American Studies HD 2007 – 2008
Instructor: Carla Gardner
Email: cgardner@mccsc.edu
Phone and extension: 812-330-7714, ext. 5-1101
Prep Period: 12:10-1:26 and beyond
Abbreviations: LOL= The Language of Literature ( American Lit textbook)
IR= Interactive Reader
August 15: Handouts, overview of course. You have a syllabus, a plagiarism policy, and the classroom policy sheets. You were reminded to bring me the last two signed by a guardian or parent. We gave you an overview of the course and played the “commonalities” game to get our blood flowing!
August 16: We discussed, briefly, why we need permission from parents for you to read in The Red Heart, a work of historical fiction covering the early beginnings of the nation, from 1776-1848. You have the letter which you are to show your parents. If they have no objections, you do not have to return the letter. If they do, please return it, with their preferred option, by Monday.
You were given the ACROSTIC (American) assignment and we brainstormed appropriate adjectives to get started with.
I gave you the article “Who is Us” to read and annotate (due Monday)
August 17: Today we discussed the article “Who is Us” and I reviewed annotation. To annotate the article you are to
(1) circle and LOOK UP the meaning of any new word. Write this meaning on the article in a margin or on the back.
(2) Underline the THESIS or main idea of the article. Be able to distinguish this from the introduction which is designed to catch your attention (in this case, with a reference to a famous and popular film). The main idea, paraphrased (put in my words) is that national identity seems to be a disappearing feature of the American landscape. (Notice that my paraphrase did not use many words of the original statement).
(3)
Notice the forecast—it includes the words “immigration, multiculturalism, and
Globalization.” I asked you to underline those words where they appeared in the text.
(4) We discussed the essay’s organization and noted that each of these forecast words became a subject for the writer’s discussion in subsequent paragraphs.
(5) Finally, note that the writer’s assertion of this main idea is re-stated at the end of the article.
Other ideas discussed: bias, editorial slant, authority, analysis, the meanings of the slippery terms “right” and “left” when applied to politics.
I also asked you to REACT to the article and to put that reaction (question, suggestion, connection, association) in writing on the back side of the article. Please do this.
You were given an INTERACTIVE READER and the extract called “What is an American?” (Crevecoeur)was assigned, along with the “Pause and Reflect” questions in the margins. Please have this read and filled out by Monday.
On Monday, we will be reading in the textbook, but I won’t hand these out until Friday, Aug. 23 or 24th. Once I do, the large American Literature textbooks will be yours to keep for the two trimesters. We’ll be starting the novel, we hope, by the end of the week (we are waiting for additional texts to come in).
On Monday, the HD students will come to room 214 for lst period and then go to Mrs. Gunkel’s room (232) for 2nd period. Later in the week, we may meet again as an entire class.
August 20, Monday
Reminders: Turn in all forms needing signatures: class policy, plagiarism policy, health
Turn in this assigned work: Annotation of “Who is Us?”
Acrostic (AMERICAN)
Check to see if you finished Pause and Reflect Questions for “What is an
American,” p. 59+ in the Interactive Reader ( the IR, for short)
NEW ASSIGNMENT: Re-read poems in Interactive Reader
assigned today, p. 330 (“Mexicans begin Jogging”) and 332 (“Illegal Alien”).
ATTENTION HONORS DIPLOMA STUDENTS: You will do the summer reading essay/test on Wednesday. It’s a shortened period, but all of you should be able to complete this exercise in the time allowed: the whole period.
For tomorrow: We’ll read the Sandra Cisneros essay in the IR; HD students: do the vocab and exercises associated with it (p.343). You can explore the textbook, I’ll check them out to you, and I’ll make our first reading assignment in it; there will be some class time for Regulars to begin that work in class.
TUESDAY, Aug. 21: GET THOSE FORMS IN!!
Assignments: Voc, p. 64; Tone, p. 333; do pl 341 (“Analyzing Structure”) and p. 343 (Vocabulary from “Straw into Gold” on p. 335, IA)
Review your notes over Slaughter-house Five or Turn of the Screw/Daisy Miller for tomorrow’s essay/test.
If you have time, you might examine your American Literature textbook.
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 22: Still Missing Signed Forms and Other work: If your name was on the board today, you owe me work—after tomorrow I will be unable to give it full credit.
DUE: I will collect vocabulary work from page 64 (Interactive Reader) tomorrow, along with page 333 on tone/writer’s attitude toward the subject. Please make sure this work is done.
