Psychology Today: Catcher Links

This link will take you to the Psychology Today page for today's diagnosis:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/pto/conditions_by_topic.php

This page has the full text of The Catcher in the Rye online (scroll down and click on "Show full text", then use Ctrl-F to search for specific words or phrases):

http://www.wattpad.com/3616

Finally, click this link if you'd like to download an electronic version of the chart to work on:

http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/ahs/faculty/kitsis/documents/diagnosing_holden.doc

Good luck, to you and to Holden!

Week of June 2nd

Monday, June 2nd (S)
• Due: Catcher Reading #2: Ch. 8-14 (pg. 53-104).
• Class: Getting to know Salinger; “Dear Abby.”

Tuesday, June 3rd (U)
• Class does not meet today.

Wednesday, June 4th (M)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Portfolio reflection; searching for Salinger; discussion of college recommendations; 1950s educational videos (time permitting).

Thursday, June 5th (T)
• Due: Catcher Reading #3: Ch. 15-20 (pg. 105-157).
• Class: “Psychology Today.”

Friday, June 6th (W)
• Due: Prepare for common assessment (you may bring one side of one piece of paper with a handwritten outline or rough notes; no drafts and nothing printed or microscopic).
• Class: Common assessment (the last one of the year!).

Monday, June 9th (H)
• Due: Catcher Reading #4: Ch. 21-26 (pg. 158-214).
• Class: Discussion; Leave it to Beaver.

Tuesday, June 10th (F)
• Due: Bring Catcher to turn in today.
• Class: Question pass and final discussion of the novel.

Wednesday, June 11th (S)
• Due: Exams (folk art and written explanation) and portfolio inserts due.
• Class: Exam presentations.

Thursday, June 12th (U)
• Class does not meet today. Sniff!

Friday, June 13th (M)
• Due: Be in class! Unless you are medically unable to be in school, you will lose your participation points for not coming to the exam.
• Class: Exam presentations.

Reminder: Bring back vocabulary books – plus anything else you owe – as soon as possible to avoid hold slips!

Week of May 26th

Monday, May 26th
• Memorial Day (no school today).

Tuesday, May 27th (T)
• Due: Start reading The Catcher in the Rye (optional).
• Class: Sign out Catcher books; sign in vocabulary; viewing of Raisin in the Sun.

Wednesday, May 28th (W)
• Due: Keep reading Catcher.
• Class: Continue viewing of Raisin in the Sun.

Thursday, May 29th (H)
• Due: Catcher Reading #1: Ch. 1-7 (pg. 1-52).
• Class: Getting to know Holden; slang.

Friday, May 30th (F)
• Due: Revised research paper letter (marked up copy, plus two clean copies and a stamped, addressed envelope OR one copy of sent email; we’ll put the rough and one copy of the final in your portfolio).
• Class: Exam review; wrap up viewing of Raisin in the Sun.

Monday, June 2nd (S)
• Due: Catcher Reading #2: Ch. 8-14 (pg. 53-104).
• Class: Getting to know Salinger; “Dear Abby.”

Note: Not too many deadlines left! Here are some tentative ones:

• Thursday, June 5th: Catcher Reading #3: Ch. 15-20 (pg. 105-157).
• Monday, June 9th: Catcher Reading #4: Ch. 21-26 (pg. 158-214).
• Wednesday, June 11th: Exams and portfolio inserts due.

Reminder: Bring back vocabulary books – plus anything else you owe – as soon as possible to avoid hold slips!

Business Letter Format

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University is an excellent resource for all your writing questions. For your research paper letters, I would like you to use the standard block format, the most basic format for formal letter writing.

Click here for a description of business letter etiquette and format.

Click here to see a sample letter.

Week of May 12th

Monday, May 12th (S)
• Due: Research paper, in hard copy when you arrive, including works cited.
• Class: Research paper self-assessment; drama groups (reading; discussion; predictions).

Tuesday, May 13th (U)
• Class does not meet today.

Wednesday, May 14th (M)
• Due: Self-assigned reading in plays.
• Class: Drama groups (reading; discussion; character resumes).

Thursday, May 15th (T)
• Due: Be finished reading your play. Identify a piece of literary criticism about your play, read it, summarize it in a short paragraph, and bring both to class to share.
• Class: Drama groups (discussion of plays and literary criticism; work on study guides).

Friday, May 16th (W)
• Due: Research paper letter.
• Class: Drama groups.

