Freshmen Extra Credit

Is hip hop  a form of poetry?

I've provided several links below to some songs that I'd like you to listen to.  It is your responsibility to develop an answer to the particular question stated above.  Try to consider the following:

-What is poetry?
-Does hip hop fit into this definition of poetry?  How?
-Should we judge hip hop based upon its often crass discussion of drugs, violence, misogyny, or other socially unacceptable topics?

Please feel free to contribute links to your own examples.

PLEASE BE WARNED.  A GREAT DEAL OF RAP PRESENTS MESSAGES THAT ARE INAPPROPRIATE.  WE ARE DISCUSSING WHETHER OR NOT HIP HOP IS A FORM OF EXPRESSION SIMILAR TO POETRY.  WE ARE NOT CONDONING THE MESSAGE THAT HIP HOP ARTISTS PRESENT IN THEIR MEDIUM.


De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays
Jurassic 5 - Quality Control
2 Pac - Dear Mama

Juniors Extra Credit

I'd like you to consider the following article by Louis Menand entitled "Live and Learn."

Most of us believe that college plays an imperative role on the path to our successes as adults.

Why?  What is the inherent value of college?  In fact, what is the value of education?

Louis Menand attempts to debate the answers to these very questions.  I'm curious to your reflections of this article.  Please address Menand's points, his arguments, your beliefs, your questions, and your comments of other student responses.  Let's get a debate going ladies and gentlemen.

Work for the week of March 26th -Freshmen

Due Monday March 26th
Minutes: David,
SAT Vocabulary: Concord, Equitable
Reading Assignment: Finish book
Homework Assignment:

Due Tuesday March 27th
Minutes: Tiffany, Lawrence
SAT Vocabulary: Holistic, Ineffable
Reading Assignment:
Homework Assignment: Please develop five sentences from the final section of the book that you would like to ask Frank Bruni, we will be pooling our ideas together and voting today on the best questions.

Due Wednesday March 28th
Minutes: Victor, Thomas
SAT Vocabulary: Polarized, Propensity
Reading Assignment:
Homework Assignment: What is poetry?  Why might one use poetry instead of other forms of expression?  What makes poetry difference than other forms of expression?  Have you ever written poetry?  Why or why not?


Due Thursday March 29th
Minutes: Shadman, Isaac
SAT Vocabulary: Sedulity, Quell
Reading Assignment:  Read and print “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
Homework Assignment: Please identify four examples of imagery.

Due Friday March 30th
Minutes: Calvin, David
SAT Vocabulary: Pragmatic, Rhetoric
Reading Assignment: Read and print “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen                                    
Homework Assignment: Please identify four examples of imagery.

Work for the week of March 26th - Juniors

Due Monday March 26th
Minutes: Christina, Yejoon, Lucy
SAT Vocabulary: Accolade, Aspersion
Reading Assignment:
Homework Assignment: Typed pages online due.

Due Tuesday March 27th
CLASS SWITCH!  - PER. 2 - 251, PER.7 - 251, PER. 10 - 411


Minutes: Ying, Justin, Harry
SAT Vocabulary: Candid, Diaphanous
Reading Assignment: N/A
Homework Assignment: Please type up a response informing me as to what you completed in this particular assignment.  Please also comment, in a paragraph why the book is structured as it is.  Remove the post-its from your book in preparation for return.  

Due Wednesday March 28th
Minutes: Jennifer, Bing, Willie
SAT Vocabulary: Dowager, Egalitarian
Reading Assignment: “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates
Homework Assignment: Please research the “boiling frog story” and compare it to Oates’ story.  Please have your work written up.  I’d like to see at least six full sentences in your response.

Due Thursday March 29th
Minutes: Marta, Allen, Annie
SAT Vocabulary: Dispassionate, Equivocate
Reading Assignment: Read “Indian Camp” by Ernest Hemingway
Homework Assignment: Who is the protagonist of the story?  What major themes does Hemingway portray in this particular story?  What questions develop as we read this story?  Are these questions answered?  How does this story exemplify Hemingway’s understated style that we saw in “Hills Like White Elephants?  

