Have Big Fish For November 12th

We will be starting Daniel Wallace’s “novel of mythic proportions”, Big Fish, on November 12th.  Some students already gave me $10 to order them a book.  Those books are in, with a few extras.  If someone has not bought or rented the book yet and still needs to, they can see me to buy one of the extras.  The price is still $10.  I do encourage students who don’t want to buy the book to rent it from the public library.  I stated in September for students to start looking for the book, so there will be no excuses for anyone not having the novel.

Morals and Values Slide Show

Students in Folklore, Myth, & Legend have been challenged to create a folklore iMovie slide show.  The students chose a moral or value in modern America and conveyed its importance in society to the viewers.  In addition to pictures, student were to have a song, from start to finish, that increased the slide show’s understanding or emotional response.  I also encouraged students to add video clips or audio clips.  These projects will be turned into files and shared in class.  I will also try to post some here.

Antigone Paper

Before we began reading “Antigone”, we analyzed eight philosophical passages by rewriting them in our own words and explaining whether or not we agreed each idea. Then, as we read “Antigone” we found instances inside the play when main characters exemplified those passages.

Now we will look to historical and current events to see where those philosophical ideas are present. You will chose one philosophical passage to support. Next, you will research historical and current events from around the world and make connections between the philosophical passages to your chosen events.

The current events must be from 2008-present. You will research two events thoroughly and be able to cite evidence and examples inside your paper. The events should not be obvious or too similar with one another. Be original and use current events others may not think of or find.

In addition, you will make a historical connection to the philosophical idea. This event will be more obvious and should be recognized by your reader. This part of the essay will be your shortest, but it will still have an in depth explanation and connection to your passage.

Each paragraph will be written in the MEL-Con format, but that does not mean this will be a five-paragraph essay. Develop your thoughts over as many paragraphs as you need, but be sure each paragraph has a main idea, evidence or example, and links and analysis.

This assignment will be done, for the most part, together. We will go through the writing process together. In addition, we will write each paragraph together. There will be group revisions as well as self-editing assignments to ensure the best possible outcome.

Let’s get to work!

Antigone Extra Credit

Buffalo Grove drama department is performing “Antigone” Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  The World Literature classes were lucky enough to see the amazing performance early, so I expect all sophomores to take advantage of this assignment.   I am offering ten points extra credit to any student who writes a one page critical review.  The key to earning all ten points on this review is to offer thoughtful opinions about specific details from the live performance.  This extra credit is available to all students, and it will be included in the semester grade, not the first quarter.  Please take advantage!

Of Mice and Men Theme Connection Essay

Some people have a difficult time understanding how a book written 70 years ago is still relevant to our lives today. However, what makes Of Mice and Men a classic is that it has many timeless themes that connect with any society during any time period. Granted, one needs to look hard and analyze events from the book as well as current and historical events, but there are strong connections.

Your job over the next couple pages is to write an essay that explains how a theme from Of Mice and Men connects with at least three current or historical events. Instead of using a thesis statement, you will be posing an essential question at the end of the introduction paragraph. Use the question stems handout to guide your questions. Your body paragraphs will use the MEL-Con format to explain the connections. The conclusion will have a thesis statement, which is a general answer to the essential question you posed in the introduction paragraph. We will write this paper in stages, so please do not get overwhelmed. It is an easy process if we take it slow and work together.

Article Annotation

To help students better understand nonfiction articles, editorials, and commentaries, sophomores have been annotating articles.  They have been focusing on key words, vocabulary words, main idea, supportive details, and experts.  In addition, the students summarize each paragraph in 3 – 6 words in the margins.  Each assignment ends with and effective overview summary and answering questions that check how well they annotated.

In order for this mini unit to be successful, each student needs to bring at least four highlighters to class each day.  We will be working on each assignment together to prepare for the test, which is on Wednesday October 21st.  Students are encouraged to come and see me with any questions or concerns about the unit.

World Literature Unit Test

On Friday World Literature students will take a test over a number of different skills we have been working on while studying the theme of responsibility.  The students have been making generalizations and using supporting detail in their double entry journals, comparing concepts with other texts and drawing conclusions, and developing effective discussion questions.  The students will be given a poem and be asked to complete all the skills stated above.  Their comparisons must be made with the texts we have read this unit, which include:  In My Hands, from A Man Without a Country, “Eveline”, “Guests of a Nation”, “The Ring of General Macias”, “The Dare”, “The Spy”, & “War”.  We will be studying together in class on Thursday, but I do strongly suggest to have the students studying at home.

Of Mice and Men Extra Credit

Introduction to Literature students will have an opportunity to earn extra credit simply by creating a visual interpretation of George and Lennie’s dream ranch.  I am offering up to 10 points, but I made it clear that only original and creative products will receive full points.  I am looking for specific details as well as all those who take part in the dream to be present.  All products will be hung in the classroom.  The assignment is due at the begining of class on Thursday, October 1st.

Heroes of Today

To conclude the myth unit in Folklore, Myth, and Legend, the students will research a person who fulfills each stage of the hero cycle.  Starting as far back as the Civil War era, the students will choose a person they find interesting and create a presentation explaining how that person fits into Joseph Campbell’s hero cycle.  Students should use this opportunity to research someone they have not previous been taught.  Students are allowed to use either Power Point or iMovie to create their presentation.

Irene’s Odyssey

Along Irene’s journey through the war, she visited many places and encountered many people.  Some of the places were good and the people were helpful; others places were hostile and the people were harmful.  What we want to do is recreate Irene’s journey and display the events and characters around the room.  The class has been split into groups and assigned at least two scenes.  They must include:

1.    A very descriptive visual scene.  Be creative.
a.    Characters:  Represent their personalities in their physical appearance.
b.    Setting:  Make the setting easy to identify by using specific details.

2.    A summary of the events that took place as well as analysis of the events and characters.
a.    Write legibly or type a good summary that can be posted with the scene.
b.    Have the summary and analysis be separate, but the analysis should build off the summary.

These projects will be displayed around the room to show Irene’s journey.  Ultimately, when we read The Odyssey later in the semester, the students will be able to draw connects between Odysseus and Irene.