"Drowned Man" Analysis

After discussing "The Handsomest Drowned Man..." in groups and as a class, students had an opportunity to write a bit about it. At the end of the period, some students managed to post their analyses to Google Classroom. All responses should be posted by Sunday evening.

Writing on "Bedspread"

Today we wrote up our thoughts on "The White Bedspread," sharing them at Google Classroom.

"The White Bedspread"

We began the day  considering the definition of literature, and then spent the the rest of the day explicating "The White Bedspread."

Lilies, Etc.

After briefly reviewing the course description, we spent most of today talking and writing a bit about "The Three Lilies." For homework, students should read and annotate "The White Bedspread" (available at Google Classroom).

Picture Day!

Today we managed to do two readings of Jan Neruda's short story "The Three Lilies" (available at Google Classroom), annotating the text during the second reading. We began some small group discussions that will continue in the whole group on Tuesday.

How and Why to Mark a Text

Today we finished our reading and discussion of the Adler article from yesterday and students wrapped up the period making a reading goal for the start of this year. Tomorrow is picture day!

Introductory Things...

Today we began the day with a short reading self-evaluation. Then, after an introductory circle about our names, we read Adler's "How to Mark a Book" (in second period anyway). More on that tomorrow.

Monday & Tuesday: Welcome Back!

We spent these first two days examining a painting by William Blake and taking care of some introductory odds and ends.

For tomorrow:

By Friday: Read the full syllabus online, then locate, print and sign the AP Honor Statement.
By 9/7: Return Back-to-School Forms

Summer HW Part 3, Etc.

The discussion forum looks great and I am enjoying your thoughts on How to Read Literature Like a Professor. As you know, your posts to the discussion forum are due today; however, feel free to continue posting (or even post late). Everything I get in the next week will count (just less if you haven't been posting). Some reminders:

• Start your own thread or reply to someone. The goal is conversation.
• Be real. Make connections between the book and what you read, watch, play, etc.
• Keep it short and simple. The occasional long post is fine, but long posts often inhibit conversation (TL;DR). One idea=one post. Think Twitter rather than Facebook.
• Take 5 minutes and read the guidelines and rubric. Seriously.

The third and final piece of the summer assignment is posted at Google Classroom (due 8/26). It asks you to read and write about three short storties—Katherine Mansfield's "The Garden Party" (from HTRLLP) and two of the other short stories I have posted. Click on the assignment at Classroom and type your response in the Google doc it gives you.

I will be using Remind.com this year. You will get an email with details, but some of you will already be familiar with it (Muldoon and Lovfald use it, I think).

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer (and remind your friends to check their school email). Don't hesitate to contact me with questions.

See you all soon!

Foster & the Discussion Board

As we near the first due date for the summer homework (not counting the email in June), I wanted to touch base about a couple of things.

Foster & the Discussion Board:

• You should be well into Foster's book by now (there is a PDF here). I hope you are finding it interesting.
• As I mentioned previously, don't expect to get all the allusions to other books. The examples are just to help you get his point.
• Actually read it. Pretending to read it (or anything we study this year) is a useless exercise. It's like pretending to do push-ups: it won't make you stronger.
• Twenty-one of you have successfully logged in to Google Classroom. All of you should have an invitation in your email. The summer assignment is posted there in full.
• Discussion board posting has begun (posts are due 8/12 and 8/19); the more you engage, the better. I read the new posts every day; you should too.
• Read the discussion board guidelines posted at Classroom before you start posting. 
• You may post a new thread or comment on an existing thread.
• Good posts do not have to be long posts. Long posts, like long-winded people, actually tend to inhibit conversation.
• It is a good idea to connect Foster's book to books, movies, video games, etc. where you notice his ideas in action.
• How you craft your comments matters. Take care with your language, even if you are posting with your thumbs.

Don't hesitate to email or text with questions or concerns.

AP Lit 2016/17: Touching Base

I hope you are all enjoying your summer. I won't interrupt for too long, but I did want to touch base briefly about a couple of things:

The AP Literature Google Classroom and Group are up and running. You should have received notifications/invites in your school email. Have a look around when you have a moment.