Due Friday March 30th
Minutes: Sarah Kim, Kenny, Beverly
SAT Vocabulary: Indigence, Judicious
Reading Assignment:  Read and review "The Man He Killed" and "Dulce es Decorum Est"
HW Assignment: N/A

Freshmen Extra Credit

Is Obesity the Government's Responsibility?

Here's a link to the podcast we listen to today.  There's a fascinating debate being presented here.  In the current economic reality we face in America, can we afford to have even more government programs directed towards obesity?  Is it the government's responsibility to regulate and tax companies that produce unhealthy food?  Is it a company's responsibility to self-regulate in producing unhealthy projects or is it the consumer's responsibility to make healthy choices and display restraint?

It's a tough debate and I think the willingness to discuss this in class will certainly yield an interesting debate online.  Discuss your impressions of the podcast and comment on the comments of others.

Juniors Extra Credit - Radiolab

Hello Juniors.  Apologies for the lateness.  I was feeling a but under the weather when I got home and I fell asleep so here's my late night extra credit.  Let's say this assignment will close next Tuesday.

I'd like you to listen to the following podcast found here and ask the following question:

How much free will do we really have?  How many choices do we make on a day to day basis that are indications of our "free will"? 

Please be sure to answer this question, engage in discussion with others' comments, and introduce new articles/media to the discussion.  This is a long episode so you don't have to comment on everything.  In fact, I encourage you to only comment on one aspect of the episode and return to the discussion later on reading others' comments and build upon those.  Let's create a cohesive discussion about free will.  And of course, feel free to introduce SHV into the discussion.

Work for the week of March 19th - Juniors

Due Monday March 19th
Minutes: Michael N., Taruna, Vinit
SAT Vocabulary: Mundane, Stupefy
Reading Assignment: Finish Slaughterhouse-Five
Homework Assignment: N/A

Due Tuesday March 20th
Minutes: Kaile, Ralphsun, John
SAT Vocabulary: Voluminous, Bastian
Reading Assignment: N/A
Homework Assignment: Keep a log of your progress in our reorganization project.

Due Wednesday March 21st
Minutes: Chris, Rifat, Jack
SAT Vocabulary: Ratify, Confound
Reading Assignment: N/A
Homework Assignment: How can I improve my first paper?

Due Thursday March 22nd
Minutes: Michelle Y., Shirley, Shin
SAT Vocabulary: Subterfuge, Goad
Reading Assignment: N/A
Homework Assignment: Keep a log of your progress in our reorganization project.

Due Friday March 23rd
Minutes: Isabella, Kaung, Michael U.
SAT Vocabulary: Nefarious, Recant
Reading Assignment: N/A                                         
Homework Assignment: Keep a log of your progress in our reorganization project.  I expect a typed explanation of your work on Monday.

Work for the week of March 19th - Freshmen

Due Monday March 19th
Minutes: Konrad, Young
SAT Vocabulary: Belie, Jaded
Reading Assignment: Read through Section III
Homework Assignment: Food Memoir Assignment

Due Tuesday March 20th
Minutes: Ali, Fanny
SAT Vocabulary: Belittle, Gravity
Reading Assignment: Finish Section III
Homework Assignment: Create a list of six question that you would like to ask Frank Bruni.  Two of these questions should be related to a quote in the book.  These should be full sentences.  

Due Wednesday March 21st
Minutes: Andrew, David
SAT Vocabulary: Supercilious, Petulant
Reading Assignment: Please read through page 267
Homework Assignment: Please list five difference Frank Bruni notes between Americans and Italians.  Please write in full sentences and directly refer to the page of the book where you found your evidence.


