Brrrr...Snow Updates...

Day three of no school:

I'm sure some of you are getting worried about all of the learning that you are missing, so here are some things you need to know.

1. We would ordinarily be working on a Huck Finn vocabulary assignment after reading through chapter 13. Here is a link to that if you'd like to get started on it: Huck Finn Vocab assignment.

2. We have a big chunk of reading scheduled for over break. (I think it's through chapter 33.) Regardless of what happens with school on Thursday and Friday, we will probably be staying close to that schedule.

3. I know we have missed discussion for pretty much all of the book so far. SO, if it looks like we're not going back this week, I will post some topics and questions to help you direct your reading.

4. Please pass this information on to people who may not check the website often.

5. Please check back periodically for updates, especially if we are not in school on Thursday or Friday.

6. I am checking my work email, so email me if you have any questions.

Due Tuesday, December 16th

Huck Finn Reading Through Chapter 13.

Due Friday 12/12

Read 6-9.

Due Thursday, 12/11

Huckleberry Finn Chapters 1-5.

For our reading of Huckleberry Finn, pay careful attention to the following topics. I suggest that you mark these topics in your text (or on a post-it). If you want to be extra fancy, you can also color-code these different ideas in your notes.

Supersition
The role of the river
Women (and their influence on Huck)
Religion
Education
Class Consciousness
Racial Identity
Clothing
Money/Wealth/Acquisitiveness (wanting to acquire stuff)
Deception
Search for Approval
Protectiveness

Upcoming Reading:

We will be discussing 6-9 for Friday and discuss through Chapter 13 on Tuesday, Dec. 16th.

Due Monday, December 8th

Read "The Notorius Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain. (509-512)

If you forgot to bring your book home, here is a link to the story. This version has some minor differences, but it's close enough.

Romanticism Test TOMORROW!

Today we finished discussion Whitman and also talked a little about the test. We discussed some ways to prepare for the essay component. In the previous post, you will find information about the objective part of the test. Off to the left, you will see a list of the Romantic works that we read in the unit.

Prompt:

To what extent did the work of the Dark Romantics differ from that of other early American Romantic authors?

Prerequisite knowledge
(aka stuff you need to know to write a decent response)

Definitions:

 Dark Romanticism
 Light “other” Romanticism

Authors:

 Dark Romanticism: Poe, Irving
 Light Romanticism: Cooper, Bryant

Works:

 Dark Romanticism: “The Devil and Tom Walker,” “Fall of …Usher.”
 Light Romanticism: “Thanatopsis,” “The Prairie”

Similarities:

 Content: Man’s relationship with nature:
 Style: Elevated language, descriptive imagery

Differences:

 Content: Optimism of man vs. pessimism, benign nature/fearful nature; Endings/Outcomes
 Style: Difference in imagery, diction => mood

Romanticism Test Info:

I'm still angry at the link. Here is the information:

Romanticism Test Study Guide

Part I: 50 Questions (approximately)

Passage Identification:

 Title of Work
 Author
 Character/Speaker

Author Identification

 Characteristics of

Literary Classifications/Terms associated with:

 Light Romanticism
 Dark Romanticism
 Transcendentalism
 Anti-Transcendentalism

Literary Schools/Groups

Historical Context


Part II: Mini Essay(s)

Review Card Assignment Due After Thanksgiving

You will be completing a review cards for the Romantic authors we have read. A review card must contain the following information:

Name of Author
Literary School/Movement associated with them (if applicable)
Region associated with that author
Names of works that we read by that author
Approximate date when these works were published
Characteristics of their writing
Important Quotation(s) from what we read

These cards must show some effort in their design and layout. They should be in ink or typed. (Part of the score for these cards will based on their presentation.)

You must create a review card for the following authors:

William Cullen Bryant
Washington Irving
James Fenimoore Cooper
Edgar Allen Poe
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Oliver Wendell Holmes
James Russell Lowell
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry David Thoreau
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Herman Melville
Emily Dickinson
Walt Whitman

(This assignment will most likely be due on the day of the Romanticism test, so stay tuned for a specific date)

Updates...