Monday, May 19th (H)
• Due: Complete draft of your portion(s) of the study guide posted to the site.
• Class: Drama groups.

Tuesday, May 20th (F)
• Due: Quizzes are ready to go (given to me in class on Monday; emailed with receipt confirmation by 9pm on Monday; hand-delivered in class before homeroom on Tuesday).
• Class: American drama quiz day!

Wednesday, May 21st (S)
• Due: Finish any remaining quiz questions; be ready for scenes.
• Class: Scene performances and discussion.

Week of May 5th

Monday, May 5th (M)
• Due: Work on revising your research paper.
• Class: Selections for American drama literature circles; MLA exercises; review sample research paper.

Tuesday, May 6th (T)
• Due: Email me specific questions about the paper for whole class workshop.
• Class: Research paper workshop; begin American drama unit.

Wednesday, May 7th (W)
• Due: Nearly finished draft of your research paper – including the Works Cited page.
• Class: Peer revision (focus on style, mechanics).

Thursday, May 8th (H)
• Due: Find, read, and print an article on background for your play (from a reputable source, like the databases; decide among your group for good distribution of topics).
• Class: Group work on American drama.

Friday, May 9th (F)
• Due: Homework will be announced.
• Class: Group work on American drama.

Monday, May 12th (S)
• Due: Your final research paper, in hard copy when you arrive in class.
• Class: Self-assessment on research paper; group work on American drama.

Note: You will need to finish reading your plays by Wednesday, May 14th, finishing up loose ends on your own time for homework.

Week of April 28th

We'll be finishing research paper presentations, peer reviewing initial rough drafts, and beginning a unit on American drama this week. Lots going on! Specific dates will depend on the pace of our presentations, so I'll keep you posted.

The initial rough draft is due on Wednesday, April 30th.

Week of April 14th

Important Note: See below for info research paper presentation deadline.

Monday, April 14th (F)
• Due: Prepare for oral presentations of research findings ... email me slides tonight; we begin on Tuesday.
• Class: Lesson on drafting and citations. Comments on outlines.

Tuesday, April 15th (S)
• Due: Work on rough draft (due Tuesday, April 29th).
• Class: Research presentations.

Wednesday, April 16th (U)
• Class does not meet today.

Thursday, April 17th (M)
• Due: Work on rough draft.
• Class: Research presentations.

Friday, April 18th (T)
• Due: Work on rough draft.
• Class: Research presentations.

Note: Have a great vacation! There is no reading or other formal assignment over vacation but if you have fallen behind in drafting now is your time to catch up. The first complete rough draft of the research paper is due on Tuesday, April 29th. No late days accepted, as we’ll be peer revising in class.

Research Paper Presentations: Update

Given the chaos at the end of class on Friday and the fact that we should really spend some time early in the week talking about drafting and citations, the deadline for your research presentations will be extended by one day. So we'll be looking at slides emailed on Monday night and presentations beginning in class on Tuesday. Email me with any questions.

Thanks!

Week of April 7th

Monday, April 7th (U)
• Class does not meet today.

Tuesday, April 8th (M)
• Due: Formal outline for research paper; finish reading Of Mice and Men.
• Class: Explain research presentation assignment; debating George’s decision.

Wednesday, April 9th (T)
• Due: Read “Nobodies” from The New Yorker.
• Class: Discuss “Nobodies”; lesson on Dorothea Lange.

Thursday, April 10th (W)
• Due: Preparation for Socratic seminar.
• Class: Socratic seminar; grammar or research exercises.

Friday, April 11th (H)
• Due: Preparation for Socratic seminar.
• Class: Socratic seminar; grammar or research exercises.

Monday, April 14th (F)
• Due: Prepare oral presentation on research paper in progress (email me slides or have them in your student folder for quick access … if you first start messing with your own email, I will get really cranky).
• Class: Begin oral presentations.

Week of March 31st

Monday, March 31st (T)
• Due: Read Ch. 1-2 in Of Mice and Men.
• Class: Lesson on outlining; plagiarism exercises (warm up exercises continuing throughout the unit).

Tuesday, April 1st (W)
• Due: Continue taking notes; get started on your research paper outline.
• Class: Discussion of Mice and Men.

Wednesday, April 2nd (H)
• Due: Read Ch. 3-4 in Mice and Men.
• Class: Discussion; prepare for dramatic scenes.

Thursday, April 3rd (F)
• Due: Keep working on that research paper outline.
• Class: Perform dramatic scenes; discussion.

