AGENDA 11/18

Timed essay: poetry prompt

Need help with Hamlet? Try this amazing resource
HW: Bring costume elements and prepare lines for tomorrow's Act II Reader's Theater presentations! Poetry concept quiz on Thursday--be sure to know all of these terms and be able to organize them into concept circles and explain your groupings. Performances of Act II on Wednesday (and Friday if needed).

AGENDA 11/17

Meet in groups to practice and generate costume ideas for Act II Reader's Theater presentations to be performed in class on Wednesday

Discuss Hamlet's first soliloquy  and review events of Act I. Watch clips from beginning of Act II--the introduction of "insane Hamlet" and the family meeting between Polonius and Ophelia.

Need help with Hamlet? Try this amazing resource

HW: Timed essay practice prompt - you'll get 15 points no matter how much or little you write, but give yourself 40 minutes (no more!) and try your best. Get your crash-and-burn out now! :-) Poetry concept quiz on Thursday--be sure to know all of these terms and be able to organize them into concept circles and explain your groupings. Performances of Act II on Wednesday (and Friday if needed).

AGENDA 11/13

In small groups, make an identification poster for villanelles after looking at these examples – what’s the structure of a villanelle? Then, flip the poster page over and choose ONE of the four villanelle examples and dive into it—what does the poem mean? How does the form of a villanelle support or contribute to that meaning?

Next, examine the AP essay prompt page with “Evening Hawk” on it. Read and annotate the poem silently and individually for roughly ten minutes, planning how to respond in an essay and noting what is significant about the poem and what is asked for in the prompt. Then compare ideas with a partner—what might your thesis statements look like? What evidence would you use in body paragraphs? How would you analyze that evidence?

HW: For Friday, read The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act I.iii, I.iv, I.v and complete the following in your reading journals - write TWO interpretive questions (how or why questions, one about the author’s style, one about events within the play) AND choose a short segment (1-3 lines) that best represents that scene, writing a short justification of why this quotation best represents the scene. See the Study Guide for Act I.i/I.ii for examples. Be ready to review poetry terms in class tomorrow for next week's terms quiz--what do you not yet understand?

AGENDA 11/12

Distribute poetry concepts/terms for next week's poetry terms quiz - I recommend that you first sift them into concept circles, then define. On Friday, we'll review any that are still unfamiliar (knowing that we'll work on some more terms tomorrow). Check out this online literary terms glossary from Bedford/St. Martin's or this online literary terms glossary from The Poetry Foundation for help with definitions.

View and discuss Act I.ii of Hamlet - Claudius's speech and Hamlet's dialogue with Claudius and Gertrude

HW: For Friday, read The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act I.iii, I.iv, I.v and complete the following in your reading journals - write TWO interpretive questions (how or why questions, one about the author’s style, one about events within the play) AND choose a short segment (1-3 lines) that best represents that scene, writing a short justification of why this quotation best represents the scene. See the Study Guide for Act I.i/I.ii for examples.

AGENDA 11/10

Share out Shakespeare facts from weekend homework on the board
Group Activity: Defining Tragedy
Review elements of Aristotelian tragedy

HW: Read Act I, scenes i and ii of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and complete study guide questions in your reading journals for Wednesday. This glossary of frequently encountered words may help.

AGENDA 11/7

Entrance Ticket: (open notes!)
Choose ONE and respond briefly, using complete sentences:
According to the excerpts we read from Aristotle's The Poetics,

1-What are the characteristics of a good plot?

2-Why is Oedipus an ideal tragic figure?

3-How might "fear and pity" be aroused?

4-What kinds of "recognition" are important?

Discuss Oedipus Rex in relation to Aristotle's definition of a tragedy as expressed in the
that we read from The Poetics. How does Oedipus match up with the description of the "tragic figure" in The Standard Deviants "What is Tragedy?" video clip?

Watch the Oedipus Rex section of The Standard Deviants as review and discuss
Start at 7:00, end at 15:02.