The Summer Homework is posted at Google Classroom. The first part, "Making Contact," should already be done (if it's not, do it now). The second part, posting to the forums, requires Google Groups.  Once done, you can check off both of these assignments at Classroom if you want.

I know it is early in the summer and most of you probably have not actually started How to Read Literature Like a Professor (here's a PDF copy), but when you do:

• Don't expect to get all the references to other books and stories. The examples are just to help you get his point.
• Read carefully and with tools (e.g. a pen, highlighter, sticky notes, or their digital equivalents). Dialogue with the text—highlight AND comment on interesting or troubling passages, mark sections to discuss online or in class later, etc.
• Actually read it. Pretending to read it (or anything we study this year) is a useless exercise. It's like pretending to do push-ups: it won't make you stronger.

Don't hesitate to email or text if you have any questions. I look forward to your thoughts on How to Read Literature Like a Professor.

The Summer Assignment

An email update will be coming soon with information about Google Classroom and our Google Group. For now, here's a link to the summer assignment handout in case you have misplaced your copy.

The Music Video Project Begins (Officially)

Today students (those who didn't take the day off anyway) had the entire period to begin planning and working on their final projects in earnest. We wrapped up the period with an exit ticket about the current state of the project.
Presentations begin 6/13.

A bit of pre-college advice:

The Visual Essay

After wrapping up our literature circles yesterday, groups spent the day creating test-driving my visual essay idea. The results were excellent! Details are at Google Classroom.

Book Talks

Today we started with the warm-up below, and then students did book talks, sharing their books with others in the class.

So Many Things...

Today, we did a bit of poetry MC practice on Barbara Crooker's "Patty's Charcoal Drive-in," shared our final Poetry Month poems, had a poetry presentation on "Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night," wrapped up our discussion of Invisible Man, had the Invisible Man timed essay, and introduced the final book project (handouts and calendar are at Google Classroom).

Burdens of the Past

Today, our schedule changed yet again. As of now, "Rave" and "When I Think About Myself" by Maya Angelou will go tomorrow. "Do Not Go Gentle" by Dylan Thomas will go Thursday.

We spent today's period talking about the question below.

Friday

Friday we started with some essay practice, had a poem presentation and had some group discussion time on Invisible Man.

Monday's Poem: "Rave" by Yusef Komunyakaa

Poem in Your Pocket Day

Today we did a bit of prose MC practice and then shared a whole bunch of pocket poems! Our poetry presentation was cancelled due to an unfortunate cooking accident and will be rescheduled for next week sometime. We wrapped up the day with some IM thoughts (finally!).

Tomorrow's Poem: "If I Could Tell You" by WH Auden

Poetry & a Lockdown...

We began the day with some essay practice (a practice prose passage), had another poetry presentation, and then, finally got to talk about Invisible Man. Oh, wait, no we didn't. There was a lockdown instead. Invisible Man tomorrow. Maybe.

Tomorrow is Poem in Your Pocket Day!

Tomorrow's poem is: [What horror to awake at night] by Lorine Niedecker.

Poems and an Altered Schedule

Today, after a bit of prose MC practice, we had two poetry presentations which took the whole period. This is one of the reasons why I have altered the schedule posted at Google Classroom.

Tomorrow's poem (just one) is "Hunger for Something" by Chase Twichell.

Welcome Back

We got the final weeks of the year off to a good start with a few poems and a quick IM quiz.

Tomorrow's Presentation Poems (Don't forget  to do the homework!)
"A Poem on the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy" by Nikki Giovanni

"After Building the Lego Star Wars Ultimate Death Star" by Sherman Alexie

How many planets do you want to destroy? 

Don’t worry, Daddy, this is just a big toy, 

And there is nothing more fun than making noise.

 My sons, when I was a boy, I threw dirt clods 

And snow grenades stuffed with hidden rocks, and fought 

Enemies—other Indian boys—who thought, 

Like me, that joyful war turned us into gods.

IM and Presentation Order

Today we spent most of the day discussing Invisible Man, but also drew the order for poetry presentations which begin Monday after break. The first two poems are "Albatross" by Kate Bass and "Love Song" by Dorothy Parker. Don't forget to do the poetry HW (below).

Practice & Presentations

After a bit more poetry practice, students had some time to work on their presentations.