Friday, April 4th (S)
• Due: Keep working on that research paper outline.
• Class: Work day (you must bring your note cards, and I expect more than you had at the last check in!); conference time available.

Monday, April. 7th (U)
• Class does not meet.

Tuesday, April 8th (M)
• Due: Formal research paper outline; finish reading Mice and Men.
• Class: Explain research presentation assignment; barometer debate.

Clarification

The calendar this week indicates a written response "to be announced" for the Steinbeck reading due on Monday. Instead of a written response, just read the assigned chapters carefully -- take notes if they are helpful to you -- and continue making progress on those research papers. Enjoy the weekend!

Week of March 17th

Monday, March 17th (U)
• Class does not meet today.

Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• Due: Draft of school committee statement (school committee members exempt).
• Class: Peer review of statements, strategy session. Research exercises on recognizing plagiarism; requirements for upcoming note card check.

Wednesday, March 19th (T)
• Due: School committee statements from all presenting today (no late days!).
• Class: School committee hearing on Huckleberry Finn. Meet quickly in Room 304 and then we’ll head up to the meeting together.

Thursday, March 20th (W)
• Due: You should be working on taking notes; school committee members should additionally be working on their statements.
• Class: Choice written response for Huckleberry Finn.

Friday, March 21st
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!

Monday, March. 24th (H)
• Due: School committee member statements (no late days!).
• Class: School committee hearing on Huckleberry Finn (final vote). Final reflection and discussion on Huck.

Update: Taking Notes

Remember that our first set of notes will be due on Tuesday, February 25th. It will help me out (and you too!) if you band them together, or even better, put them in a ziplock baggie.

My expectation is that you will have 30-40 note cards (depending on how “information rich” they are) or their equivalent (if you are taking notes electronically). Don’t panic, it goes faster than you might guess ... but don’t procrastinate either. Remember that breadth is just as important as depth at this stage of the game: I expect you to use 3-4 different sources. Note that you do not need to FINISH taking notes on one great source before moving on to the next, if it’s longer than an article, and probably shouldn’t. My experience is that students who are still stuck on one source by the note card check-in wind up writing weaker papers: it becomes harder to diversify your sources and the result often winds up being more of a book report than true synthesis.

Please review the grading criteria for this step:

• Required number of note cards (or equivalent) is met: 30-40 cards
  
• Every scrap of information can be clearly tied back to a source (use a code to save yourself work!) and a page number (if applicable)
  
• Clear and systematic topic headings are used, and notes contain sufficient context that you (and I) can make some sense of them
  
• Notes cover appropriate breadth and depth of information: at least 3-4 sources
  
• Notes are legible

Remember what a "finished" note card might look like:


And electronic notes can be taken in PowerPoint or Word:


If you are using any online sources that are not from unquestionably trustworthy sources (organizations that your teacher will have heard of, for example), please check them with me. I am highly skeptical of any website that does not have the oversight of an editor, even if the individual is or claims to be highly qualified. As always, don’t hesitate to drop me an email if you have any questions or concerns!

Week of March 10th

Monday, March 10th (T)
• Due: Prepare for satire skits.
• Class: Satire skits: perform and discuss. Review satire in Huck Finn (worksheet).

Tuesday, March 11th (W)
• Due: Annotated works cited page.
• Class: Mini lesson on taking notes for the research paper.

Wednesday, March 12th (H)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Creative writing exercise (found poetry, style imitation).

Thursday, March 13th (F)
• Due: Finish reading Huck Finn and post to blog.
• Class: Discuss the end of the novel. Assign roles and articles for mock school committee meeting.

Friday, March 14th (S)
• Due: Summary of two articles as assigned.
• Class: Discuss articles, strategize for school committee meeting.

Monday, March. 17th (U)
• Class does not meet.

Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• Due: School committee statements from all witnesses.
• Class: School committee hearings.

Huck Finn Post

After finishing the novel, choose one of the two posts below to respond to. Remember that high quality, "check-plus" posts will be proofread, will specifically respond to a previous post, and will support ideas with evidence from the text.

Have fun and don't be afraid of (respectfully) disagreeing with each other; it keeps things interesting! Posts are due before class on Thursday.

Source: Questions adopted from Born to Trouble and The Glencoe Literature Library Study Guide.

