Thursday, January 31, 2013

"The Story on An Hour" by Kate Chopin

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Agenda:

Happy Thursday everyone! Thank you so much for your passion yesterday; I swear there is a method to my madness and I will share that with you today.

In the words of William Faulkner “People need trouble -- a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.”

-Quick final reflection of the debate 

-We will go get The Awakening from the library

-As a class, we will read "The Story of An Hour" by Kate Chopin. Make sure you annotate your copy and note observations that you believe are important to share. This is the perfect introduction to issues that Kate Chopin is concerned with, which we will discuss in much greater detail while reading The Awakening.


Homework: 

-Read The Awakening pgs. 1-34

**If you need help with vocabulary while reading, these are two great places to look. 

-Kate Chopin Vocabulary 

-Kate Chopin Vocabulary 


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Debate: How has your sex been oppressed historically?

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Class Debate

Agenda:

I hope you are all having a lovely Wednesday!

-The class will be split into two groups, males versus females.

-The debate will focus on how you feel your sex has been oppressed or discriminated against throughout history ( and currently if it is relevant). Historically, think of things that you know were happening during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Homework:

-What was your overall reaction to the debate? Were there topics or arguments suggested by the opposing team that surprised you? Why or why not?

-Secondly, what are some predictions you have about this unit? How do you think the debate fits into the overall topics we will be discussing about male authors and their view of females as well as female authors and their view of males during the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

Monday, January 28, 2013

Review Midterm exam/ Closure RAGTIME

AGENDA:

MON. 1/28:   Pass back midterm exam, rubrics and answer keys
Discuss approaches to the 3 essays.  Select 1 essay to revise for homework.

HMWK: Revise 1 essay of your choice.  Review RAGTIME for quiz and closure discussion on Tuesday

TUESDAY 1/29:  Quiz on RAGTIME.  Closure discussion and view end of video.:

Friday, January 18, 2013

Friday 1/18- Final Reflection on Sanchez's Essay

You all did an excellent job dissecting a college level critical essay yesterday! I am really proud of the work you did and thank you for welcoming me into your AP English community. It means a lot to me to be working with you all throughout these next six weeks.

Today we will be finishing our discussion of the Sanchez critical essay. The partnerships/groups that did not go yesterday will go today.

After our class discussion you will be doing some reflecting on the following quote:

"History is a kind of fiction in which we live and hope to survive, and fiction is a kind of speculative history, or superhistory, by which the available data for the composition is seen to be greater and more various in its sources than the historian supposes...There is no fiction or non fiction as we commonly understand the distinction: there is only narrative"

-E.L. Doctorow

-What does Doctorow mean when he says "History is a kind of fiction in which we live and hope to survive"?

-Do you agree with Doctorow when he says that there is no fiction or non fiction, only narrative? Why or why not?

-Sanchez supports the claim that Doctorow's Ragtime was created as an illusion of the truth. How is Sanchez's claim supported by Doctorow's quote above? Why do you think Sanchez decided to open his critical essay with this quote?

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Thursday 1/17- Critical Essay on Ragtime

Hello AP English! I am so excited to work with you all today! I apologize in advance if I forget a name or two, I will have them down soon-- I promise.

Today we will be reading a critical essay titled "Doctorow's Ragtime: A Breach in the Frame of History" by Jesus Benito Sanchez.

The article is on the longer side so we will divide into pairs (possibly groups of three) and split the reading into sections. This will allow you and your partner to become experts on your section.

As you read your assigned section, be sure to highlight or take a few notes because you will be sharing your findings with the rest of the class.

Important Vocabulary:

Deconstruction- theory of literary criticism that questions traditional assumptions and beliefs about certainty, identity, and truth; attempts to demonstrate how statements about a text undermine its own meaning

Historiography- the writing of history based on critical analysis, evaluation, and selection of authentic source material and composition of these materials into a narrative subject or scholarly criticism

Discourse- a formal discussion of a subject; it can be written or spoken

Epistemology- branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its foundations, and its extent and validity

Metafiction- fiction that deals, often playfully or self-referentially, with the writing of fiction or its conventions

Inter-text- the relationship between texts or a text in relation to other texts

American Eden- a major cultural theme in U.S. history, expressing salvation through a return to, or recreation of the pure, pastoral Garden of Eden 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Week of 1/13-17 Ragtime/AP Prep

Monday, 1/13--Quiz on Ch. 14-28
View video of Coalhouse Walker section

HMWK:  Be sure to read up to Ch. 29 for discussion tomorrow

Tuesday, 1/14

Read Brent Staples, "Black Men in Public Spaces"

For discussion:


In small groups of 3 or 4, focus on the following Evaluation (Bloom's taxonomy):

Defend or challenge Coalhouse Walker, Jr.'s fight to obtain justice. Can you justify his actions?
What must he sacrifice in the process?
How do his actions affect those around him?
What do you think drove the men at the firehouse to act the way they did?  Do you agree with the actions/advice of the police and lawyers?
How does this scenario relate to the justice system and civil rights struggles in today’s society?  As Staples suggests, are black men still seen as a threat in our society?  Must they whistle baroque music in the streets to be accepted?

POST A COMMENT FROM YOUR GROUP ON THE BLOG BY THE END OF THE PERIOD.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Week of Jan. 7-11 Ragtime/AP Prep

Monday:   Discuss Ragtime questions.

Tues: Bloom's taxonomy lesson

Wed. :   View additional sections of film --Tateh and Coalhouse
              AP English Language essay question review

Thurs. :  Continue review for AP midterm