Monday, October 11, 2010
Super-quick Post
Just be aware that for tomorrow, everyone needs to have finished a careful reading of John Updike's "A & P" (starts on p. 16).
Friday, October 8, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
Close-reading continues . . . 1st period at least got our young narrator to the week that crawled by as he day-dreamed his school days away, focusing only on his week-end excursion to Araby. We move quickly from here--but know that we are headed towards a sure finale on Monday.
Also today: two hand-outs summarizing details for finalizing and submitting the personal essay as well as some basic info on grammar/mechanics expectations plus relevant sources. I'm linking the one with the grammar links to make it easier to find those sources:
https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1w8xo49-qLjE7DpwA6qgh7LLNzswJ4pxfh2r8DMDbfBs&hl=en&authkey=CJKwkdIP
Also, you should be aware that although we "missed" National Punctuation Day last week, there is a great website here:
http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/
OVER THE WEEK-END
Close-reading continues . . . 1st period at least got our young narrator to the week that crawled by as he day-dreamed his school days away, focusing only on his week-end excursion to Araby. We move quickly from here--but know that we are headed towards a sure finale on Monday.
Also today: two hand-outs summarizing details for finalizing and submitting the personal essay as well as some basic info on grammar/mechanics expectations plus relevant sources. I'm linking the one with the grammar links to make it easier to find those sources:
https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1w8xo49-qLjE7DpwA6qgh7LLNzswJ4pxfh2r8DMDbfBs&hl=en&authkey=CJKwkdIP
Also, you should be aware that although we "missed" National Punctuation Day last week, there is a great website here:
http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/
OVER THE WEEK-END
- Well, be working on the essay. You want to get it done, but also done well.
- Be sure that you've finished required literary elements reading in your book.
- If you want to read the story for Tuesday, it's John Updike's "A & P"--can't remember the page, but it's the first real story (after the short sample tales, etc.) in the book.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
All personal essay revisions are due next week--dates vary:
Mon/Tues. if Oct.15 Early Action/Decision deadline: Wed/Thurs. if not)
Full hand-outs available tomorrow.
Moving on to James Joyce:
30-plus minutes on how many elements of fiction are covered in the first two paragraphs of "Araby," which are ostensibly setting. Fusion--not discrete analysis--was the goal of the day. More of that tomorrow. (Expect several further passages for close scrutiny, but we'll have to skip over some other very good stuff.)
Some new voices spoke up today--hooray!
FOR TOMORROW
The gentle reminder that you are responsible for your own learning . . . don't wait for sticks.
By the end of the week (I think that's Friday . . .) you should be well-versed in ALL of the intro sections on the elements, and make sure that you've read the summary sections added earlier this week.
All personal essay revisions are due next week--dates vary:
Mon/Tues. if Oct.15 Early Action/Decision deadline: Wed/Thurs. if not)
Full hand-outs available tomorrow.
Moving on to James Joyce:
30-plus minutes on how many elements of fiction are covered in the first two paragraphs of "Araby," which are ostensibly setting. Fusion--not discrete analysis--was the goal of the day. More of that tomorrow. (Expect several further passages for close scrutiny, but we'll have to skip over some other very good stuff.)
Some new voices spoke up today--hooray!
FOR TOMORROW
The gentle reminder that you are responsible for your own learning . . . don't wait for sticks.
By the end of the week (I think that's Friday . . .) you should be well-versed in ALL of the intro sections on the elements, and make sure that you've read the summary sections added earlier this week.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
The entire period was devoted to the peer response to the first draft of the personal essay. Do not lose either the stamped copy or the peer-response sheet, because they must be turned in with the final draft.
If you were absent today or did not have a draft with you to exchange, it is your responsibility to get (and give) peer feedback before proceeding to the final draft.
FOR TOMORROW
Full steam ahead on "Araby." However, remember that yesterday you were told to have the remaining elements of fiction intro sections (ones you have not yet been designated for your particular group) read by the end of the week. Also, make sure to read the new summary sections assigned yesterday.
So assuming you've all been good to go on the Joyce story for several days now, this reading should be your "homework" for tomorrow.
(Give the paper a rest for tonight.)
The entire period was devoted to the peer response to the first draft of the personal essay. Do not lose either the stamped copy or the peer-response sheet, because they must be turned in with the final draft.
If you were absent today or did not have a draft with you to exchange, it is your responsibility to get (and give) peer feedback before proceeding to the final draft.
FOR TOMORROW
Full steam ahead on "Araby." However, remember that yesterday you were told to have the remaining elements of fiction intro sections (ones you have not yet been designated for your particular group) read by the end of the week. Also, make sure to read the new summary sections assigned yesterday.
So assuming you've all been good to go on the Joyce story for several days now, this reading should be your "homework" for tomorrow.