Topic #1: A Heroic Juxtaposition

“I ask people to do a juxtaposition when confronting Jim. Take for a moment the notion that Huck is not the central character, but Jim is. How does this change notions of what this book is about? How is it that he – a slave and a ‘nigger’ – represents all the best qualities in the book, and how does he humanize Huck? How can Huck rise to heroic proportions without Jim? Jim teaches him how to be a hero.”
– Professor Maghan Keita

Respond to Professor Keita’s claims. Related questions to keep the conversation flowing: How is Jim a hero? How is Huck a hero? Does the novel have a conventional hero at all? What do you think is the climax of the novel? Why?

Topic #2: Evaluating the End of the Novel

The end of the novel has been severely criticized by some readers. Is the conclusion of the novel consistent with the characters we have come to know? Does it resolve the major conflicts in a satisfactory way? If don’t think it’s an effective ending to the novel, how would you change it and why?

Homework Survey

I'm doing a little research into my own teaching. Help me (and hopefully yourself!) out by taking this short survey on homework. Click here to start. Thanks for your feedback!

Week of March 3rd

Note: Scroll down for tonight's Huck Finn homework!

Monday, March 3rd (H)
• Due: Research topic emails due; Huck Finn blog posts due.
• Class: Introduction to satire; mini-lesson on Annotated Works Cited assignment.

Tuesday, March 4th (F)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Workshop on research paper in the Media Center. Bring any materials you have.

Wednesday, March 5th (S)
• Due: Contribute to blog: satire post.

1. View 15-20 minutes of television that is likely to contain satire (if timing is a problem, you can stream video clips of many shows through YouTube or the Comedy Central website; selected SNL skits are also available on the NBC website).

2. Write a paragraph response: Describe one brief scene that you believe to be satirical in nature. What is being ridiculed or what folly is exposed? Is any reform implied or suggested? What is the tone of the satire – is it more Horatian (gently mocking) or Juvenalian (sternly indignant)? Is the satire effective?

• Class: Workshop on satire (original skits).

Thursday, March 6th (U)
• Class does not meet.

Friday, March 7th (M)
• Due: Read Huck Finn through Ch. 31 and contribute to blog (new topics and questions will be posted).
• Class: Workshop on satire (original skits).

Monday, March. 10th (T)
• Due: Satire skits ready to go (with five minute refresher). Email or bring me any scripts before homeroom that you would like photocopied. Be working on Works Cited!
• Class: Perform and discuss satire skits.

Guidelines for Huck Posts

Note: Scroll down for the research paper post!

Guidelines for Huck Finn blog posts:

• Confine your post to 150-200 words (you don’t need to say everything at once, just make a solid point)
• Proofread your post for spelling, grammar, punctuation (this is still English class!)
• Acknowledge at least one comment made before your own; try to keep the flow of the dialogue going
• Ground your post with specific evidence from the book (a quotation, event, etc)
• Feel free to raise follow up questions as appropriate
• Have some fun!

Choose one of the two posts below to respond to; be sure to sign with your first name so I can give you credit for your work! If you have any technical problems, email me your work directly.

Huck: Post #1: Option #1

What determines who we are – nature (inborn traits) or nurture (environment)? How do you think Jim and Huck were shaped by these factors?

Consider: How have your feelings about Jim changed over the course of the novel (so far)? To what extent is Jim a stereotype? When and how does he break free of stereotypical roles? Compare Pap's treatment of Huck with Jim's treatment of Huck and of his own daughter.

Huck: Post #1: Option #2

Twain wrote in a journal that "Huck Finn is a book of mine where a sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision and conscience suffers defeat." What do you think he meant by "a sound heart and a deformed conscience?" How is "conscience" a theme in the novel in general thus far?

Consider: What moral choices has Huck faced so far in then novel? How have your feelings about Huck changed over the course of the novel (so far)?

Research Paper Blog Post

Note: Due Thursday, February 28th.

Important: Whenever you post to a blog for this class, do not use your full name or the full name of any classmate for the sake of privacy. First names or nicknames only, please.

Part I: Sharing Topics
Your first task for the argumentative research paper – due at the end of the day on Thursday, February 28th – is not for yourself. Rather, it is a gift to your classmates.

Your assignment is to post two high-quality possible research topics to the class blog to help your peers brainstorm some new ideas. These topics are going to be fair game for anyone to pursue, so you probably don’t want to post a topic that you are really excited about researching yourself.

For each topic (two topics, two sources total), post the following:

• Identify the topic in the form of a specific question.
  
