.

                   Thurs. Oct. 20: Class cancelled as I'm away at the Writers' Fest. You will be given your assignment Wed. The assignment is another composition. This time it will be on Hamlet's third soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 2. You've already made notes on it. Focus on one or two of your writing weaknesses (If you were absent, borrow the list. We wrote down a list of strengths and weaknesses on the board). THIS ESSAY IS DUE SAT. AFTERNOON BY 3 P.M. NO LATES. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS DEADLINE, YOU NEED TO ASK FOR AN EXTENSION WELL BEFORE SAT. AND YOU WILL NEED A REALLY GOOD REASON.

Keep reading your novels and marking key passages that you may wish to use on your in-class essay. The quotation log is worth 100 marks. Have a look at your handout and if you need clarification, be sure to ask for assistance.

We'll watch parts of Act 3 next Monday.

Read Act 3 Scene 1 (it's called the Nunnery Scene) and is one of the most poignant scenes in the play. Take note of Ophelia's soliloquy (153-163)  and what it reveals about herself and about Hamlet. This scene is not very long but reading and annotating it before we meet will help your analysis of the film.
Thanks.

English 10

We meet in the theatre today. Hand me your "Haunted House" paragraphs, unless you asked for an extension then you will hand it in or email it by the deadline we arranged.

This weekend: Recitations. Use what you learned from Dave Morris' workshop, plus from the practice sessions last year to do your best on Monday.

Will any of you be away on the eco trip? If so, let me know as you will need to ask for an extension.
Thanks.

Lit 12

We read "Bonny Barbara Allan" today and took notes on the ballad form. I handed out a review package on unit one. Complete the package for Tuesday as well as the practice test which I posted on a previous blog post. We will do review activities and quizzes Tuesday. If you were away, pick up the package Monday morning or get it from a friend.
Prepare for Tuesday's test in a number of ways:

Paragraph writing: Study the literary must-haves list. Practice creating strong thesis statements. Review how to cite. Be sure to use transitions between points. Remember to explain how each piece of evidence proves your thesis. Double space and use ink.

Content: Know author, title and how to cite. Know the plots, themes, characters, symbols and how they reflect the medieval era. Review your historical notes. Flashcards work well.

Literary Techniques: Be able to define and explain the usage of the following terms:
epic poem
kenning
alliteration
heroic tradition
chivalry
frame tale
satire: hyperbole, wit, understatement, sarcasm and irony
3 types of irony: dramatic, verbal and situational
heroic couplet: rhymed iambic pentametre
iamb: two syllables with the second syllable stressed
pentametre: 10 beats in the line
imagery
prologue
pathetic fallacy
aphorism
point of view
foreshadowing
elevated diction
colloquial diction
symbol
strophe
bob
wheel
caesura

Vocabulary:
stoic, stoicism
altruistic, altruism
fatalist, fatalistic, fatalism
pagan
scop
chivalry, chivalrous

Writing 12

Wonderful presentation, Gabe and Ariel. You have set the bar high and I thank you for that.
If you have not yet submitted a poem to edmodo do so today and please try to respond to some of the poems on there.
What makes a good poem?
Impossible to answer BUT find out what is getting published today and why? Read The Claremont Review, Read The Malahat Review. Both literary magazines are in the library. Bring a copy with you to class next day.
What we are looking for in our poems--
Surprise--get your characters doing things, show us the world you create in great detail
Language--play with words--succulent stones Trust your images
Craft--sound, line break, titles, literary techniques
So what? -- invite us to feel, think, be moved by your work
Context--where are we, why, put in names of places, things, product names,

YOU NEED TO BE READING GOOD MODERN POEMS DAILY, PLEASE.

Lit 12 Oct 12

Sorry, this blog is a little late. If you were away yesterday, please read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight which begins on page 89. Take notes on the Medieval Romance genre, and predict what you think Gawain will learn before he begins his quest. When you return to class, be sure to get the notes on
strophe, bob, wheel, etc I also handed out a creative project list of activities. Choose one from the list below or create one of your own. Ask me for a copy of the handout when next we meet. This project is due Nov. 3. Before you begin, be sure that you understand all of the criteria, as that is how the project will be assessed.
Dates to Remember:
Test: Oct. 20 (Complete the practice test so you are familiar with the format. Study as the test is content based and you will be writing a paragraph as well).
Recitation Practice Oct 21 (Ms. Stenson is away so class is cancelled)
Recitation Presentations (15% of first term grade) Oct. 24 (Monday, period 4) No lates accepted. If you cannot make this date, see me well in advance. If you are ill, be sure to have a note to explain the absence.
FRIDAY OCT. 14 LUNCH AND PERIOD 4 Dave Morris Slam Champ in the theatre. Workshop in period four is a must-see for all students new to SMUS. Students who take the time to attend these events will be compensated.

UNIT ONE: CREATIVE PROJECT IDEAS

CHOOSE ONE FROM THE LIST BELOW OR PRESENT YOUR OWN IDEA TO THE TEACHER FOR APPROVAL.

1.       CREATIVE WRITING: Use any character from the literature studied so far and create a 500 to 750 word subsequent adventure ( a scene, an alternate ending, another pilgrim, a new challenge for Sir Gawain, a new ballad, a set of poems that reflect Anglo-Saxon elements or satirical elements.