So, this comment thing has been going on for quite some time... I don't have quite the heart to pull the plug on it...yet.


And yes, I do confess that I misspelled Natty Bumppo. That extra P makes him that much cooler.

In other news, I'd like to add "The Untouchables" to my list of acceptable Kevin Costner movies.

Enjoy the poems.

Due Friday, November 22

Read the following poems:


334- “The Tide Rises”

336- “The Psalm of Life”

347- “The Chambered Nautilus”

352- “First Snowfall”


Write a response for each poem consisting of:


1. Literal Summary (1-2 sentences):


2. Interpretation/Theme: What deeper meaning does this poem convey (2-3

sentences)


3. Style analysis: What poetry devices (rhyme, figurative language, allusions, diction...) does this pome make use of? How do they help enhance the theme? (1-2 sentences)


Please include these three questions after the title of each poem on your paper. Then, complete question number for after you have read and responded to all 4 poems:

4. What similarities do these poems share? In what way do they differ from each other? Which one did you find the most enjoyable? Explain your thoughts... (4-5 sentences)

Due Tuesday, November 18

Read the excerpts from Melville's Moby Dick.

DueMonday, November 17th

For the “Minister’s Black Veil” reflection paper, you will write/type around two pages of your thoughts concerning the story. [Double-spaced if typed; single spaced if hand-written] You will write in well constructed complete sentences, but you will not follow any specific paper structure; I’m interested mostly in your ideas. However, please continue to use formal voice: no I, me, you, etc.


I want you write about your insights into the story. You may wish to consider the following questions: What different things does the black veil symbolize? What insight into humanity does the story present? What insight into the self does the story suggest? What ironies are inherent in the work? What motivated Rev. Hooper to wear the veil?

You should use at least 2-3 quotations over the course of your ponderings.

Due 11/12

1. Transcendentalism Quotation Activity

From your readings of Emerson and Thoreau, write down at least two quotations (and page numbers) that illustrate these concepts of Transcendentalism:

- Intuition over Experience
-Divinity of Man/Oversoul
- Non-Conformity
-Optimism
- Symbolism of Nature


2. Read Dr. Heiddeger's Experiment (304-)

Due 11/10

Read the background information on Transcendentalism in your books (239-256). (Your book refers to this as the New England Renaissance.) Prepare for a reading quiz on this material.

Due Thursday, 11/6

Read the two pieces by Thoreau in your textbook:

"Walden"
"Civil Disobedience"

Due 11/4

Read the excerpts of Emerson's:

"Self-Reliance"
"Nature"

(Both are in your textbook.)

Also, find 5 Emerson quotations that you really enjoy (online). Copy and paste the quotations into a document and format it so that you have a pretty readable font-size (around 20). Cut out each quotation individually, and bring them with you to class.

Due Monday, November 3

Read the excerpt from "The Praire" by Cooper. (190-199) Then, write thoughtful answers for the following questions.

1. In what ways does the enviroment symbolize the action that is taking place?

2. In what ways do the Native Americans in the story demonstrate compassion for Natty Bumpo?

3. What commentary does this story offer about religious beliefs? (Consider by evaluating the religious beliefs presented)

4. What are Natty Bumpo's requests for when he dies, and what do these reveal about his character?

5. What is the symbolism behind the two figures at Natty Bumpo's side during his death?

6. What are some things about this excerpt that strike you as being difficult to believe or unrealistic? (dare I say, even "cheesy")

Due 10/29 Usher Paragraph

Okay, so I decided on a more structured paragraph after all:


You will write a paragraph that analyzes the struggle between Reason and Romanticism (in this case understand Romanticism to emphasize the imagination and unexplained) in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Imagine that your paragraph belongs to a paper with the following topic:

Prompt: To what extent does "The Fall of the House of Usher" represent the triumph of Romanticism over Reason?"

The paragraph you're writing is the the first thesis paragraph (not the antithesis paragraph) so you will write about the side you belief in. In other words, you will either say that the story shows Reason triumphing of Romanticism(the imagination) or Romanticism triumphing over Reason.