• Then include a potential source to accompany this topic (like a magazine article). If the article is online you can paste in the link. If it is in print, give us the citation information so we can find it on our own (title, author, publication, date). Summarize the article's contents in one sentence.

Don't forget to sign off with your first name so I can give you credit!

As you propose topics, keep an eye on scope. For example, researching “educational reforms” would not be an appropriate topic: it’s far too broad. What are you really interested in? Whether affirmative actions really helps minority students? The effects of voucher programs on public schools in states that have them? The efficacy of charter schools? Whether the bilingual program should be reinstated? Then determine a position that you can “defend, challenge, or qualify.” It’s okay if you need to refine this statement over the course of your research, but you have a target in sight.

Research Paper Resources

Part II: Selecting & Refining Topics
As you consider which topic you would like to work with, keep in mind that a good topic meets the following criteria:

1. It’s interesting to you. You’ll be working with this issue for the next two months. The more that it evolves out of a natural and genuine curiosity, the more enjoyable and satisfying the research and writing will be.
   
2. You will be able to find reliable and authoritative print sources. Try a subject search on the Minuteman Library Network; you’ll soon find out if there are resources available on your subject.
   
3. The scope is appropriate. The topic should be focused enough to be handled in considerable depth in 12-15 pages.

On or before November 8th, email me two high-quality topics that you are interested in pursuing for your paper. Make it clear which one(s) you are most excited about pursuing. You should format these topics the same way, written in the form of a “task” (defend, challenge, qualify) and including at least one good potential source.

Be sure that you’ve identified a topic of appropriate scope – not too broad, not too narrow. If there are a few possibilities you are considering within a certain topic area, that’s fine too; name more than one. You don’t need to know which side you’ll be arguing at this point, that’s what the research is for; you just need to establish that there’s a worthwhile debate to join.

Resources to Consider

A) Databases in the Media Center
You may need passwords to access these; get a password slip from the Media Center to keep at home.

Opposing Viewpoints
Articles and papers presenting both sides of controversial social and political issues. Great place to go for early brainstorming. Do be cautious about dated or overly broad topics. Count this database as one source in your arithmetic.
http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/arlinghs

Social Issues Resource Series
Full-text articles on social, political, health, mental health, historical, and scientific issues, including special current issues information.
http://ars.sirs.com/

Newsbank/Infotrac Databases
Magazine and newspaper databases.
http://www.mln.lib.ma.us/electronic/arl1.htm

Minuteman Regional Library Database
I adore this database. You can access the historic New York Times, dating back to forever ago (or 1851, which is close). And the Boston Globe, and other great stuff. Does require a public library card, or the passcode from the Media Center.
http://mmrls.org/homeaccess.html

B) A Few Recommended Periodicals
Not only do these magazines have great information, the prose is usually stellar as well.

The Atlantic Online
http://www.theatlantic.com/

The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/

Harper’s
http://www.harpers.org/

The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/

National Review
http://www.nationalreview.com/

FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting)
http://www.fair.org/index.php

The New York Review of Books
http://www.nybooks.com/">

The New York Times Magazine
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/magazine/

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/

C) Miscellaneous
Other helpful resources to consider.

Supreme Court Decisions
Browse Supreme Court opinions by topic and use the full text of the opinions as a possible source.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/index.html


Note: If you come across any great resources as you work, include them in your post to share with the rest of us!

Week of February 25th

Monday, Feb. 25th (S)
• Due: Read Huck Finn through Ch. 18 and complete three journals to turn in.
• Class: Initial impressions of Huck Finn; poetry; big paper discussion.

Tuesday, Feb. 26th (U)
• Class does not meet today. Keep reading!

Wednesday, Feb. 27th (M)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Introduction to the research paper; magazine idea starter.

Thursday, Feb. 28th (T)
• Due: Blog post on research topics to share (see blog).
• Class: Model and practice structuring arguments for the common assessment (SAT); supplemental readings for Huck.

Friday, Feb. 29th (W)
• Due: Read Huck through Ch. 24 and post to blog (see blog).
• Class: Common assessment; bring your book to class.

Monday, March. 3rd (H)
• Due: Research topic proposal by email to skitsis@arlington.k12.ma.us before class:

❏ Include two to three focused topics that interest you (include your preference).
❏ For each topic, write a potential research question (you can refine it later). What do you want to learn, know, discover, or answer about this topic?
❏ For each topic, cite a potential source: books available in the Media Center or the Minuteman Network, articles available in databases or recent periodicals, etc.
❏ Send your email before class; I will confirm receipt. If you send your email late and do not get a receipt from me, bring a printout for insurance.