Please finish reading “How It Feels to be Colored Me, “p. 254 of Interactive Reader. You will need to do the assignments on pp. 260-262; you will have work time on Thursday, about half the period. If you will need more time than this, please be sure you start this work tonight.
Read the two short poems on pp. 247 and 249 of the In. Reader; these are by Langston Hughes, the critic and poet whose works you may have already read in other classes/years.
Again, the purpose of these assignments is to help you get inside the point of view of what it feels like to be an American, especially if you are a member of a minority group.
Additionally, these works show us how all kinds of people can claim their “American-ness” through artistic expression.
PLEASE BRING YOUR BIG LITERATURE BOOKS, TOO, on THURSDAY.
THURSDAY, Aug. 23
We had work time so you might
(1) Finish your work in the Interactive Reader on Zora Neal Hurston (p.260,261,262)
(2) Start reading the background materials before “The World on Turtle’s Back,” a creation myth of the Iroquois (pp. 18-31) in the Literature book.
(3) For Monday: Answer questions 3,4,5 on p. 31 of the Lit book over the creation story.
You were REMINDED to bring your Interactive Readers tomorrow so I might collect them and grade your work in them thus far. See the lists above if you’ve forgotten what that entails.
You will get your copy of The Red Heart tomorrow and a reading schedule.
FRIDAY, Aug. 24
We read the Iroquois creation story, “The World on Turtle’s Back, “and you were reminded that you must answer questions 3 and 4, p. 31 in World Literature Book. These are due on Monday. The background material to this story, which begins on page 18, was discussed; you may want to review it before any tests we have on the book, as this coincides historically with the fiction of The Red Heart.
You were given a copy of The Red Heart; please read the PROLOGUE; a reading chart for reasonable progress through the book will be handed out on Monday. In the meantime, if you’d like to start the book, you may read chapter 1 (through page 34). Don’t foget to allude (refer to) the map in the front of the book often. On Monday you will be given a study/vocabulary guide to the first five to seven chapters of the novel and we will make progress through those chapters; guides will be collected at the end of the week.
MONDAY, Aug. 27
I Today we read aloud in The Red Heart, to the middle of page 13; you were given 25 minutes to continue reading chapter 1 and told to finish reading this chapter for homework if you did not finish it in SSR (silent sustained reading). Everyday this week we will start by discussing what’s been happening in the novel, then have reading time by ourselves or in small groups or with the teacher reading with you. WHAT IS NOT FINISHED IN CLASS is HOMEWORK.
II You were also given these vocabulary words to find the meanings of by Wednesday:
l. puncheon, p. 7
2. tenet, p. 18
3. besmirched p. 24
4. adze, p. 35
5. awl, p. 35
6. capricious, p. 36
7. spokeshaves, p. 36
8. succotash, p. 57
9. abashed, p. 80
10. smugness, p. 89
Please add “rictus” to this list for word # 11 (it’s on p. 13 at top). You may use the classroom dictionaries or work with a partner to get the definitions.
Tomorrow, these words will be on the board:
12. tricorn, p. 107
13. donnybrook, p. 110
14. flotilla, p. 111
15. bateau, p. 130
16. poultice, p. 134
These are the 16 words to look up and study for the part of Friday’s test which is “RECOGNITION”
III Reminder: Finish questions 3,4 and turn in by tomorrow from “The World on Turtle’s Back” in big lit book).
IV I put this tentative READING SCHEDULE on the board; we will stick to it barring unforeseen disturbances and delays:
MONDAY, 8/27: Finish chapter 1 (to page 29)
Tuesday, 8/28: Finish chapter 2 (to page 60)
Wednesday, 8/29: Finish chapter 3 (to page 106) [NOTE: this is a long chapter; please use the SSR time in SRT to your advantage]
Thursday, 8/30: Finish chapter 4 (to page 129) and 5 (to page 150)
Friday, 8/30: TEST over Part 1 (chapters 1-5) and vocabulary.
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29
We used class time to discuss some of the answers to the “exit slip questions”
From yesterday; we’ll finish the activity tomorrow. See the reading calendar above for where you should be in The Red Heart.
THURSDAY, Aug. 30
We will finish questions over chapter 2 and review the 16 vocabulary words; you will have SSR time.
FRIDAY, Aug. 31: GUEST SPEAKER DAY!!!
