Extra Credit - Freshmen

Directions:  Please select a film from the list of films below.  Choose a film that you haven't seen before.  Your job is to identify, as you did in the three perfect paragraphs assignment, how the societies presented in these films are dystopias.  Please provide three strong examples and post your findings to the blog.  Be sure to take notes when watching one of these films.

You DO NOT have to write perfect paragraphs for this assignment.  But please write in full sentences.

Be sure to have parental permission before watching these films and you MUST obtain your film through LEGAL means.  I will not condone pirating.

Please choose from the following films:

Blade Runner
Gattaca
Metropolis
Idiocracy
THX1138
V for Vendetta
The Matrix
District 9
WALL-E
Planet of the Apes

Have fun!

Work for the Week of Nov. 26th - Sophomores

Due Monday November 26th

Minutes: Alex G., Moaz K., Kazi A.
Reading HW: Read Books 13,14,15
HW: N/A

Due Tuesday November 27th
Minutes: Tashfiq H., Maria K., Matt B.
Reading HW:  Book 16
HW: Read "Ulysses".  How does Tennyson characterize Odysseus?   Is this tone accurate?  Is there truth in Tennyson's words?  Please use specific lines in the poem to establish your point.

Due Wednesday November 28th
Minutes: Miad H., Tim L., Victor C.
Reading HW:  Read Book 16
HW: Quiz on Books 13-16.  Review Zeus' omen involving an eagle AND Helen of Troy's importance to book 16.

Due Thursday November 29th
Minutes: Darren H., Xiaohan L., Kermit C.
Reading HW:  Book 17
HW: Find examples of irony, situational, verbal, dramatic.  Consider how the suitors treat Odysseus.  Find specific examples in the text to prove your point.

Due Friday November 30th
Minutes: Girish J., Belinda L., Andy G.
Reading HW: Book 18
HW: What is Odysseus' plan to overtake the suitors?  What is Athena's plan to overtake the suitors?  Who is in control of his/her plan?  Do the two work together or at odds?  Find specific examples in the text to prove your point.


Due Monday December 3rd
Minutes: Jim J., Antony L., Nadine H.
Reading HW:  Book 19
HW: What does Odysseus' autobiographical description reveal about him as a character?  This is similar to how he describes himself in front of the Phaecians, is he conceited?  Why does Odysseus keep his identity from his wife?  What prophecy does Penelope repeat?  Find specific examples in the text to prove your point.

Work for the Week of Nov. 26th - Freshmen

Due Monday November 26th
Minutes: David H., Sam G.
Reading HW:  Finish the book.
HW: Is this is happy ending for Winston?

Due Tuesday November 27th
Minutes:  Max K., Elias G.
Reading HW: Review your recently graded draft of the three perfect paragraphs.
HW: Based upon the lessons of 1984, what do dystopias tell us about our world?

Due Wednesday November 28th
Minutes: Rui L., Cindy H.
Reading HW:  Review your three perfect paragraphs for draft day on Monday.
HW: Based upon your notes, how does THX1138 compare to 1984?  What kinds of dystopian characteristics did you find in THX1138?  Did THX1138 reveal any criticisms of modern society through the lens of a dystopia?

Due Thursday November 29th
Minutes: Mei L., Leon H.
Reading HW:  Half of the solitary confinement article found here.
HW: Considering our workshop today, review/modify your three perfect paragraphs for draft day on Monday.

Due Friday November 30th
Minutes: Jordan L., Anika H.
Reading HW: Finish the solitary confinement article found here.
HW: Considering our workshop today, review/modify your three perfect paragraphs for draft day on Monday.

Due Monday December 3rd
Minutes: Rina L., Felicia
Reading HW:  N/A
HW:  Rewrite of three perfect paragraphs due.

Freshmen - Work for the Week of Nov 19th

Due Monday November 19th
Minutes: Belle, Michael D.
Reading HW: Book 2, Ch. 8, 9,10
HW: What kinds of power does O'Brien have?  How does Winston react to O'Brien's connections?  Explain the phrase "War is peace" using quotations from the Party's speech during hate week about the war in Eurasia.  


Due Tuesday November 20th
Minutes: 
Reading HW: Book 2, Ch. 10  
HW: Find a definition of propaganda.  Find examples of government propaganda through the novel 1984.  Start to think of some ideas for a propaganda poster that you will create with your group in class.

Due Wednesday November 21st
Minutes: 
Reading HW: Book III, Ch. 1 
HW: Bring in images, supplies for your propaganda poster.  Be sure to write up a small explanation connecting your piece of propaganda with a particular quote in the book.