• Class: Introduction to satire; explain annotated works cited assignment.

Note: We will finish Huck Finn in big chunks, with related blog posts. Projected deadlines: read through Ch. 31 for Fri. March 7th and read through Ch. 43 for Thurs. March 13th.

Huck Finn Assignment

We'll be reading Ch. 1-18 of Huck Finn over break. Note the change from your assignment sheet!! As you read, take notes. Then use these notes to write three journal entries with significant use of textual support. Click here to see the journal assignment and prompts.

Do you have a great question of your own? Use the "comments" on this blog to share it with the class!

Sample Paper in Progress

Click here to view the model paper that we were working on in class today.

Gatsby Materials

The following will help with your Gatsby papers:

• Click here for the paper topic.
• Click here for the results of class brainstorming (all sections combined).

See below for your class calendar with deadlines, etc.

Week of February 4th

Monday, Feb. 4th (W)
• Due: Read Chapter Six and bring your email to class.
• Class: Introducing the Favorite Poem Project; “Fact or Fiction: Tracing Gatsby’s Past.”

Tuesday, Feb. 5th (H)
• Due: Keeping reading and study vocabulary.
• Class: Wrap up timeline activity; review vocabulary.

Wednesday, Feb. 6th (F)
• Due: Study for vocabulary quiz on Units #4-6; read Chapter Seven (no email).
• Class: Quiz on Units #4-6 (there may also be a Gatsby section!); film excerpt and discussion (“Drama at the Plaza”).

Thursday, Feb. 7th (S)
• Due: Finish reading the novel (no email); bring a question you would like to discuss.
• Class: Socratic seminar style discussion.

Friday, Feb. 8th (U)
• No class today.

Note: Let me know by Friday if you want to audition for the Favorite Poem Project!

Monday, Feb. 11th (M)
• Due: Final email with your partner in response to the following question: “How can you connect The Great Gatsby to your own life?” Second person should comment on first person’s email; first person should make every effort to write a short response back to the second person’s ideas.
• Class: Identifying theme through characters, values, and actions.

Tuesday, Feb. 12th (T)
• Due: Begin work on Gatsby theme paper.
• Class: Wrap up Fitzgerald biography (video).

Wednesday, Feb. 13th (W)
• Due: Rough draft of Gatsby theme paper (no late days, please!).
• Class: Peer feedback; work on quotation integration and citation. Finish A&E episode of Biography.

Thursday, Feb. 14th (H)
• Due: Final draft of Gatsby theme paper. Bring Gatsby books to turn in today.
• Class: Begin new unit, including some reading over vacation.

Note: If you will be out of school for the days approaching break be sure to let me know in advance. There will be a reading assignment over the vacation.

Week of January 28th

Monday, Jan. 28th (F)
• Due: Read Chapter Two in Gatsby and complete email (see last week’s calendar).
• Class: Debrief on Valley of Ashes; characterization in Gatsby.

Tuesday, Jan. 29th (S)
• Due: Read Chapter Three in Gatsby. No email today.
• Class: Rhetorical analysis of the Jazz Age.

Wednesday, Jan. 30th (U)
• Class does not meet.

Thursday, Jan. 31st (M)
• Due: Read Chapter Three & Four and complete email (choose roles in advance!):

Chapter Four & Five: Dear Diary
The first person to email should compose a diary entry as Daisy Fay, using information from the period just before her wedding, including the scene with the letter and the bathtub.

The second person to email should briefly comment upon the first writer’s post. Then, compose a diary entry as Jay Gatsby, also using information from this scene. Include what he might have written in that letter to Daisy before her marriage to Tom. Print and bring to class.

• Class: Share diaries; introduce and plan oral interpretations of Chapter Five in groups.

Friday, Feb. 1st (T)
• Due: Passage analysis homework (TBA).
• Class: Perform oral interpretations and discuss; time as motif and theme in Gatsby.

Monday, Feb. 4th (W)
• Due: Read Chapter Six and complete email:

Chapter Six: Free Response
Exchange a short email with your partner about the events in Chapter Seven. Share reactions, observations, insights, analysis, and predictions. Print and bring to class.

• Class: “Fact or Fiction: Tracing Gatsby’s Past.”

Week of January 21st

Monday, Jan. 21st• No school today!

Tuesday, Jan. 22nd (M)
• Due: Study for vocabulary quiz on Unit #6.
• Class: Vocabulary quiz. Scenes from The Scarlet Letter (1934).

