On Thursday several 3rd period people were asking about the fate of elephants in Africa, asking mainly about the consequences of the ivory trade. Well, apparently last night's NBC news knew you were asking; due in part to on-going elephant poaching, these animals are still dying, and some cute little babies are being left in the lurch. Take a look at this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40704375/ns/nightly_news-making_a_difference/
Friday, December 17, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Transition to Ibsen
TODAY IN CLASS
OK--in all classes we finished HoD (last pictures, last scene, last thoughts on "meaning of the book as a whole).
And in all we BEGAN Ibsen's A Doll's House, getting to the entrance of Mrs. Linde in 1st period, not quite so far in 3rd (announcements . . .), and even less in 6th (a slower start--including a Holiday Sweater picture, which I'll post if someone sends it) plus of a couple of college returnees late in the period. Sorry--but you too will be welcomed back some day.
FOR TOMORROW
SO--there's a 2 or 3 page difference in the homework, but everyone needs to finish reading Act I (p. 1053). No "direction" needed--just read.
OK--in all classes we finished HoD (last pictures, last scene, last thoughts on "meaning of the book as a whole).
And in all we BEGAN Ibsen's A Doll's House, getting to the entrance of Mrs. Linde in 1st period, not quite so far in 3rd (announcements . . .), and even less in 6th (a slower start--including a Holiday Sweater picture, which I'll post if someone sends it) plus of a couple of college returnees late in the period. Sorry--but you too will be welcomed back some day.
FOR TOMORROW
SO--there's a 2 or 3 page difference in the homework, but everyone needs to finish reading Act I (p. 1053). No "direction" needed--just read.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Bring Big Lit Book!!
Sadly, we are NOT quite done with the final scene. We're trying to compare/contrast the women, using close analysis of the text. But we barely got started with My Intended.
Tomorrow, we will 1) finish that briefly, 2) look at 2 or 3 final pictures of the Congo at the time of Conrad's trip, and 3) turn our attention to a woman living in Norway at the exact same time.
Tomorrow, we will 1) finish that briefly, 2) look at 2 or 3 final pictures of the Congo at the time of Conrad's trip, and 3) turn our attention to a woman living in Norway at the exact same time.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
Still working on Part II--the only other aspect I intend to pick up on is Kurtz's painting.
FOR TOMORROW
At-home timed writes ("grove of death" passage) are due.
FIRST OF NEXT WEEK
Monday--An in-class timed write (text-based passage analysis)
Tuesday--An objective test over HoD (Scantron! Gasp!!)
Still working on Part II--the only other aspect I intend to pick up on is Kurtz's painting.
FOR TOMORROW
At-home timed writes ("grove of death" passage) are due.
FIRST OF NEXT WEEK
Monday--An in-class timed write (text-based passage analysis)
Tuesday--An objective test over HoD (Scantron! Gasp!!)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
Manager/Manager's Uncle/ Their view of Kurtz and the Russian
For discussion only: "Going up that river . . . ." passage (will need to finish in 3rd)
FOR TOMORROW
What are the most important ways in which Part III "informs" our reading of Part II? (That is, what aspects of Part II turn out in retrospect to be most significant to our understanding of Part III? Have some ideas here(notes/annotations)--nothing to turn in.
But for Friday, to be done either night: the at-home timed write assignment distributed in class today.
Manager/Manager's Uncle/ Their view of Kurtz and the Russian
For discussion only: "Going up that river . . . ." passage (will need to finish in 3rd)
FOR TOMORROW
What are the most important ways in which Part III "informs" our reading of Part II? (That is, what aspects of Part II turn out in retrospect to be most significant to our understanding of Part III? Have some ideas here(notes/annotations)--nothing to turn in.
But for Friday, to be done either night: the at-home timed write assignment distributed in class today.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
1. Part II HoD questions stamped; short discussion of stray Part I ideas.
2. Group work on selected Part II questions and Kurtz's painting from Part I
(1st period also looked at the Congo photographs, which 3rd and 6th had done on Monday. If you were absent on the relevant day for your class, ask someone with the Norton edition of the text.)
FOR TOMORROW
Finish reading--many of you have already done so. If you haven't, be cheered: Part III is the shortest. (But it's not easy . . . )
1. Part II HoD questions stamped; short discussion of stray Part I ideas.
2. Group work on selected Part II questions and Kurtz's painting from Part I
(1st period also looked at the Congo photographs, which 3rd and 6th had done on Monday. If you were absent on the relevant day for your class, ask someone with the Norton edition of the text.)
FOR TOMORROW
Finish reading--many of you have already done so. If you haven't, be cheered: Part III is the shortest. (But it's not easy . . . )
Monday, December 6, 2010
Monday, Dec. 6, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
We really looked at the language and vocab of the "devils" passage (enroute to the Chief Accountant's office, between the chain gang and the grove of death). Periods 3and 6 looked at some pictures of the Congo as part of discussion. . . 1st, remind me to start with that tomorrow. Staves, pilgrims, rivets, fires, the brickmaker, LIES, Kurtz's painting . . . .the key thing is to know the essential incidents in Part I, to know how Marlow's interest in Kurtz is gradually being piqued, and to understand the behind-the-scenes shenanigans (serious deception and sabotage, really) that are going on at the Central Station. So progress varied, but essentially, barring final Part I questions, class discussion moves on.
