Thursday, April 1st

Silent Reading


Library Block - let's get squawking about the novels we are reading. Check out this doc all about starting the Literature Circles...

Happy Long Weekend!

Wednesday, March 31st

Silent Reading

First 10 to 15 minutes of every class...

Poetry Unit Handout Where are we going? What are we doing? Get a copy here.

Review

C block - Howl in context and an apology....

All - So, what does it take to be a rebel in your generation anyway?

Thinking and Discussion
When you see a photo...

When you see a poem...

What is a Poem? Draw it.

Poem of the Day

We Real Cool, by Gwendolyn Brooks

1959 - Not officially a beatnik but of that generation.
Influenced by Jazz and by the spoken word.

The importance of the rise of non-white, non-male voices.

Check it out on Favourite Poem Project Website .

Reflection Questions:

Why should a poem be heard and not read?

Homework

I Saw the Best Minds of My Generation Destroyed by ______________ Poem.

Influenced by the wild ranting of the Beat Generation, create a 10 line poem against the constraints of contemporary society or about the concerns of your generation.

Free Verse. Lively vocabulary. ____/10

Tuesday, March 29th

1) Silent Reading - Read your Lit. Circle Novel...

2) Introduction to Poetic Generations - Discussion

What is a generation? What makes each generation distinct?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation

What the heck does your generation want?!
https://elevens.ning.com/ Watch a couple videos inside our social network to get the conversation started. (Oh, and what's a palindrome?)

3) We're going to study poetic "generations." http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/timeline/

The Rennaisance
The Romantics
The Victorians
The Modernists
The Beat Generation
The Movement
The Post Modernists
The Now

4) Let's start with the Beat Poets. Also known as Beatniks.

What's up with the turtleneck and beret?

1950's - Holden's era
Non-conformity
Drugs
Sexuality

Led to infamous obsenity trials.

Ginsberg's Howl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVGoY9gom50&feature=related
Here's the text. Some explicit content - we will only look at a small portion.
Here's a quick bio and photo.

Questions for Reflection Journal:
What dominant cultural values, assumptions and beliefs is he questioning?
What made this poem revolutionary?

TOMORROW: Poetry Unit and Lit. Circle Overview
THURSDAY: Library Day - Lit. Circle Activities begin

Friday, March 26th

Catcher in the Rye TEST.

Plug in your brains today, people!

Thursday, March 24th

Library Day

Choose one of the following creative projects to wrap up your understanding of The Catcher in the Rye.

See the handout here.

20 marks for depth of insight and understanding of topic.

DUE MONDAY

Wednesday, March 23rd

1) Last Team Teachers

If you do not present today you will have to make special arrangements with me to complete a presentation to me in person.

2) Catcher Review

• Terms and Vocabulary - Bildungsroman, Allusion, Symbol, Bourgeois, Existentialism, Idealism, Divergent Thinking, Hypocrisy, Nostalgia, Pathetic Fallacy, Post Modern


• Symbols and Quotes

DUCKS "I was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy..." The cycles off life terrified him. Moving on terrified him. He wanted everything to stay the same.

MUSEUM "Everybody always stayed right where they were. Nobody'd move." Holden wanted to stay a child. He feared change.

RED HUNTING HAT "This is a people shooting hat." It was also a way to stand out, a way to be divergent. It also made him feel safe, alone, untouchable.

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE "I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff..." He catches children falling... as if he can keep them young and safe...

• Themes
  
  People are phony.
  A man is not an island... but Holden really wanted to be. He was self-alienating.
  To your own self be true.
  Don't become a fake as you grow up.
  Look to children for remarkable truths.
  Relationships and sex and love and all that crazy stuff is confusing but worth it.
  The teen years can be tough but are really, really important.
  We should all learn how to have empathy. To think about others as whole people with vices and virtues.
  

3) Discussion Questions - also on the board (I'll post them here soon)

Tomorrow - Library Block for creative project...
Friday - Catcher in the Rye Test (study notes from the Wednesday class)

Tuesday, March 23rd

1) Literature Circles Begin! Ms. Jerome (the librarian) will visit our class to give a book talk on the twelve books you will have to choose from.

2) Team Teaching Presentations - only one more day left!

3)Finish Discussion of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (B block - marking)

4) Silent Listening - remember that podcast? http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/audio.html

TOMORROW - reader response logs are due. Final Team Teaching. Wrap up/Review/Notes on major elements of the novel.

THURSDAY - Final Creative Projects in Catcher - lots of choice! Due Monday, 29th.

FRIDAY - Catcher in the Rye Final Test - at least 30 MC and two short written response sections.

Monday, April 22nd

Happy Spring!

1) Silent Reading

2) Team Teachers

3) The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/Prufrock.html

Wednesday - Friday, March 17 - 19th

Wednesday
Team Teaching
Poem - Coming Thro the Rye
Homework: Keep working on your response blog and get ready for your team teaching!

Thursday
More Team Teaching

Friday
Yup - More team teaching
Library block - last one before response blog is due (next Wednesday)
Here is the handout on how to edit and add tags.

Tuesday, March 16th

Hello Again! Hope everyone had an enjoyable break! I ate a lot of chocolate, gutted my basement, baked a few pies and spent quality time with my kiddos.
So what are we up to today?
1) Silent Reading

2) Why Catcher Lecture
Why on Earth would I select a novel filled with ridiculous swear words, endless depressing comments and such a mentally deranged protaganist? First things first, let it be known that I am only one of hundreds of thousands of teachers across North America who have selected this novel over the decades to study in their classes. It has been studied at Highland for many years (we have about 40 copies in the library). It is critically acclaimed and many believe it is THE pinnacle portrait of adolescence. Does it make you feel happy inside? Nope. Is Holden a role model? Nope. What this novel does, instead, is ask us all to think critically about our self perceptions, our society and our own path to maturity.

- The name: CAULfield.
- Not a typical bildungsroman because Holden does not want to grow up. The Museum of Natural History... the Carousel... is there hope for Holden? Is he going to wise up?

3) What is Wisdom?
Groups: Come up with a list of 5 - 8 qualities of wisdom.
On Board: Write down your group's list.
Teacher to add two other lists:

5 Qualities of Wisdom (from a podcast - have to go check Ipod for source...)

1. Reciprocity (do onto others...)
   


2. Doubt (critical of absolute claims)



3. Non-attachment



4. Discretion



5. Social Conscience

8 Neural Pillars of Wisdom

1. Emotional Regulation



2. The ability to judge value



3. Moral Reasoning



4. Compassion



5. Humility



6. Altruism



7. Patience



8. Coping with Uncertainty

Whole Class Discussion: Is Holden wise?

4) Return 1000 marked essays, stories, etc...
Feedback: There/Their/They're confusion
Thesis please - it's not a side salad like couscous or a dip like hummous. Bring it out all the time!








Tomorrow: First team-teaching presentations and the Robbie Burn's poem Coming Thro the Rye. Symbolism of the ducks.

Wednesday, March 3rd

Silent Reading

C block - get the Catcher Blog Handout

Check out: The Holden Caufield Fan Club Podcast
http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/audio.html

5 things that struck you - share one.

Teacher Read Aloud - Chapter 6...

Homework - What is your favourite Canadian Novel? Why?

Tuesday, March 2nd

Quick Pop Quiz - Colloquial, Slang, Dialect, Jargon

Read Aloud - Chapters 4 and 5

Homework - Start Catcher Journal - online or off...

Journal - for every chapter you must note 5 things... see handout.