Wednesday, Jan. 23rd (T)
• Due: Enjoy a day off between units!
• Class: Wrap up The Scarlet Letter (1934). Sign out The Great Gatsby; assign email partners for homework discussions.

Thursday, Jan. 24th (W)
• Due: Complete the following exercises to review for the Units #4-6 test next week:

p. 72, Vocabulary for Comprehension
p. 75, Two-word Completions
p. 76, Choose the Right Meaning; Antonyms
p. 78, Word Associations

• Class: Review answers to vocabulary. Introduction to Gatsby and the Jazz Age.

Friday, Jan. 25th (F)
• Due: Read Ch. 1 in The Great Gatsby and complete email assignment below.
• Class: Analysis of narrator and principal characters in Ch. 1; sketching the “Valley of Ashes.”

Email Topic: Chapter One: Look Who’s Talking
Write to your partner describing what you have ascertained so far about Nick, the narrator of The Great Gatsby. In addition to details about his life, values, personality, consider the following questions you might ask of any fictional narrator:

1. Is the narrator part of the story? If so, how much influence does he or she have over what happens? To what degree does the narrator participate in the action (just observe, participate somewhat, or participate fully)?
2. Is the narrator conscious of the storytelling and commenting on it or not?
3. Does the narrator take the reader inside his or her mind?
4. Is the narrator’s presentation of the situation and people reliable, partially reliable, or biased?
5. Is the narrator telling the story in the present, a short time after the actions take place, or a long time after the actions take place?

The second person to write should add to the first person’s response, or if that seems complete, should summarize observations about other characters in this chapter. Print and bring to class.

Monday, Jan. 28th (S)
• Due: Read Ch. 2 in The Great Gatsby and complete email assignment below.
• Class: Understanding characters in The Great Gatsby.

Email Topic: Chapter Two: Character Traits, Values, Class
Choose two characters to focus on for this email: Tom, Myrtle, Nick, Mr. Wilson, Catherine, Gatsby, or Mr. McKee. Write a journal in which you explore the characters’ traits, values, and social class. Use and cite clues from the text (their words or actions, things people say about them, etc).

Do these characters have similar traits and values? Which are the most fully characterized? The least? What inferences can you make about Fitzgerald’s portrayal of different social classes in this scene?

The second person to write should briefly comment upon the first person’s response, and then continue with an analysis of two additional characters from the list above. Print and bring to class.

A Word on Emails: Emails to your partner should adhere to standard conventions of spelling, grammar, etc. There are no specific guidelines for length, but about 200 words is a reasonable ballpark figure. You should work out logistics of timing with your partner; I’m flexible but it is important that you regularly alternate who writes first. Bring a printed copy of your own email to each class on the day it is due. Come talk to me (before something is due) if you anticipate any problems.

Week of January 14th

Monday, Jan. 14th
• Snow Day!

Tuesday, Jan. 15th (H)
• Due: Lit crit presentations by email. Copy yourself and verify receipt!
• Class: First three presentations on lit crit. Discussion.

Wednesday, Jan. 16th (F)
• Due: Write vocabulary sentences for Unit #6. Work on lit crit one-pagers.
• Class: Last three presentations on lit crit. Discussion.

Thursday, Jan. 17th (S)
• Due: Rough draft of lit crit one-pagers in hard copy.
• Class: Peer edit rough drafts. Vocabulary review.

Friday, Jan. 18th (U)
• Class drops. Papers are due by 10p on Thursday via email (you will receive confirmation of receipt that night) or in person on Friday (both is great too).

I will take one day off per paper per day late, including each weekend day. No late days, please.

Monday, Jan. 21st
• No school.

Tuesday, Jan. 22nd (M)
• Due: Study for vocabulary quiz on Unit #6.
• Class: Vocabulary quiz on Unit #6. End of semester reflection.

Note: If you are legitimately absent from class on Tuesday you MUST make arrangements to take the quiz before or after school on Wednesday, Jan. 23rd so that I can finish your term grades.

Scarlet Letter Assignment

Click here to view the details of the Scarlet Letter "one-pager." It's fine to recycle information, quotations, and arguments from your group presentation as long as the writing and the final opinion are your own!

Week of January 7th

Monday, Jan. 7th (S)
• Due: Read through Ch. 19 and complete dialectic journal. Research assigned symbols.
• Class: First Annual Scarlet Letter Symbol Symposium.