Topic statement(s): Transition + acknowledgement of antithesis + thesis statement. (You do not have to use a specific POA point for this assignment.)

You will need three piees of evidence. Your evidence should be a quotation from the text. If there is a long passage, provide a short quotation that is at least an excerpt from the story.

Instead of following a strict What/How/Why format after each quotation, explore what is interesting about your quotation focusing on some insights that your quotation reveals about the characters, symbolism, imagery, parallels, etc. Make sure, however, that you do ultimately explain that your quotation shows your side of the prompt.


Note: This is still a formal voice essay (so you can't say "I think this is interesting..."). Please avoid saying "This is interesting because" because that will drive me crazy.

Due Monday, 10/27

Be ready to discuss Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher". You should be gathering evidence of places in the story where REASON seems to be emphasized and well as moments where ROMANTICISM (the unexplained) is emphasized.

Due Thursday, 10/23

Read and think about the Poe story "The Oval Portrait".

Due Tuesday, 10/21

Read the short story "The Devil and Tom Walker". Please bring your books to class.

Due 10/20 Colonial Authors Paper

Please type and double-space. Bring your edited copies and your chart to turn in along with the final copy.

Due Wednesday, 10/15

Rough Draft of Introduction and Body Paragraph of the Colonial Authors Paper.

Revolutionary Authors Chart Due Monday, 10/13

You are writing a paper with the following thesis:


Colonial authors used a variety of literary devices to persuade their audience to separate from the English. (The POA for this paper will be the authors’ names OR the names of the document.)

The authors you are writing on will be: Henry, Jefferson, and Paine.

You must create a chart that lists three examples of literary devices that each author uses to persuade his audience. The first column will be the author's name. The second will be the 3 quotations for each author that shows them using a literary device. The third column will explain the effect that device is having on the reader, and how it persuades them.

A sample of the chart is available here.

Unit 1 Test on Wednesday October 8th!

Puritans through Age of Reason

Link to in-class review activity.

73 Multiple Choice Questions

Make sure you know:

Linking, Progressive, Passive (15 questions)

Literary Devices:
Aphorism,
Personification
Periodic Structure
Allusion, Metaphor
Parallel Structure
Metaphysical Conceit
Epanorthosis
Rhetorical Questions
Rhetorical Appeals

Title of Passages we’ve read

General History or Virginia
Of Plymouth Plantation
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Wonders of the Invisible World
Huswifery
On a Wasp
Dialogue…Gout
Autobiography
Poor Richard’s Almanac
Speech in the Virginia Convention
Declaration of Independence
The Crisis
To his Excellency, General Washington

 Authors of Passages we’ve read

 General time period and purpose of passages we’ve read

 You will need to be able to identify excerpts from the passages we’ve read.

Due 10/2

Nothing! Make sure you are reviewing thesis/antithesis strucutre to help you on your history DBQ.

Due 10/1

Read Patrick Henry's "Speech to the Virginia Convention"

Due Friday 9/26

Reading: "Franklin and the Gout" (108-)

Be prepared to discuss this fun dialog and explain how it reveals Neoclassical ideas.

For Tuesday 9/23

Hopefully, you survived your APUSH test today. For tomorrow, we'll finally get around to looking at those Puritan poems, so make sure you bring your books to class.

Also, if I didn't get your paragraphs, I want them first thing in the morning.

For Monday...

Due to a rather lengthy French and Indian War today, we did not get around to reading Puritan poetry in class. For Monday, make sure that you finish your Edwards Introduction and Body Paragraph (and study for your history test.) Also, make sure that you make up your grammar test if you were absent on Friday.

Edwards Intro and Body Paragraph Due Monday 9/22

Edwards Introduction and Body Paragraph


Using the format provided in Part I of your “Musings” packument, write an introduction and body paragraph on “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”


Thesis Ideas: Edwards creates fear in the audience. The purpose of this fear is to ________________________.


POA: Edwards uses imagery, structure, and rhetoric.


Your body paragraph will focus on the discussion of his use of imagery.

Reminders:

 Limit your use of forms of “to be” especially passive and progressive.
 Maintain formal voice.
 Practice establishing context in your introduction along with relevant background information.