MC Practice and Work Time

After a bit more MC practice, groups worked on their presentations. Presentations begin the Monday we get back, so CRAs, group MC questions, presentation slides, and presentation notes were the focus.

MC Practice and Work Time

After a bit of multiple choice practice, students spent the day working on their poetry projects.

Quizzes, Fire Drills, and IM

We started the day with a quick quiz (and another fire drill). After that we did the Q3 discussion rubric and talked a bit about Invisible Man.

Happy National Poetry Month!

Today we talked about some National Poetry Month extra credit, and then students spent the rest of the period working on their poetry projects. Parts 1-6 of the poetry analysis are due at Google Classroom today.

IM 1-6

After a quick quiz, we spent the rest of the period discussing the two topics below.

The Project Begins in Ernest

Today students formed groups and started to choose poems. All handouts and groups lists are at Google Classroom.

IM & Langston Hughes

We began the day with a quick annotation and discussion of Langston Hughes' poem "I, Too." Then, after wrapping up our discussion of motifs from chapter one of  Invisible Man, we read and annotated Hughes' "Theme for English B." 

A Discussion About Chapter 1

Jazz n' Stuff

Today was a bit of a grab bag. We started with a short clip from Ken Burns' Jazz, wrote and talked about Louis Armstrong a bit, had a last Waiting for Godot presentation, got the reading schedule for Invisible Man, and wrapped up with a Langston Hughes poem.

IM Reading Schedule:
Chapters, Date Due
1, 3/24
2-6 w/ Google Group Posts, 3/30
7-12 w/ Google Group Posts, 4/4
13-17 w/ Google Group Posts, 4/8
18-End w/ Google Group Posts, 4/18

Invisible Man

Today we started Invisible Man with a short introduction and then a bit of reading from the prologue. Students should finish the prologue tonight for homework. Chapter one should be complete by 3/24.

No Exit & Godot

Today we did presentations for No Exit and act 1 of Waiting for Godot. We'll finish tomorrow!

Work Time

Students spent the period analyzing, rehearsing and posting MC questions to Google Classroom. Presentations begin tomorrow!

Mostly Work Time

Today we reviewed multiple choice question stems for the MC portion of the Godot  assignment. Students had the remainder of the period to work on their passages.

Presentations Assigned

Today we shared some of the discoveries students made about Godot on Friday. Then we started the next project, short presentations on either Godot or No Exit. Sign up at Google Classroom.

Friday

Godot

Today we waited for Godot as students filled out their senior best forms, but then did a warm-up on the play and spent some time thinking specifically about Vladimir and Estragon.

Waiting for Godot: Act 1

We began with a short quiz and then spent the rest of the day talking generally about the play.

"No Exit" Questions from Friday 3/4

Here are the questions we wrote about and discussed in class on Friday.

1. Why doesn’t Garcin leave?
2. What is the purpose behind the Earth visions?
3. Why are there no mirrors in Hell?
4. Why does Sartre, who does not believe in an afterlife, set his play in “hell”?
5. From the perspective of Sartre’s philosophy, why are these people in hell?
6. How is hell “other people”?

Peer Response

Students spent the whole period today responding to each other's essays. Final drafts are due Friday: Cover Sheets at Google Classroom and Essays at TurnItIn.

Waiting for Godot Intro

Essay Revision Time

Today students used a combination of TurnItIn.com's GrammarMarks and the Revision Checklist at Google Classroom to edit and revise their draft essays.

Work Day

After a few moments talking about Sartre's "No Exit," students had the rest of the period to read, work on their essay, and consult with me.

Monday & Tuesday

Monday, we wrapped up the Macbeth unit with the timed essay. Tuesday, we wrapped up a variety of issues, e.g. upcoming papers, Poetry Out Loud, and then spend the rest of the period on Existentialism and "No Exit."
Students should be finished with the play by 3/4.

Macbeth Monologues Cont.

Wednesday and Thursday we continued our monologues. We will wrap them, and Macbeth, up Friday.