Dr. Bridget Edwards from
the Wiley House will be here to make her presentation to you about a
unique learning opportunity. Would you like to see how real historians “do
history”? To work with primary resources and collaborate with experts? To
further investigate
All students will come to my room for attendance. We may or may not move on to the LGR for her power point presentation, but she will have artifacts for you to see, too.
MONDAY, Sept. 3: NO SCHOOL (Labor Day!)
TUESDAY, Sept. 4: Test over vocabulary and The Red Heart, to p. 150.
Today we read silently (HD) and aloud (Regulars) with 20 minutes for SSR (and about 4 pages to go in Chapter 5). Some will need to go back and make sure they’ve read chapters 3-4 (these are long past due, by the way). The test is Multiple Choice, short answer, identification, and short essay (HD, optional for Regular, but all who want to should attempt it as you can’t lose points for trying!)
NOTE: If you are a student whose IEP allows you access to a resource room and you need the test read aloud, or if you simply need more time and want a quieter atmosphere where a helper is available, you may take the test in Resource Room A237 with Mr. Carver. If you are shy about using this service, please don’t be. I can put the test in his mailbox before class and you can simply go to the Resource Room without coming to my room first (do ask Mr. Carver to call me to let me know you are in attendance, however). Please e-mail me at cgardner@mccsc.edu if this applies and I’ll see to it that he has the test in advance. If you don’t care and just want to pick up the test in my room, you may do that also and I will call him and let him know you’re coming down.
ANY STUDENT who does need more time to finish the test may ask me for a pass at the end of the period. You may then go to the library as I am in there for SRT and would be happy to “call you in.”
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5: TEST . Bring book (some parts of the test may be open book). Some people will have time remaining after the test; SSR over RED HEART, chpt. 6.
THURSDAY, Sept. 6:
PICTURE DAY—you will be out of class for 15-20 minutes, no more.
Tests returned or at least talked about.
Then:
Please start/finish reading chapter 6. We will try to finish chapter 7 by the end of the period on Friday. You will be getting a “research topics” list from us by Friday, and next week we will be starting projects towards the last part of the week. This will help you decide whether you want to do the Dr. Edwards project or one of ours. Again, doing the longer project or the shorter one with her, will require some negotiation with us as to how we’ll grade, what you’ll be excused from doing for us, but that’s cross that bridge later—we will be fair and logical about it all!
REMINDER: check Webgrades; I think I’ve posted them successfully (go to South homepage, left column “online grades”—need to remember your password; I can retrieve it for you if you don’t have it, just ask me tomorrow).
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5
Today you took your test over the first five chapters; look at webpage tonight or tomorrow night to see the results as I will post grades as soon as I get them done.
Tonight, read chapter 6 and continue so that chapter 7 is completed. Use your homework or SSR time in class to look up these new words, write out a definition that fits the way the word is used in the novel we are reading—page # in parentheses:
NEW VOCABULARY, chapters 6-7
l. clamber (p. 162): to climb or scramble awkwardly
2. weir (175): net or fence to contain/catch fish
3. shoals (175): shallow places in a body of water
4. thwart (176): (noun) seat in a boat or canoe
5. garbled (180): mixed up or distorted
6. chevron (181): a V-shaped pattern
7. factorum (184): person who serves/assists in a variety of jobs
8. imbibe (198): to drink or take in deeply
9. sordidness (199): condition of filth, literally or figuratively, as in moral depravity
10. punk (204): dried, decayed wood used as tinder
THURSDAY, Sept. 6
Today we went over the vocabulary above in HD, will remind you tomorrow in Regular; I spent the entire period, after pictures, talking to Regular students about their tests, grades, etc. You should all be checking your online webgrade. In many cases, I added together points from similar assignments (e.g, say, points from 260 and 261 may total 8, each page having been worth 4, on the webgrade—read the “assignment” to see if this is the case). Those of you who are missing assignments need to talk to me about alternative work or making up the missed assignment for up to half the available points.
I talked at length in Regular class about the 20 bonus points available each grading period, the easiest way of earning those by keeping a “vocabulary notebook” in the back of your Interactive Reader (or in your own notebook, using the same pattern established in the IR). Honors students, same applies to you.
I hope you have all read through chapter 6 tonight???
Friday, Sept. 7
Read through chapter 7; there may be a pop quiz on Monday. You may skip chapters 8,9, the next assignment will be 10,11 in Red Heart.
