Afghan History and Chapter 3

1) Announcements - still have to do a story test... Thursday...

Yesterday - Do you have the unit overview?

2) History Notes - Afghanistan in a nutshell

3) Teacher Reading - Chapter 3

4) Silent Reading - I will assign pages...

5) Journal/Work Time

Kite Runner Begins...

A Block
1) Silent Reading

2) Hedonism vs. Altruism... a slippery spectrum...

3) Afghanistan - What do you already know?

4) Library - take out The Kite Runner

5) Read first chapters - out loud - discuss

6) Unit Overview - handout and discuss

Tomorrow: Afghan History and next chapters...

Sample Short Story Analysis

Read it and/or print it out from here.

Independent Short Story Project

This project will prepare you for the short story test on Monday, Feb. 28th and give you a chance to make sure you know how to use the foundational literary terms of English 12.

Step One – Select a story that is longer than 7 pages long – the librarian will have a selection of books out for you to choose from.

Step Two – Photocopy the story.

Step Three – Read the story with a pen or pencil in your hand. Practise your annotation skills. Cover the story in marks as you read. (4 marks for annotation)

Step Four – Find someone else who has read the same story as you and discuss the plot, characters, conflict, setting, point of view and theme. If you must, work by yourself, making sure before you proceed to the next step, that you have figured out these basic elements of the short story. Use the attached graphic organizers to take further notes (10 marks for worksheets).

Step Five - Come up with a question/topic – related to one of the main elements of fiction. For example: How does the setting of the story, “The Liar” alter our understanding of the protagonist’s motivation? Write a 2 or 3 paragraph response to that question. Use supporting quotations. (12 marks) See the sample response at: http://eolit.hrw.com/hlla/writersmodel/index2.jsp?id=1050&WebLogicSession=Qhzx0UpELNmxostoouz8PtunTC7282b88xxi4HL8wyc3K7pzFgng19056100342224463/167838195/6/6000/6000/7002/7002/6000/-1

Step Six – Create a visual representation of the theme of your story. Create an online or pen and paper creation/collage. Online you can try a Glogster poster, a Prezi presentation using related video links and text, or an Animoto slide show of images and text. Don’t know what these are? Google them! (12 marks)

All these pieces are due THURSDAY, Feb 24th.

Responding to Lazy Whiners Handout

here

Shifting Education Paradigms

Lazy Whiners? Responding to Non-Fiction...

1) Silent Reading

2) Mark "Hills Like White Elephants" Questions.

3) Read/View "Lazy Whiners" news story.

4) Whole Class Discussion - agree or disagree with her perspective. What are the two sides of the story?

5) In pairs or solo generate a list of things to say in response - think critically!

6) Whole class -write her a letter... as in exercise in logic and persuasive writing. We can do one as a group together first.

Hemingway and the Objective POV

1) Silent Reading

2) "Performance" of Hills Like White Elephants.

3) Detective/Discussion Groups - What is the conversation about? Use all your points of entry/ elements of fiction to figure out what is going on.

4) In-Depth Thinking - see questions below.






Questions for "Hills Like White Elephants" 10 marks - tomorrow

1. What is the effect of the objective point of view?

2. Why are the speakers only identified as "a man" and "girl"? How do these designations affect your reading of the story? What nickname does the man use for the girl?

3. How do the descriptions of the landscape relate to the conversation between the two travelers? What about the discussion of drink orders?

4. Note each sentence or paragraph that is not enclosed in quotation marks, and explain how each brief commentary affects your understanding of the characters and the lives they lead.

5. Why does the girl repeat the word "please" seven times? Anger? Hysteria? Fear? Frustration? Why does the man leave her at the table?

6. The railroad station setting is important to the progress--the plot--of the story. How does this physical setting parallel the thematic concerns of the story as well?

7. How does the title relate to the story? What is the symbolism of a white elephant?

8. Is the girl really "fine" at the end of the story? How do you think she is feeling?

9. How is this story ironic? 2 marks

Bad Behaviour!