Due Monday November 26th
Minutes: 
Reading HW:  Finish the book.
HW: Is this is happy ending for Winston?

Sophomores - Work for the Week of Nov 19th

Due Monday November 19th
Minutes: Alice, John, Tina
Reading HW:  Book 11 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Due Tuesday November 20th
Minutes: Alice, John, Tina
Reading HW:  Book 11 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Due Wednesday November 21st
Minutes: 
Reading HW:  Book 12 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Due Monday November 26th
Minutes: 
Reading HW:  Book 13,14,15 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Sophomore Extra Credit - Let's Talk About Writing

I've provided a link to a PDF file that contains three Oedipus's Dilemma papers.  For our discussion, I'd like you to first read your Oedipus paper along with the comments/problems that I presented to you.  Then, take a look at one of these papers, if not all of them, and analyze these works for their successes.

Here are some ideas you might want to consider:

-Is this thesis clear and understandable?
-Does the author go on to prove his/her thesis throughout the paper?  How?
-How much background information is provided?  Is it enough?  Too little?  Goldilocks?  (just right)
-How does the author utilize evidence?
-Is the quote isolated and explained sufficiently?
-How does the paper flow?  Do you note any successful examples of transition?
-What kind of tone does the author utilize?  What is the effect of this tone?
-Any other suggestions as to why these papers received high marks.

Feel free to comment on the paper or other people's comments.  Don't be shy about your shortcomings in writing.  We're all in the same boat.  At some point in our writing careers, we all made mistakes.  We improved when we not only understood the nature of our mistakes, but engaged in some meaningful discussion about how to improve.

Remember, writing isn't some magical skill that you either have or you don't.  Writing is a skill that anyone can learn, but you have to be ready to put aside your ego and admit that you need help.  Only then can you have some truly groundbreaking discussions that will aid in the process of becoming a better writer.

Make me proud sophomores.

Sophomores - Work for the Week of Nov. 13th

Due Tuesday November 13th
Minutes: Steven, Timothy, Vanessa
Reading HW: Book 5 and Book 6 of The Odyssey 
HW: Hand in "Telemacchus' Hero's Journey" assignment. 
Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Due Wednesday November 14th
Minutes: Ivan, Belinda, Mindy
Reading HW: Book 7 and 8 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Due Thursday November 15th
Minutes: Eddie W., Vincent, Nadine
Reading HW:  Book 9 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Due Friday November 16th
Minutes: Sharon Z., Andy L., Sharon
Reading HW:  Book 10 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.  Quiz on books 5-10

Due Monday November 19th
Minutes: Alice, John, Tina
Reading HW:  Books 11 of The Odyssey 
HW: Answer questions in our "Reading Guide" in correlation to each book.

Freshmen - Work for the Week of Nov. 13th

Due Tuesday November 13th
Minutes:  Camille, Stepan
Reading HW: Catch up with reading, finish through Book 2, Ch. 4 and 5
HW: How is the room above Mr. Charrington's shop a kind of respite for Winston and Julia?  How does this place fuel Winston's desire for rebellion?  How does Julia feel about the Brotherhood?  What happens to Syme?  What does it mean when Winston calls Julia a rebel from the waist down?

Due Wednesday November 14th
Minutes: Janet, Sean
Reading HW: N/A
HW: First draft due.

Due Thursday November 15th
Minutes: Sabrina, Sophia
Reading HW: (Read as you please, no assignment for tonight but be aware that we finish the book on Nov. 26th)
HW: Please explain the conditions of Victory Mansions using our assignment from class today.  Be sure to isolate words in the quote that you select and explain how these quotes support your impression of the conditions of Victory Mansions.

Due Friday November 16th
Minutes: Cristina, Darwin
Reading HW: Book 2, Ch. 6, 7
HW: Final draft due.  Make appropriate modifications based upon our lesson today.  Be sure to proofread using the common made errors ditto found here.

Due Monday November 19th
Minutes: Belle, Michael D.
Reading HW: Book 2, Ch. 8, 9,10
HW: What kinds of power does O'Brien have?  How does Winston react to O'Brien's connections?  Explain the phrase "War is peace" using quotations from the Party's speech during hate week about the war in Eurasia.  

The Election E.C. - Open to Everyone!

Our social experiment is over.  While I certainly felt a bit of apathy and skepticism, I decided to follow the advice of some passionate and well-spoken young people, visiting a local polling place, and voting for the first time in my life.  I thank you all for your input, and I feel a heightened sense of importance in my actions, directly because of your comments.  Whether you think voting is important or not, we can all agree that healthy discussion is an American virtue that we should all honor.  See you in class.