Tuesday, Jan. 8th (U)
• Class does not meet today. Enjoy the early dismissal!

Wednesday, Jan. 9th (M)
• Due: Read through Ch. 24 and complete dialectic journal. Phew! You made it!
• Class: Discussion of the end of the novel. Lit crit groups touch base on first impressions.

Thursday, Jan. 10th (T)
• Due: Read assigned lit crit essays.
• Class: Group work on lit crit.

Friday, Jan. 11th (W)
• Due: Prepare for continuing group work.
• Class: Group work on lit crit.

Monday, Jan. 14th (H)
• Due: Lit crit presentations by email to skitsis@arlington.k12.ma.us before Homeroom on Monday. Copy yourself and verify receipt in case of technical difficulty!
• Class: First three presentations on lit crit.

Tuesday, Jan. 15th (F)
• Due: Write vocabulary sentences for Unit #6. Work on lit crit one-pagers.
• Class: Last three presentations on lit crit.

Wednesday, Jan. 16th (S)
• Due: Rough draft of lit crit one-pagers.
• Class: Peer edit rough drafts. Vocabulary review.

Thursday, Jan. 17th U)
• Class does not meet today.

Friday, Jan. 18th (M)
• Due: Final copy of lit crit one-pagers. Study for vocabulary quiz on Unit #6.
• Class: Vocabulary quiz on Unit #6.

Note: Because it is the end of the term there will be essentially no wiggle room for late work, so plan carefully. If you are absent and not hospitalized when the paper is due, I’ll expect you to email it to me. And speaking of the end of the term, don’t forget to submit your work to the literary magazine by Jan. 18th for extra credit!

Homework: Symbol Symposium

OPEN THE TEXT!
Click here to open the full text of The Scarlet Letter at the Gutenberg Project, or navigate to http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext92/scrlt13.txt. (If for any reason that link doesn't work, go to http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33 and click on the download link next to "Plain text" under the section "Download this ebook for free.")

DIRECTIONS! (Same as you got in class.)
In addition to completing the reading and dialectic journals assigned (through Ch. 19), please investigate a couple of symbols over the weekend for our Symbol Symposium on Monday. First, just think about the potential symbols. Where do you recall seeing them in the novel? Independent of the novel, what associations do you have with these objects?

Then go online and search the full text of the novel for instances of these concepts (try searching for related words as well; I’ve listed a few and you can probably think of more). Use Control-F or the “find” function to locate them, and record the context in your notes (you won’t have page numbers, but jot down the scene or chapter). Finally, note your thoughts on what these symbols might mean in the context of the novel.

Please keep these notes in your journal. You need not write in complete sentences.

Investigate the highlighted symbol below as well as one more of your choice (two total).

Note: If you were absent from class on Friday, choose any two bullets to work with.

• Scaffolds (scaffolding, support, steps)
• Colors (red/scarlet/blood/crimson, gold)
• Darkness versus light (sun versus shadow, night versus day, noon, moon)
• Night versus day (sun, moon, midnight)
• Vegetation (tree, plant, bush, weed)
• Roses and rosebushes (flower, thorn)
• Precious stones or gems (pearl, ruby, gold, diamond)
• The letter “A”
• Forest versus town
• Doors or thresholds (gate, fence, periphery ... look up the word “liminal”)
• Water (stream, sea, river)
• Windows, mirrors, and reflections
• Triads (things that come in groups of three)
• Chains (chain, link, bond, fetter)

Week of January 2nd

Wednesday, Jan. 2nd (W)
• Due: Read and complete dialectic journal (two quotations and responses per chapter) through Ch. 15 of The Scarlet Letter.
• Class: “Hawthorne as Artist: Symbolism of Light and Dark.”

Thursday, Jan. 3rd (H)
• Due: Vocabulary exercises for Unit #6.
• Class: Review vocabulary; work on dramatic scenes.

Friday, Jan. 4th (F)
• Due: Continue reading The Scarlet Letter (we’re reading through Ch. 19 for Monday!).
• Class: Perform and discuss scenes.

Monday, Jan. 7th (S)
• Due: Read and complete dialectic journal through Ch. 19 of The Scarlet Letter; complete research for today’s work on symbolism. (Note: I’ll hand this out in class AND post on blog shortly.)
• Class: “Symbol Symposium.”

Upcoming Deadlines: We will be reading through the end of the novel (that’s Ch. 24) for Wednesday, Jan. 9th.