Wonders of the Invisible World

Be prepared to discuss Wonders of the Invisible World on Thursday, 9/18.

Grammar Practice Due Monday 9/15

Print and complete the following worksheet for Monday that focuses on identifying uses of to be as a linking verb, progressive tense, or passive voice. I'm including a copy of it in this post, but a better printable version is available here.

Passive Resistance



Directions: Change the following simple sentences from passive into active voice.



1. The window was broken by the naughty children.



2. The dishwasher was unloaded by my husband.



3. The lamp was knocked over by the ornery cat.



4. The homerun was hit by the catcher.



5. Speedracer was called by Trixie not Driver X.



Directions: Read the following sentences and write down if the “to be verb(s)” is used as a linking verb, part of the progressive tense, or in the passive voice. If the sentence uses the verb as part of the Passive voice, rewrite the sentence in the Active voice.



Ex: The Mayflower was buffeted by strong winds.

Passive; Strong winds buffeted the Mayflower.



1. Many early Americans were hardworking people who sought to survive in an inhospitable land by banding together in strong communities.





2. Unfortunately a large percentage of the adult population was manipulated by a smooth talking leader with very little substance.





3. Many early American settlers were driven from their original homelands by those people who were intolerant of their changing religious and social beliefs.





4. Arriving in their new land, the children were excited to see the new terrain and animals that they did not have in their homelands.





5. Sadly, many new homes were destroyed.





6. Many new settlers were grateful to have survived their first difficult winter in the new lands by the time summer came around.





7. The Native Americans were noticing the many changes the settlers were bringing to their traditional territories.

Updates

Keep working on your Thesis/Antithesis practice which is due on Thursday.

For Friday, you will be reading

"A General History of Virginia" (40-46)
"Of Plymouth Plantation" (48-54)

Compare and contrast the writing styles of these two authors. Also, be sure to think about your lecture on geographic determinism and what you know about the differences between the Northern and Southern colonies as you do your reading.

Antithesis/Thesis Practice Due Thursday

Step 1: Select a topic of your choice that you would like to write practice antithesis/thesis paragraphs with. You might consider something from:
 Music
 Movies
 Politics/Policy
 Food
 Hobbies, Sports, activities
 (Anything else that interests you—if you’re unsure about your topic, check with me first)

Step 2: Following the guidelines in the “Musings” packet, write an Antithesis/Thesis statement with 2 POA points. Remember to focus on the concept of opposing, not just opposite. (Note that you’re not writing an entire introduction, just the antithesis/thesis).

Step 3: Write a corresponding antithesis paragraph. Make sure to remember your qualifying transition. You should have 3 pieces of evidence to support your antithesis paragraph and use standard paragraph format.

Step 4: Write a corresponding thesis paragraph. Make sure to use an appropriate contrasting transition word that acknowledges your antithesis, and clearly state your thesis and POA point. You should have 3 pieces of evidence and use standard paragraph format.

Step 5: Proof read your paragraphs, checking for conventions errors, and making sure that you match the structure given to you in the packet.

A more printable version is available here.

Antithesis/Thesis Practice Due Thursday

Due 9/8

Read Part 2 of the Musings Packet.

Then, take this list of transitional words, and sort them into like categories of your own choosing. For example, you may create a category of "sequence" and put all words in that category that seem to suggest a sequence.

Randomized Transitional Phrases

Due 9/4 Writing Pretest

Imagine you are writing an essay on one of the following topics:

1. Why is the study of past events (history) important in a world that is focused so much on the present and future developments?

2. Why is the study of past writing (literature) important in a world that seemingly places little emphasis on this medium of expression?

Now, the assignment:

Write an introduction and a body paragraph that address ONE of these topics. Set up your introduction as if you were writing the entire essay, but you, of course, will just be writing one body paragraph.

Please use this as an opportunity to show off your best writing in terms of vocabulary, structure, organization, and ideas. I understand that this is essentially a ‘first draft’ and has not undergone a lengthy revision process, but you should proof read for conventions.

Please type in 12-point font.


Due Thursday, 9/4!