Check webgrades—they’re available!
++++++++++++++
MONDAY, Sept. 10
Today we introduced the joint class history/literature project; you have a 2 page handout which describes the project in detail. Do not lose this handout! You will need to sign up for a topic tomorrow with either me or Mrs. Gunkel. You may work with a partner in either class; we will be using the library both periods on Wednesday and Thursday.
For Tomorrow: READ CHAPTER 10, The Red Heart; by FRIDAY, have read 11, 12. 13 by to end of chapter 15 by Monday, Sept. 17. We will read the last three chapters of the book to finish it by Friday, Sept. 21. You should read ahead if you are re-testing or just taking ISTEP, as that will be next Tuesday-Thursday. The ongoing research in class does not release you from homework in this book!
Here is my summary of chapters 8 and 9:
In chapter 8: Mary Slocum marries
pioneer Joseph Towne; Ruth is concerned because they are headed for the “wilds”
of
Ebenezer Slocum is on his
way to becoming rich; he owns a mill, a distillery, and a coal mine, among
other things. Meanwhile the farm does well, too, though the woods around Pennslyvania are being denuded quickly; fortunately,
charcoal makes a good fire,too, and the forges and
other businesses are using Ebenezer’s products. He needs to be rich because
someone has to finance the various treks the Slocums
still make to try to find
Good Face is growing up; she learns about what it means to be female, about the special responsibilities she has to protect herself from bad men, to be a mother, and to keep from being continually pregnant. These “secrets” are taught to her when she has her first “moon blood” by an old “aunt” of the village, a wise woman. She also fasts, prays, makes a prayer necklace, drinks bitter oak tea, and in general, tries to summon up her spirit-helper, who does finally appear to her in the form of a small female bear. Good Face learns from the auntie that she is not powerless against men, that it is her duty to protect the future of the Indians (i.e., to remain “pure” and to choose a husband carefully). She learns that the worst thing a woman can do is indulge in untrue gossip. Her mother, Flicker, brings her a new deerskin dress, and paints a vermillion spot on her head/cheeks to indicate that she is a woman and to be treated respectfully.
In chapter 9, we learn
that William, Giles, and Ruth Slocum are continuing their searches for
TUESDAY, Sept. 11
Well, despite our not seeing the WWII aircraft fly over the football field, we still need to press on in our reading of RED HEART. As we will be in the library both tomorrow and Thursday working with our partners on our projects, you will need to do your reading through chapter 15 (HD) by Friday (through 11 for Regulars). There will be little quizzes on Friday, unless we have a guest speaker….more on that later.
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 12
Today you worked on your chosen topic for our oral/visual research presentation; this is due Friday, Sept. 21—names will be drawn at random for presenting, so EVERYONE needs to have his/her “stuff” ready then. Enrichment activities will fill the time some of us are re-taking or taking ISTEP (next Tuesday-Thursday). See me if you’re not sure whether you’re one of the lucky ISTEP participants! (Your attendance at these tests is CRITICAL; we didn’t make AYP last year partially because of attendance at these tests, and I’m sure the administration is planning a way to reward kids for good attendance the l8th=20th; if they aren’t I know I am!!) The presentations will continue the rest of the week.
QUIZ: Regulars will be quizzed over chapters 6,7,10, and 11 on Friday, Sept. 14. HD track students, your quiz will be over 6,7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15. I will provide a summary of chapter 12 to all. (You have a summary of chapters 8, 9; please look it over).
THURSDAY, Sept. 13
We will be working in the library both periods on our research topics. You were all given a MANILLA FOLDER to help you organize and keep the records of your engagement with your topic; please read the instructions on the two page handout you were given for this project. You will need to show us what you have done, where you have been, what your notes are, etc. to earn the maximum no. of points for the project.
DON”T FORGET TOMORROW”S QUIZ (6,7,10.11 for Regs/ chapters 6-15 HD)
FRIDAY, Sept. 14
Quiz time, reading time if project is done, otherwise, plan on working, individually, on outlining, making a story board, designing a poster, taking notes on your research, etc. so you are able to get into good shape for your presentation. Remember, you MUST cite the sources you used, so make sure someone in your pair is keeping track of the sites you visited, the books you’re quoting from (their page numbers, authors, dates and places of publication, year of publication—check your Panther Planner if you’ve forgotten how to document your research)
MONDAY, Sept. 17
Today: PEER EDITING of your essay (due at end of period)
Announcements: Guest
lecturer next Monday/Tuesday from DNR—cultural anthropologist and expert on
Indian cultures in
DURING ISTEP (tomorrow through Thursday): Reading time for novel, work time for project (we can be in the computer lab tomorrow and Wednesday), and various short films.