Essay #2 & Macbeth Monologues

After briefly talking about essay #2 (just like essay #1, handouts are at Classroom), we had the first few Macbeth monologues.
Due Dates:

• Topics Posted to Google Group—2/25
• Comments on Topics @ Google Group—2/26
• Drafts in Google Drive & TurnItIn—3/3
• Printed Drafts in Class—3/7
• Final Drafts @ TurnItIn & Cover Sheets @ Classroom—3/11

Monologue Prep

In addition to the short assignments below, students had the opportunity to share their monologues with others, practicing their recitations, summaries, and annotations. I also collected the analytical work (annotations, paraphrases, and tone maps). Presentations begin tomorrow!

Macbeth Monologues

I hope break is going well. I just wanted to remind you about/clarify your homework.

1) Watch (or reread) Macbeth over break.  Here's a good one with Ian McKellen and Judi Dench: 

2) Don't forget to sign up for the monologues you chose Friday in class. The sign-up list is at Google Classroom.

• If you are working in partners: Divide your monologue in half and do the project on your half. You may, of course, refer to the other half (even annotate it) if you'd like. How much you work together on the presentation part is up to you.
• If you were absent Friday: Choose a monologue ASAP. Available monologues are labelled "Available" at Classroom; simply change the label. If you choose a partner monologue, make sure you have a partner.

3) The monologue assignment is at Google Classroom. Submit final drafts at TurnItIn.com.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Act 5 and the Monologue Project

Today we talked about act 5 and then I assigned the monologue project. If you were absent, please head to Google Classroom to get the handout and to sign up for your monologue. This project should be completed over break.

Act 2

Today we summarized and discussed some of the nuances of act two. Act three tomorrow!

Act 1 DJ Sharing

Today, students shared the writing they did in their DJs as they read act one of Macbeth.

Macbeth

Today did a bit of introduction to Macbeth and started reading the play. Students should read Act 1 over the weekend and do the response below in their Writer's Notebooks.

S1 Final Review

For the past few days, we have been reviewing the final exam from semester one. Today, after revisiting Shakespeare's "Sonnet 90" and the multiple choice questions, we had a look at the essay prompt and passage.

Book Groups with Mr. Staiano

Today we met in large groups, discussing each book's themes and answering burning questions. Remember to do the study guide for your novel (due 1/26 @ TurnItIn.com).

Lit Circles Continue

On Tuesday, novel groups met with me to discuss the first part of their books. Literature circles continue today with circle #5.

Literature Circle #1

Today groups met in their first literature circle. The second circle will be Thursday.

Welcome Back

Today, after a bit of chatting about the break, we introduced literature circles and groups assigned themselves homework. If you were absent, check the groups and handouts at Classroom, a contact your group to find out what you need done for tomorrow.

Happy Holidays!

Today we wrapped up Poetry Out Loud (amazing!) and decided on books for the next unit. You have no homework over break but to check your email for updates on the POL finals and the next unit.

Poetry Out Loud

Today we spent the period revelling in poetry. It was amazing!

Poetry Out Loud: Round 1

Today we spent the entire period reading and reciting poetry. It was amazing! Recitations will continue Thursday with the end of Round 1 and the start of Round 2.

We will take a break from poetry tomorrow to wrap up Frankenstein.

POL, LC Books, & Frank

After some last-minute Poetry Out Loud practice, we talked about the three possible books—Beloved, by Toni Morrison; Ceremony, by Lesli Marmon Silko; and As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner—for the literature circle project we will start after break, and then spent the rest of the period on Frankenstein.

Some Frank Talk

Wednesday & Thursday

Wednesday, students spent the period revising essay drafts while working through the Essay Revision Checklist at Google Classroom.

Thursday, after selecting their poem order, students spent the day in response groups.

POL, Ashland, & Frank

After a bit more POL practice, I finally announced this year's Ashland trip (handout here) and then we worked a bit more on Frankenstein in discussion groups. 

A Hodge Podge

After a quick Frankenstein quiz, students practiced the POL poems, we talked about the essay (and I changed the draft due date by a day to 12/9), and we wrapped up the period writing about Frankenstein.

Essay Structure & Frankenstein

After a bit more poem time, we talked about general essay structure a bit, and then talked about Frankenstein, focusing on the Uncanny Valley and the book's subtitle, "The Modern Prometheus."