1) Silent Reading

2) Discussion: What are the elements of a terrific short story??? Think - Group - Share on board

3) Terms: Genre, Memoir, Hyperbole, Understatement

4) Stranger than Fiction - postcard fiction contest... you are all going to create and submit a 250 word story. My sample story...

5) Library - to work on it... you must also hand it in to me by Tuesday, next week.

Check out Kurt Vonnegut's advice:

Inquiry Question

Using the literary terminology we have discussed about the elements of fiction, select one of the videos viewed in class today and use references to that video to explain your answer to this question.

Answers must come in the form of a well-developed paragraph. 12 marks

You must include at least five of the following terms in your response:
Plot – initial incident, climax, etc... (these terms are great for “This Too Shall Pass”)
Setting
Tone (think about "The Suburbs")
Theme
Character
Conflict ("The Suburbs")
Symbols (this is a good one for “Power”)
Imagery
Irony

How is a music video like a short story?

Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs"

Kanye West's "Power"

OK Go's "This Too Shall Pass"


Inquiry Question: How is a music video like a short story?

This and that day...

1) Silent Reading

2) Thanks for paragraphs on Friday

3) New Terms - Symbol, Metaphor and Motif

4) Discuss Elements of "Boys and Girls" Board Work

5) Characterization Chart and Craft

<--- Check out this Wordle of the text of the story.

We'll try a Wordle some time soon...

Boys and Girls

1) Silent Reading - finish reading the story, if need be.

2) Discussion - What do you think of the epiphany in this story? The story was written in the 60's and set even earlier than that; do you think that the world of boys and girls has changed much?

3) Library Work - I did not get the Literary Paragraphs all marked so your next Lit response gets to wait for awhile... I know, I know, you are crushed.

Instead, you have two jobs today:

Characterization Chart - select two characters in "Boys and Girls" and find quotes to support your undestanding of the indirectly and directly presented character traits. Due Monday.

Opinion Paragraph - write an 8-12 sentence paragraph response to ONE of the following topics. Your focus as a writer is to aim for sentence variety.

Have the roles and expectations for girls changed much in the last 50 years?

Have the roles and expectations for boys changed much in the last 50 years?

The media tends to portray men as fools, dummies, coach potatoes, vidoe-game addicts, goofballs, jerks, bad dads, etc… What are young men really like today?

The media inundates us with images of scantily clad women who rise to the top and have power and money and success. How can a young woman have power and self respect today?

Where are the real role models for boys/men?

Where are the real role models for girls/women?

Due Today

Characterization

1) Hand in Literary Paragraph
2) Silent Reading
3) Textbook Sign Out - library.
4) Read "Boys and Girls" Pre-reading - connotation/denotation
5) Characterization notes - Elements of short story notes
6) Characterization chart

Tomorrow: Lit paragraph back and in library to write a second one. (Then we'll ease up for awhile... )

The Literary Paragraph

1) 6 Word Stories - overdue

2) Silent Reading

2) A&P Group Presentations

3) What the heck is a Thesis Statement?

4) Your first writing assignment - select ONE of the following elements of fiction topics and write a paragraph about A&P.

• Given the time, place and social context of the setting of A&P how is it that our understanding of Sammy's motivations and decisions changes?
  


• With the first person point of view, we learn about all of Sammy's observations. How would you describe the protagonist? What sort of character is he?
  


• In A&P, the peak of the plot comes when Sammy shouts out, "I Quit!" How does the falling action and resolution wrap up the story? (Or, is the ending good?)
  


• What is the central theme of A&P? How do you know?

The Literary Paragraph
8 - 12 sentences
At least three short supporting quotes

Remember: Sentence Variety, Transition Words, Best Vocabulary

And don't forget to use PEE!

Introduction/Thesis Statement
Point 1
Quote 1 (Evidence)
Evaluation

Point 2
Quote 2 (Evidence)
Evaluation

etc...
Concluding sentence

6 point scale - out of 12.