(Give the paper a rest for tonight.)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Personal Essay Draft Due Wednesday
Essay must be typed and with you in class in order to get completion points. Simple heading (single-space)
Prompt typed out in full and bolded (single-space)
Double-space essay itself
Word count: essay only (1st, I think I forgot to mention this to you.)
TODAY IN CLASS
1) Announcement that yes, there will be a major exam over the short-fiction unit. Not yet scheduled.
2) Some examination of the student-friendly qualities of the required 6th edition of Kennedy/Gioia, including the entirely new material at the end of each section. Be sure to study these end-points carefully before attempting even informal, overnight writing assignments. And for the test, the terms within each section are all fair game.
The intro material page numbers were given earlier:
Plot: 5-16
Point of View: 25-29
Character 75-77
Prompt typed out in full and bolded (single-space)
Double-space essay itself
Word count: essay only (1st, I think I forgot to mention this to you.)
TODAY IN CLASS
1) Announcement that yes, there will be a major exam over the short-fiction unit. Not yet scheduled.
2) Some examination of the student-friendly qualities of the required 6th edition of Kennedy/Gioia, including the entirely new material at the end of each section. Be sure to study these end-points carefully before attempting even informal, overnight writing assignments. And for the test, the terms within each section are all fair game.
The intro material page numbers were given earlier:
Plot: 5-16
Point of View: 25-29
Character 75-77
Setting 105-108
Tone and Style 138-141; also see Irony, 157-158
Theme 173-175
Symbol 189-191
Even though we started slowly, reading as they were assigned, it's time to pick it up; you should have read any sections you haven't personally covered yet by the end of the week.
New Material in the 6th ed--Summary and review at the end of each section (including lists of terms)
Plot: 22-24
Point of View: 72-74
Character: 103-104
Setting: 135-137
Tone and Style (also Irony): 171-172
Theme: 187-188
Symbol: 221, 224
3) We looked specifically at some of the material on plot, (lots of detail to be responsible for!), POV (we noted esp. interior monologue as one aspect of stream-of-consciousness, but also something that can exist on its own), and symbolism ("requirements"--a caveat against scavenger hunts). And I put up sample papers on point of view and symbol before returning the short element write-ups for "Granny Weatherall."
FOR TOMORROW
Essay. That's it.
Monday, October 4, 2010
2nd Counselor Visit Today
So no "forward progress" on the English lit. front. See Friday's post for tomorrow's expectations.
However, this showed up online today. Please read it as an excellent example of personal detail, "voice," and cohesive imagery. It's not exactly an application essay, but it it is more valuable for the person/personality it conveys than writing a "one-size-fits-all" sort of essay.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2012956272_pacificptaste03.html?cmpid=2628
However, this showed up online today. Please read it as an excellent example of personal detail, "voice," and cohesive imagery. It's not exactly an application essay, but it it is more valuable for the person/personality it conveys than writing a "one-size-fits-all" sort of essay.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2012956272_pacificptaste03.html?cmpid=2628
Friday, October 1, 2010
TODAY IN CLASS
1. 1st and 3rd picked up the last words on college essays--what to avoid as well as strategies for doing something more original.
2. Slightly varied versions of "Granny Weatherall': 3rd period still needs to pick up the poetry, but to anyone who was absent Thursday in 1st period or Friday in 6th period, you are expected to read two poems by Emily Dickinson. Both are in your lit book (pp. 687 and 686): "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" and "I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died." (3rd, we will all still do this, but it's not homework now)
3. In all classes, though, we established ideas about setting in GW, with slippage into other elements.
FOR MONDAY
A - Setting
B - Tone and Style
C - Theme
D - Symbol
E - Point of View
F - Character
1. 1st and 3rd picked up the last words on college essays--what to avoid as well as strategies for doing something more original.
2. Slightly varied versions of "Granny Weatherall': 3rd period still needs to pick up the poetry, but to anyone who was absent Thursday in 1st period or Friday in 6th period, you are expected to read two poems by Emily Dickinson. Both are in your lit book (pp. 687 and 686): "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" and "I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died." (3rd, we will all still do this, but it's not homework now)
3. In all classes, though, we established ideas about setting in GW, with slippage into other elements.
FOR MONDAY
- Be working on your draft. Plan to churn one out over the week-end that you can revise with more detached objectivity over the Monday-Tues. time frame.
- Here is a link to one of the sites I shared in class, and please check the link given later in the article to a whole slew of sites, some with excellent examples:
- Read the next short story--no writing for Monday, but DO read with a close eye (and probably annotations) for your particular focus for this story:
- James Joyce, "Araby" (345 ff. in the 6th Compact Editon)
A - Setting
B - Tone and Style
C - Theme
D - Symbol
E - Point of View
F - Character
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