More Multiple Choice

Today we discussed the final act of Macbeth and wrapped up our look at the multiple choice section of the final.

We reviewed act 3 today and had a look at some of the more-challnging questions from the final.

Act 2

We reviewed act 2 of Macbeth today and groups finished their look at the multiple choice questions from the final. We will look at these as a whole group tomorrow.

Act 1 & MC

We began the day by quickly running through our notes on act one of Macbeth, sharing scene synopses and quotations. We ended the day looking at the multiple choice section from the final exam.

The Scottish Play

Today we talked a bit about the new semester and then I assigned the Macbeth reading, one act per night, starting tonight with act one.

Wrapping Up the Romantics

After handing in the thematic essays, and the customary reading of the titles, students spent the rest of the period finishing the poem work from Friday.

Romantic Poetry Mini-Project

Today students spent the period on the first part of the Romantic Poetry Project, analyzing the two poems listed on the sheet (and posted below).

"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" ~William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

(The Rap Version by MC Nuts)

"The Chimney Sweeper" ~William Blake

When my mother died I was very young,
And my father sold me while yet my tongue
Could scarcely cry " 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!' "
So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep.

There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head
That curled like a lamb's back, was shaved: so I said,
"Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head's bare
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair."

And so he was quiet, & that very night,
As Tom was a-sleeping he had such a sight!
That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned & Jack,
Were all of them locked up in coffins of black.

And by came an Angel who had a bright key,
And he opened the coffins & set them all free;
Then down a green plain, leaping, laughing, they run,
And wash in a river and shine in the Sun.

Then naked & white, all their bags left behind,
They rise upon clouds and sport in the wind.
And the Angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy,
He'd have God for his father & never want joy.

And so Tom awoke; and we rose in the dark,
And got with our bags & our brushes to work.
Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy & warm;
So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.

William Blake

CRAs, SGs, & a PC

Today I collected the Frankenstein CRAs, we looked over the "treasure" (mostly topic sentences and quotations) from yesterday's treasure hunt activity, and I collected the study guides. The rest of the period was spent on the Frankenstein timed writing.
Bring Sound and Sense tomorrow!

Frank Highlighting

Today brainstormed and discussed symbols, motifs, and techniques Shelley uses in Frankenstein, and then did a bit of work with the CRA paragraphs from yesterday.

Paragraphs & CRAs

Today we began with an announcement about AP fees and due dates, and then moved on to a review of paragraph structure (the slides are below). Students then had the rest of the period to work on the Frankenstein CRAs they began yesterday. Complete first drafts should be ready for class tomorrow.



Romance & the CRA

Today we did a quick warm-up on Frankentein and the romantic period and chose passages for the Frankenstein CRA.

A Bit of Frank Discussion

We split the day between Frankenstein and finishing response groups today. Remember that the optional essay drop box opens tomorrow morning.

Response Groups

We spent the entire period in response groups for the first major paper today. Some groups didn't quite finish and we'll have 10 minutes or so tomorrow to wrap up. Absent students will need to do this activity on their own if they want credit.

Fish Bowl Time

Today, after a short Frankenstein warm-up, we spend the day practicing the response group format that we will use tomorrow in class. Bring a draft of your paper.

Welcome Back

Today we started with a short quiz on Frankenstein and then spent some time talking about essay expectations. We wrapped up the period with a ratehr far-ranging discussion of Frankenstein.