Updates and Due Wednesday

The research paper topics have been updated outside of my room. Please swing by and check if you have recently revised your topic.

The research paper website has been activated and updated with due dates for this year and resources to help you with your checkpoints. See the side bar to the left to go to the research paper page.

For Wednesday, please print out and bring this document to class. You do not have to read it; just print and bring.

Reading Due Tuesday

Please read "To Build a Fire" by Jack London. An e-text is available here in case you didn't take your book home. (The online version begins with some preview questions that you can choose to skip if you wish. Go down to the very bottom of the page and click on "next" to get to the actual story. It also has some interactive words highlighted. Hopefully it's not too distracting, and if you're desperate for a copy, it should get the job done.)

Observation Claims

The powerpoint about the research paper is available here!

Essay Due Friday at Midnight! (apparently)

An electronic copy of the most recent version of the Musings packet is available here.

End of break clarifications

We are reading through chapter 33 of Huck Finn during break. Hopefully you got this information during class, and if not, hopefully you still have enough time to complete your reading.

Your next essay, which is due January 8th, is explained in the post on December 11th. It is not based on Huck Finn, but rather has you synthesize information from the documents attached to the post. It is similar in feel to a DBQ with the major exceptions being that you can use semi-formal voice (I and we are acceptable to context) and you must quote from the documents.

Hope this is helpful; email if you have any questions.

Extra Credit Make up

If you are unavailable to attend the extra credit session, please email me and explain why you will not be able to attend and I will email you the link to the video. I'd rather people attend the sessions after school, so I've chosen not to post the link online.

Next Read Due Wednesday, 12/16

Read Chapter's 6-9 for Wednesday


Additionally, sorry I didn't get these posted for the weekend, but here are some important themes/motifs in Huck Finn that you will be wanting to pay attention to as you do your reading. Although understanding the plot is important, looking at how these topics help to create our understanding of characters is even more significant.

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. Many of these topics are mentioned in chapters 1-5, so you may need to go back and mark them from that reading as well.

Superstition
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