Topics and Tone

After spending some quality time together in the parking lot thanks to our unplanned fire drill, students took a few moments to focus their essay topics, sharing them with me.

For the rest of the period, students spent some time considering how to infuse their poem recitations with emotion and energy, by studying Maya Daniels' recitation of "Apollo" and marking her emotional and tone choices on this handout. The tone list here may be helpful.

POL, Essay Topics and Creepiness

Students began the day by sharing their POL poems aloud with their partners. We then spent some time working on narrowing essay topics.

Finally we wrapped up by watching this video about why things are creepy

and doing a bit of writing about how it applies to Frankenstein.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we had a brief introduction to the Romantic Period and Frankenstein.

Poetry Out Loud

Today students had the period to work on their POL poems, finishing their annotations and SOAPSTones, drafting and posting CRAs (now due 11/22), etc. We also watched this short video with tips on memorizing poems.

The Candide Timed Essay

We began by discussing the first formal, revised essay assignment of the year (available at Google Classroom), and then students spent the remainder of the period on the Candide timed essay.
New Due Dates:

• Essay Topics, 12/1
• Drafts @ Classroom, 12/8
• Printed Drafts in class, 12/10
• Final Drafts at TurnItIn, 12/17

POL SOAPSTone Time

After talking a bit more about Candide, students spent the rest of the period working on their poetry analyses. By Thursday, they should have their initial annotations and SOAPSTones done and be ready to start CRAs if they have not already done so.

The Candide Wrap Up

After our final presentation from Friday, we spent the period writing about and discussing some major themes of the text.

PCs and Poetry

We began the day with the final piece in our look at the Antigone timed essays, using the rubric (available under the "About" tab at Google Classroom) to score the essays. Students had the rest of the period to work on their Poetry Out Loud annotations and SOAPSTones.

PCs & POL

We started the day with a self-analysis of the last timed writing (below). We will continue this Thursday.

The second half of the period was spent annotating and doing draft SOAPSTones on students chosen POL poems.

CRA Prep

We began with some discussion of Voltaire's overall point, and then groups had some more time to annotate and discuss passages for the CRA assignment. Students should complete draft CRAs for HW in their writer's notebooks.

The Garden

We began by discussing the end of the book, which moved into a discussion of El Dorado, and then we started on a more focused looked at student-chosen sections (basically, #1 on the handout below).

Candide: Day 1

What, with the quiz, some discussion of the play (Taming of the Shrew, go see it) and the resurrection of the Redwood Bark in print form, we didn't have much time to talk about Candide, but we did. A bit.

Q2 and Poetry Out Loud

We began the day with a quick discussion self-assessment and then introduced the Poetry Out Loud Unit. Handouts will be available at Google Classroom tomorrow.

The Raven with Half the Class

Today we read Poe's "The Raven." It was excellent.

A Bit More Sound & Sense

Today we wrapped up the sound and sense activity from yesterday and also revisited the Reading Self Evaluation from the beginning of the year.

More Fun w/ Meter

Today we continued our meter practice, with a short quiz, a few more examples, and a poem by Coleridge. We wrapped up the period talking a bit about how sound should echo sense in poetry.

Fun with Meter

Today we began our introduction to meter and scansion with a look at syllables, stress and some common metrical feet. Absent students should get the notes from a peer (make them teach you the mnemonic devices for the metrical feet as well).

A Reprieve

Groups worked for a bit on their posters and then presented them today. Tomorrow we will wrap up our discussion of Antigone and prepare for the timed writing on Thursday.

Term Hunt, Part 2

After a quickwrite and discussion of who had the better claim to "rightness" in the play, students worked for the rest of the period in groups to make term posters which they will share tomorrow in class.

Richard Cory and Tragic Heroes

We began the day with a short paragraph about "Richard Cory," wrote about and discussed the tragic hero status of Antigone and Creon, and wrapped up with a short homework assignment (below).

Circle Time

We started with a review of sonic devices, using "Richard Cory" of course. We then had some discussion in circles.

Rhyme and Antigone

Today we started with a quick review of rhyme in poetry and then had a quiz on Antigone.

More "Richard Cory" and Antigone

After doing a bit more work with "Richard Cory" (below), we enjoyed a few moments of teh EHS Players' 2012 production of Antigone.