HW: Prepping for Hamlet: complete a critical annotation on Shakespeare's life or times, typed in MLA format for Monday. See this sample to assist you (but this website, the Shakespeare Resource Center, is off-limits! Choose another site). Next week: Hamlet and timed essay on poetry! Here is a resource for formatting MLA citations from the Online Writing Lab at Purdue.

AGENDA 11/6

Continue reading excerpts from Aristotle's The Poetics individually and annotate for understanding:
Annotate with questions & connections
Underline or highlight material you understand well enough to explain and give examples of
Box or circle parts that you need clarification on or further examples/have questions about

Then, in small groups: Reciprocal Reading
Adopt one of three roles:
Summarize: The main ideas are...
Question: I wonder...who...what...where...when...why...how...
Clarify: Define unfamiliar words or concepts, ask questions...I didn't get...I want to know more about...

HW: Finish reading Oedipus Rex

AGENDA 11/5

Watch "What is Tragedy?" from The Standard Deviants and take notes/outline ideas
(note: start at 3:45 and watch until 6:55)

Begin reading excerpts from Aristotle's The Poetics individually and annotate for understanding:
Annotate with questions & connections
Underline or highlight material you understand well enough to explain and give examples of
Box or circle parts that you need clarification on or further examples/have questions about


HW: Read Oedipus Rex up to Ode III, page 58

AGENDA 11/4

Continue examination of Italian (Petrarchan) and English (Shakespearean/Elizabethan) sonnets: Choose ONE of the six sonnets to really unpack with your group. Paraphrase it, discuss its meaning/theme, and explain how form contributes to meaning. Then share out with the class.

HW: Begin reading Oedipus Rex to page 25, Oedipus's exchange with Teiresias.

AGENDA 11/3

Textbook room: Pick up Oedipus Rex and Hamlet

Group activity: discovering sonnets
Distinguish between Italian (Petrarchan) and English (Shakespearean/Elizabethan) sonnets: what is the structure of each kind of sonnet? How does form contribute to meaning?

HW: Begin reading Oedipus Rex

Scandal Pyg Discussion, Part the First

Here are my notes from today's School for Scandal and Pygmalion discussion. My questions are in bold, Arial font. The rest is a running text of what you said, though I sometimes summarized, and didn't attribute to particular classmates. Enjoy.

THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL RECAP

To prepare for Thursday and Friday's graded discussions:

Collect & Connect, The School for Scandal, Act I
Collect & Connect, The School for Scandal, Act IV
Create 5 Collect & Connects for Pygmalion
Generate an important essential question to begin our discussion or take it deeper
Distribute partner evaluation sheets for graded discussions
Full e-text of Pygmalion
Full e-text of The School for Scandal

AGENDA 10/24

More School for Scandal modern scene performances
Collect & Connect for Act IV
last chance to ask for extensions on Candide papers

Great resource: Check out this site for help creating MLA format - scroll all the way to the bottom of the page for clear, detailed tutorials to help you achieve MLA formatting no matter what word processing program you use!

HW: Finish reading The School for Scandal for Monday. Read and annotate Pygmalion for Wednesday, and be ready to compare/contrast the two texts. We'll have graded discussions next week! Submit Candide papers to Turnitin.com by Sunday at midnight if you didn't ask for an extension. NOTE: Turnitin is having a few technical issues, so please be patient, and let me know if you can't access the site sometime tomorrow or Sunday.

AGENDA 10/23

Check out Pygmalion from the textbook room

Collect & Connect for Act IV - due tomorrow
Ask clarifying questions, then work through the important quotations from Act IV and be ready to discuss tomorrow

HW: Finish School for Scandal for Monday

AGENDA 10/22

Perform skits from The School for Scandal, Act II.ii, lines 1-76 - modernized versions

HW: Continue to revise college essays and Candide drafts. Read Act IV for tomorrow. Reading journals #7 and #8 - Obligatory A1, A2 and Options for independent reading; Reading journal #9 - Obligatory A1, A2, and Option H for humor device in The School for Scandal - epigram, pun, antithesis, hyperbole, zeugma, irony, etc.

AGENDA 10/21

Reading Quiz - Act III of The School for Scandal

Discuss quiz answers

Review final checklist for Candide papers--submit to Turnitin.com this weekend (or ask for an extension if you need one!)