FOR TOMORROW
Complete the questions distributed today over Part II; you should provide complete responses with textual support. They need not be particularly LONG--just precise and careful.
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ARigzimXmDnvZGZ0dzhmcGhfMjRjOXZkdjVzcw&hl=en
In class tomorrow: These will be checked for completion, and in groups, students will revise several plus answering an additional one or two as a strong composite response.
FOR WEDENESDAY
You be completely done with the book. There may well be a quiz.
We really looked at the language and vocab of the "devils" passage (enroute to the Chief Accountant's office, between the chain gang and the grove of death). Periods 3and 6 looked at some pictures of the Congo as part of discussion. . . 1st, remind me to start with that tomorrow. Staves, pilgrims, rivets, fires, the brickmaker, LIES, Kurtz's painting . . . .the key thing is to know the essential incidents in Part I, to know how Marlow's interest in Kurtz is gradually being piqued, and to understand the behind-the-scenes shenanigans (serious deception and sabotage, really) that are going on at the Central Station. So progress varied, but essentially, barring final Part I questions, class discussion moves on.
FOR TOMORROW
Complete the questions distributed today over Part II; you should provide complete responses with textual support. They need not be particularly LONG--just precise and careful.
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ARigzimXmDnvZGZ0dzhmcGhfMjRjOXZkdjVzcw&hl=en
In class tomorrow: These will be checked for completion, and in groups, students will revise several plus answering an additional one or two as a strong composite response.
FOR WEDENESDAY
You be completely done with the book. There may well be a quiz.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thursday, Dec. 2
TODAY IN CLASS
The homework on 8-10 provocative quotations plus relevant commentary was stamped at the beginning of class and collected at the end. In groups, students did a quick read of the quotes and noted repeated selections. That formed the basis of what we did today and will also guide discussion tomorrow. However, we won't be restricted to the quotations that wound up on the board--I'll be asking for input on all sorts of quotations. (I've started reading the papers and am doing a very basic scan for individual quality and class-wide range of selections.)
FOR TOMORROW
Though it goes without saying that we will be proceeding with Part I in class, you should be working hard at Part II at home. Do your best to finish reading II for tomorrow; your understanding of the work as a whole is always enhanced by being able to project forward as well as backwords. However, no written work is due on Friday.
The homework on 8-10 provocative quotations plus relevant commentary was stamped at the beginning of class and collected at the end. In groups, students did a quick read of the quotes and noted repeated selections. That formed the basis of what we did today and will also guide discussion tomorrow. However, we won't be restricted to the quotations that wound up on the board--I'll be asking for input on all sorts of quotations. (I've started reading the papers and am doing a very basic scan for individual quality and class-wide range of selections.)
FOR TOMORROW
Though it goes without saying that we will be proceeding with Part I in class, you should be working hard at Part II at home. Do your best to finish reading II for tomorrow; your understanding of the work as a whole is always enhanced by being able to project forward as well as backwords. However, no written work is due on Friday.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Wednesday, Dec. 1
Why "alienist"?
Even after hearing the helpful clarification of the word "alienist" as used by Marlow in reference to the doctor at the company headquarters, I was wondering about the origin of the term as applied to psychologists or psychiatrists. A quck check turned up the following--the reason behind the term is actually pretty interesting.
http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Alienist
TODAY IN CLASS
Time to read and work on the assignment for tomorrow. In short (in case you were absent): for the section of Heart of Darkness from the company doctor to the end of Part I, find and comment (explain, question, reflect, connect, etc.) on 8-10 significant (and significantly puzzling) quotations. Write the quotation out in full, together with the page number; I should think no quotation should exceed 3 sentences. Then write a meaningful discussion that will help promote tomorrow's discussion (and earn you excellent, adequate, or "well, you tried" points).
FOR TOMORROW
Well, yes, finish the homework. If time permits, continue reading. Be aware that although I backed off of your having finished the novella for Friday, you should certainly be done with Part II by then. Much of our discussion awaits completion of the book--you have to see where and how the journey ends to make sense of some of the landmarks along the way--and the book gets no easier by just dragging out the reading.
Even after hearing the helpful clarification of the word "alienist" as used by Marlow in reference to the doctor at the company headquarters, I was wondering about the origin of the term as applied to psychologists or psychiatrists. A quck check turned up the following--the reason behind the term is actually pretty interesting.
http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Alienist
TODAY IN CLASS
Time to read and work on the assignment for tomorrow. In short (in case you were absent): for the section of Heart of Darkness from the company doctor to the end of Part I, find and comment (explain, question, reflect, connect, etc.) on 8-10 significant (and significantly puzzling) quotations. Write the quotation out in full, together with the page number; I should think no quotation should exceed 3 sentences. Then write a meaningful discussion that will help promote tomorrow's discussion (and earn you excellent, adequate, or "well, you tried" points).
FOR TOMORROW
Well, yes, finish the homework. If time permits, continue reading. Be aware that although I backed off of your having finished the novella for Friday, you should certainly be done with Part II by then. Much of our discussion awaits completion of the book--you have to see where and how the journey ends to make sense of some of the landmarks along the way--and the book gets no easier by just dragging out the reading.
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