Due Thursday March 22nd
Minutes: Mindy, Wilson
SAT Vocabulary: Irascible, Rancor
Reading Assignment: Please read through page 299
Homework Assignment: Ketchup

Due Friday March 23rd
Minutes: Erik, Jessica
SAT Vocabulary: Edifice, Rant
Reading Assignment:  Please read through page 320                                       
Homework Assignment: Please list five of the difficulties Frank experiences in becoming a food critic.
Please write in full sentences and directly refer to the page of the book where you found your evidence.  In a five sentence response, considering Frank’s encounter with Chodorow, do you think that Frank is enjoying himself as a restaurant critic, why or why not?  Please make reference to the text in your response.

Finish the book over the weekend

Juniors Extra Credit

Considering we are reading literature that discusses wartime, I want you to read:

"The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy

and

"Dulce Et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen

After doing so, I'd like you to complete the following two tasks:

I. Write a well-developed paragraph in which you use ideas from both passages to establish a controlling idea about possessions. Develop your controlling idea using specific examples and details from each passage.

II. Choose a specific literary element (e.g., theme, characterization, etc.) or literary technique (e.g., imagery, irony, figurative language, etc.) used by one of the authors. Using specific details from that passage, in a well-developed paragraph, show how the author uses that element or technique to develop the passage.

You should submit TWO full paragraphs utilizing quotations from each passage to support your point.

Work for the week of March 12th - Freshmen

Due Monday March 12th
Minutes: Easter, Elizabeth
SAT Vocabulary: Virulent, Vital
Reading Assignment: Please read all of section one - Up to page 83.
Homework Assignment: Have an idea of a meal that you will write about for your upcoming paper.
*** Sign up for the Writing Center this week.

Due Tuesday March 13th - Draft Day
Minutes: Caroline, Anisha
SAT Vocabulary: Vitriolic, Instransigent
Reading Assignment: Read through section two of Born Round.
Homework Assignment: Please have a written draft of at least two paragraphs.

Due Wednesday March 14th
Minutes: Elvin, Victor
SAT Vocabulary: Vivacity, Dynamic
Reading Assignment: Please finish half of section two of Born Round.
Homework Assignment: Full draft due tomorrow.

Due Thursday March 15th - Draft Day
Minutes: Emlyn, Daniel Kim
SAT Vocabulary: Ebullient, Strident
Reading Assignment:
Homework Assignment: Please have a full draft finished for today.

Due Friday March 16th
Minutes: Edward, 
SAT Vocabulary: Persnickety, Eccentric
Reading Assignment: Finish section two of Born Round.
Homework Assignment: Draft Due Monday
REMEMBER WE PUSHED THE DUE DATE BACK TO MONDAY DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF STUDENT WORK IN OTHER CLASSES. 

Work for the week of March 12th - Juniors

Here's a great website Yejoon showed me that explains how to perceive dimensions rather well.  You can find it here.

Due Monday March 12th
Minutes: Philip, Peter, Remy
SAT Vocabulary: Gaunt, Vivify
Reading Assignment: Ch. 5
Homework Assignment: 6 post-its that relate to any of our four major themes



Due Tuesday March 13th
Minutes: Kyle, Stella. Mahad
SAT Vocabulary: Inveterate, Conciliate
Reading Assignment: Catch up.
Homework Assignment:



Due Wednesday March 14th
Minutes: Kevin Li , Chun, Amy Ng
SAT Vocabulary: Stoke, Concatenate
Reading Assignment: Finish Chapter Six
Homework Assignment:  6 post-its that relate to any of our five major themes



Due Thursday March 15th
Minutes: Amy Lin , David, Mark
SAT Vocabulary: Modicum, Perfidy
Reading Assignment: Finish Chapter Seven and visit "Blink Timeline" website found here.  This explains how each event operates to complete the loop of time in the episode of "Blink"
Homework Assignment: 6 post-its that relate to any of our five major themes



Due Friday March 16th
Minutes: Jason, Christina, Amiyo
SAT Vocabulary: Interminable, Complacent
Reading Assignment: Finish Chapter Eight
Homework Assignment:
Finish book for Monday

You will be receiving your papers back on Monday.