2.       TECHNO FUN: Create a facebook page or a blog or twitter account or a film for youtube ,  for a character and create friends or followers and links etc  that reveals your understanding of the era.

3.       ART: Design a beautiful book cover, poster or collage to suit a work.

4.       RESEARCH: Take an aspect of the culture (food, art, philosophy, politics, myths, medicine, language etc) that you wish to learn more about. Turn your new-found knowledge into a project of some sort: recipe book, art work, report, Ted talk, power point, etc. Be sure to include a bibliography.

5.       BIOGRAPHY: Create a resume and cover letter or university application (entrance essay) for a character. Include all the characteristics you’ve learned about: experience, education, proof of loyalty, altruism, honour, fate etc.

6.       LITERARY TERMS: This course consists of numerous literary terms. Create a project that helps you to learn, remember, utilize and appreciate the terms form this unit. Flash cards, rhymes, power point, skit, youtube, fortune cookies. Be creative.

7.       OTHER: LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND.

CRITERIA:

1.       THE PROJECT USES KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORK IN A CREATIVE WAY AND ADDS TO OUR UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE WORK OR THE ERA.

2.       IT IS DONE WITH CARE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

3.       YOU ARE PROUD OF YOUR TOPIC AND WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED.

4.       YOU CAN EASILY EXPLAIN YOUR RATIONALE FOR THE PROJECT AND HOW OUR APRECIATION OF YOUR PROJECT WILL HELP US LEARN.

5.       THE PROJECT IS IMPRESSIVE. YOU ARE PROUD OF IT.

6.       THE PROJECT HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND, APPRECIATE AND REMEMBER THE WORKS STUDIED IN UNIT ONE

English 10 A

Excellent work today despite the wasp and the spider. Insects love stories, too! We didn't kill the spider or the wasp.

Have a look at the suggestions I made on the scenes you wrote about the two people in the car. The task here was to reveal their characters and conflicts indirectly using any number of methods we have been studying: diction, strong verbs, action, symbols, settings, contrast, allusion, what other characters say, etc. Many of you aced this assignment. For those of you who are still exercising your creative muscles, you will need to email me a new copy by Friday.

Today's class--we reviewed analogy and how it also works not only to reveal character but to add depth to a story to elucidate its theme indirectly. We highlighted the key parts of analogy in the story, "Haunted House". The paragraph on this story is due Friday. We are in the theatre for Friday's class and you are not required to bring books. Consequently, you may email me a copy or if you are handwriting a copy, hand me your paragraph at the beginning of period 4.

Since we are attending the workshop, you must attend the noon hour presentation. If you must miss it due to a prior commitment, google Dave Morris and listen to his poems on his website. There might be a few on youtube, too.

RECITATIONS TUES. OCT 18
SHELFARI DUE SUNDAY OCT 16

PRIORIZE YOUR WORK. IF YOU NEED EXTENSIONS, SEE ME WELL IN ADVANCE OF DEADLINES.
GREAT WORK TODAY.

Writing 12

We had a small group of grade 12s today because all the 11s were writing the PSAT. Hope it went well. We focused on the "short poem" today. Please pick up the handout from me before you leave today. Thanks. We stood in front of one of the fabulous posters in room 233 and wrote 3, 4 line poems on the same picture. They worked so well but we read and discussed how short poems work, first. You missed that so find someone in the class to discuss the form with. We read them aloud and they were so good because they are concise descriptions which do not editorialize or preach! Yay to the short poem. Remember, you need two really concrete short poems to submit to the art class by Nov. 1. If you decide to submit them to me for marks as well--2 short poems equal 1 poem for marks.

I'm doing interim reports this week and all of you get As. Well done!

Don't forget to submit the Patrick Lane responses via email. They are now officially LATE!!

Post a short poem on Edmodo today and please read the other postings. If you can respond to a poem on Edmodo, too, that would be wonderful.

Next, I introduced the technique called anaphora--google it.

We wrote 5 descriptions of action similar to yesterday's exercise but using the pronoun I.
For example: I jumped up and down on one leg because the bus was late.
                      I reached for the candle and accidentally touched the light but did not burn.
                      I am afraid of birds, coffee, and you. That is why I run.

Choose one of the phrases below or make up your own. Add the phrase to each one of your five descriptions:

When you kissed me . . . I . . .  ( You may try variations on the verb tense as well).
When you left . . . I  . . .
When the dog barked . . . I . . .
When the bell rang . . . I . . .
When you crossed the street . . .

When you kissed me I was afraid of birds, coffee, and you. That is why I ran.
When you kissed me, I reached for the candle and accidentally touched the light. Did not burn.
When you kissed me, ....getting the idea

One other neat thing that we did today was think of weird tidbits of esoteric knowledge we may have garnered in a class this year

Ask Liam and Sena to share their bits. These make fascinating parts to a poem
ie when you fold a piece of paper a hundred times . . .
or when you look at the sun . . .
If you don't have scientific or historical tidbits at your fingertips, look it up.... What fun poetry is.
Toodles.