HW: Continue to revise college essay drafts and Candide papers. Read Act IV for Thursday.

AGENDA 10/20

Reading Journal #10: Modernize Act II, scene ii, lines 1-76 of The School for Scandal. You can do this individually or in groups; you can "chunk" it and do whatever parts will best communicate the tone and overall snarkiness of the scene. We'll "perform" these as little skits on Wednesday.

HW: Continue to revise college essays and Candide drafts. Reading quiz over Act III tomorrow. Reading journals #7 and #8 - Obligatory A1, A2 and Options for independent reading; Reading journal #9 - Obligatory A1, A2, and Option H for humor device in The School for Scandal - epigram, pun, antithesis, hyperbole, zeugma, irony, etc.

AGENDA 10/15

WEDNESDAY

Review Act 1 of The School for Scandal: Escalating Questions activity using yesterday's "Collect & Connect":

Directions: Ally yourself in a group of three students, seated as a "horseshoe." As the teacher poses each question, discuss with your group members and arrive at answers. Then, teacher pulls one name from the Bag of Destiny and that student responds. (After this, other students may volunteer answers, or the teacher may call on a second student to counter or amplify the first student's response.)

1) Which of the five quotations I selected is least thematically relevant? Explain.

2) Make a case for the thematic relevance of the quotation the first student selected as least relevant.

3) Review and explain Lady Sneerwell's comment that "the malice of a good thing is the barb that makes it stick." What does this mean?

4) So what is the purpose of wit? Is it simply to mask one's own insecurities? Are there other purposes?

5) What evidence do you see in life for Sir Benjamin Backbite's comment that "I find [my satires] circulate more by giving copies in confidence to the friends of the parties"? To what extent are people motivated (or under what circumstances are they motivated) by reverse psychology?

AGENDA 10/14

TUESDAY

Review Act 1: Complete "Collect & Connect" graphic organizer for I.i and I.ii

AGENDA 10/13

MONDAY

Review Prologue

Comedy of Manners

-Restoration

Status Improvisation (numbers activity)

Review Act 1: plot structure, how does it satisfy comedy of manners, review character types: stock, flat/static, round/dynamic, foils.

AGENDA 10/2

THURSDAY

Sound and Sense

-pp 49

Finish "Cross" TPS-FAST and Question #1 in partners
Submit working thesis on post-it for feedback

Draft original poem:

• must have recognizable rhyme scheme (or intentionally unrhymed)
• minimum 2 stanzas
• roughly same number of syllables per line (or recognizable pattern)
• employ some sort of figurative language or sensory details
• use caesura and enjambment for effect
• tackle a school-audience-appropriate topic
• reveal a recognizable theme or paint an image clearly (be TPS-FAST-able)
• contain a handful of words with multiple connotations

Need inspiration? I wrote a poem

HW: Bring your original poem for completion credit (must contain required elements above). Candide essays submitted to Turnitin.com next Wednesday

AGENDA 10/1

Peer Review Candide Essay.  

-does thesis respond to prompt

-do examples support thesis

-where to go from here.

Read "Cross" on p49, record in Poetry section of Reading Journal; answer question #1, AND complete TPS-FAST;

-use language from your glossary to describe figurative language and theme.

HW: ESSAY DUE OCT 8th to turnitin.com.

AGENDA 9/29

MONDAY AND TUESDAY
Sound and Sense

-pp 41-53

Define denotation and connotation; p42-43, 44

Read "Pathedy of Manners" on pp44-45, answer questions #1 and 2

On pp 46-47, complete exercises 1-6; Share out.

Read "Cross" on p49, record in Poetry Journal; answer question #1, AND complete TPS-FAST;

-use language from your glossary to describe figurative language and theme.

Assignment: write an original poem: Incorporate multiple words with different connotative and/or denotative meanings.  Minimum two stanzas, identifiable rhyme scheme, each line should be approximately the same amount of syllables, employ imagery, maybe employ a caesura.  Credit for completion, due FRIDAY.