Freshmen Extra Credit

Based upon Pranab's minutes gift, posted here, I'd like us to consider the following question:

How does advertising create insecurity and in turn, persuade more consumers to purchase "beauty" products?

Watch the video and participate in the discussion.  Be sure to read others' comments and respond in an appropriate and mature manner.

Enjoy.

Work for the Week of March 5th - Freshmen

Due Monday March 5th
Minutes: Mushfiq, Mishcat
SAT Vocabulary: Voracious, Ravenous
Reading Assignment: Foreword of Born Round
Homework Assignment: N/A

Due Tuesday March 6th
Minutes: Max, Tiffani
SAT Vocabulary: Abstain, Hedonist
Reading Assignment: Complete reading Chapter One of Born Round
Homework Assignment: How does Bruni use food to characterize himself?  Please provide four quotations that show how Bruni defines himself.  Provide an explanation for each quote you present.  This will be checked as homework.

Due Wednesday March 7th
Minutes: Huie, Pranab
SAT Vocabulary: Noxious, Laceration
Reading Assignment:  “Why is it that fat people are treated differently than thin people?” article
Homework Assignment: Define the word “fat” and try to consider how the term has many different meanings in many different contexts.  Please identify how fat people are treated differently than skinny people.  Why do you think this occurs?  You should write at least six sentences.

Due Thursday March 8th
Minutes: Kemraj, Parker
SAT Vocabulary: Smorgasbord, Conniseur
Reading Assignment: Read Chapter Two
Homework Assignment: Find three small stories in the text that display Bruni's voice. Explain how the particular scene gives you insight as to who Bruni is as a person. Be sure to include the page of the selection and particular words in the text that show you Bruni's identity.

Due Friday March 9th
Minutes: Michael, Elizabeth
SAT Vocabulary:  Palatable, Unctuous
Reading Assignment: N/A
Homework Assignment: Begin writing your "meal memoir." You should have at least two ideas for a potential meal you'd like to discuss. Be prepared to show your brainstorming on Friday.

Work for the week of March 5th - Juniors

Due Monday March 5th
Minutes: Gina Jung, Michael Evans, Christine Luong
SAT Vocabulary: Sempiternal, Anachronistic
Reading Assignment:
Homework Assignment: 1st paper due.

Due Tuesday March 6th
Minutes: Eric Kim, Michael Cohen, Sinian Ma
SAT Vocabulary: Labyrinthine, Cryptic
Reading Assignment: Finish Chapter Two of SH5,
Homework Assignment: Use post-its to identify six examples of any of our three themes (People are people, life goes, war is difficult to understand).  Post-its should include why you selected this quote and what theme the quote contributes to.  I will be checking!

Due Wednesday March 7th
Minutes: Sarah Kim, Matthew Hoffman, Miles McKey
SAT Vocabulary: Unfetter, Malediction
Reading Assignment: Read Chapter Three of SH5
Homework Assignment: Please identify six examples of any of our three themes (People are people, life goes, war is difficult to understand).  I will be checking!

Due Thursday March 8th
Minutes: Natalie Kozlova, Raeesa Hossain, Aleks Merkovich
SAT Vocabulary: Mercurial, Milieu
Reading Assignment:
Homework Assignment: Please present a timeline of Billy Pilgrim's life presenting 7 major events in his life in chronological order. After completing this timeline, attempt to explain how one could conceivably time travel as he does.

Due Friday March 9th
Minutes: Erica Kwong, Tracy Huang, Emily Miao
SAT Vocabulary: Frivilous, Collate
Reading Assignment: Read Chapter Four of SH5
Homework Assignment: Please identify six examples of any of our three themes (People are people, life goes, war is difficult to understand).  I will be checking!