HW: Bring college essays/peer review sheet for credit Tuesday; draft of Candide essay for peer review and completion credit Wednesday; original poem for Friday. Bring reading journal every day--I'll be grading a few each day this week.

AGENDA 9/3

College Center presentation

HW: Review chapters 1-5, 18, and 27-30 for tomorrow's Candide quiz (closed book, three-level questions).

AGENDA 9/2

Class discussion: connections between Candide and the Bible selections we studied
Debrief discussion format & set goals

HW: Look at the independent reading list  (on the right-hand side of this page) and select three potential titles...consider having a reading buddy...we'll formalize book choices on Friday. Review Candide  as needed--Quiz Thursday.

AGENDA 8/29

Review released AP prompts & prewriting relating to Christ figures/Bible as Lit
Write for 20 minutes: draft introduction and response to one of the two prompts
Share & discuss thesis

HW: Upload final draft of "New Chapter in A's Life" to Turnitin.com before 11:00pm PST on Tuesday.

AGENDA 8/27

Continue introductory Bible As Literature ppt, through final slides
Remember:
1) Don't try to capture everything from the powerpoint in your notes! The most recent research suggests that the act of selecting which details to write down is what creates learning, not trying to capture everything.
2) DO take notes and write down ideas for later. You can store these in your reading journal if you want one place to "catch" all of your important AP Lit thinking!


HW: Continue to revise Writing a New Chapter in A's Life assignment--final draft due Tuesday. Complete RJ #2: Thoughtful questions from the Bible, using the "Thoughtful Questions" section of the Bible as Lit handout and evidence from the selections we read

AGENDA 8/26

Continue to work on Concept Circles for Bible unit terms; share out with member from another group and then with the class
Which terms can go in more than one circle? How did you decide?

Begin introductory Bible As Literature ppt, through Cain & Abel
Remember:
1) Don't try to capture everything from the powerpoint in your notes! The most recent research suggests that the act of selecting which details to write down is what creates learning, not trying to capture everything.
2) DO take notes and write down ideas for later. You can store these in your reading journal if you want one place to "catch" all of your important AP Lit thinking!


HW: Continue to revise Writing a New Chapter in A's Life assignment--final draft due Tuesday.

AGENDA 8/25

Peer Revision for Writing a New Chapter in A's Life

Final draft due Tuesday, 9/2 to Turnitin.com
Begin Bible as Literature by creating Concept Circles for unit terminology (middle section of this handout)

HW: Continue to revise Writing a New Chapter in A's Life assignment

AGENDA 8/22

Model how to approach Writing a New Chapter in A's Life assignment using samples from pages 11 and 121 of the text: identify instances of narration, description, dialogue, figurative language and hallmarks of A's style within the text excerpts. Review the scoring guide for the assignment and answer questions.

HW: Rough draft for peer revision due Monday.

AGENDA 8/21

Share journal response with a partner; stamp entries
Group activity: Review of significant moments from Every Day
(share out tomorrow)

HW: Complete the reverse side of the handout--personal statement prewriting--for class tomorrow.

AGENDA 8/20

Journaling in prep for discussion: The World According to A
Turn in one-pager on your core value
Affix your value card to our class poster

Discuss quotations and our responses/comments

Introduce Reading Journal Options: you might want a composition or spiral notebook for this purpose, or just compile loose-leaf notebook paper in a small binder or folder--whatever works. You'll complete a variety of reading journal options over the course of the semester, for both shared-class and independent reading texts.

HW: Complete your first reading journal option--you choose! Respond using one option for any portion of Every Day and be ready to share in class tomorrow with a small group.

AGENDA 8/19

Welcome, Seniors!!!!

First Day Letter and Homework for Parents
PPT: Course Intro and Values, Morals, and Ethics
Activity: What is your core value? Using values cards, select 5 and write them on the index cards provided

Carousel: Examining and identifying our shared values
Column sort & discussing our weakest value and room for growth

HW: My Most Important Core Value. Select 1 of your 5 core values. Write a 1-page reflection (typed or in blue or black ink) explaining why this value is so important to you. Feel free to tell a story! What experience or experiences have shaped your value system? (For example, when I was seven, _____ happened, which showed me the importance of honesty...)