REWARDS: don’t forget bonus point opps/ see me about ISTEP attendance reward.
TUESDAY, Sept. 18
Today I reminded you that
you need to get in your health forms so you can go on the Oct. 2 FIELD TRIP to
the
We also need a parent volunteer or two to either meet us there or ride on the bus with us to the museum (need one adult for each 10 students; have 43, should really have 5 adults—me, Mrs. Gunkel, Mrs. Gunkel’s student teacher, and two other adults). See if mom, dad, grandma or grandpa are interested!
You had an opportunity to work on your projects today in the computer lab or in my room. If you were absent, I want to assume that you are polishing up the project at home, or that you are reading on the novel. By Friday, HD students should have finished The Red Heart, and Regulars should be through chapter 15. Regular students will also need to read chapters 23 and 24 for test purposes; I hope many of you will be able to read the entire novel. Because of ISTEP, however, any testing over the novel will not take place until the end of next week (i.e. the 27th or 28th)
WYLIE HOUSE PROJECT PEOPLE: Don’t forget that Dr. Edwards will be here on Thursday to meet with you; do not blow this day off because it’s ISTEP. I am “rewarding” people who are here with goodies and attendance points (bonuses).
If you skipped today, shame on you. Those doing the bonus essay, if I don’t have it tomorrow morning, I won’t take it from you. BE HERE!!
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 19: those of you not here missed an opportunity to work on your projects and use the computer lab to further your researches. You are reminded that names will be drawn at random for project presentation; your partner's not being here is not excuse for you to sit it out if called upon to present. Your partner can present the entire project to us, alone, after school or during next week's SRT (if he or she has an excused absence). "I don't have my disk; I left it at home; it's in so and so's locker and she's not here"—NONE of these will keep you from losing a letter grade, and few of you can afford this. Tomorrow we MAY be able to use Lab 233 for lst period only. Mrs. Gunkel has selected an excellent historical film on Indian captives for you to watch otherwise.
THURSDAY, ISTEP is over after 2nd period; there'll be another SRT, and 3rd period will be the usual 67 minutes. That will be class time for Mrs. Gunkel to go over the last test and do the work of her class, not "work on the project" time. That's over at the end of lst period. All students in American Studies should come to 214 for lst and 2nd periods, *:00-9:44.
THURSDAY, Sept. 20: Read above (9/19 entry)
FRIDAY, Sept. 21: Presentations of projects. HD: finish the book (you'll have a test on Friday, Sept. 29; Regulars, test, too, read through 15, minimum, and chapters 23.24.
Presentations will continue next week; speaker will come Monday and Tuesday.
Next Friday marks the end of the grading period—have you done your bonus point work> I Must have it by TUESDAY, Sept. 25!
MONDAY, Sept. 24
Presentations and
speaker. Please note: Mrs. Gunkel and I spent two hours
wading through the largely unalphabetized health
forms and found 11 people in the American Studies Class did not turn in these
health forms. WE MUST HAVE THEM OR YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT GO TO THE EITELJORG (
That's just a week away!!
URGENT!!!!!!!!
We will have a parental permission letter for you to take home on Tuesday and return by FRIDAY with the cash you will need for the trip ($4.25—gets you transportation and a ticket into the museum—we won a $200 grant from the Eiteljorg, but the cost of the trip is nearly $300 and tickets in are $3).
Also,you will need to bring a sack lunch and something to drink.
ANYONE who cannot afford this, please let us know; we will find a way for you to go!!
Please tell your parents we would love for them to meet us there and accompany us through the museum. We have one parent volunteer to go with us, but could probably accommodate two or three more if anyone would be willing to ride up on the bus (leave time will be 9:15; return time, 2:15).
Please make arrangements with any of your teachers if you might be missing tests or projects due, etc. in their classes on that Tuesday—some teachers require that known-about-in-advance absences need to have the work for that day made up in advance. You will miss 3rd, 4th, and most of 5th periods.
Tuesday, Sept. 25
You rec'd your PARENTAL PERMISSION forms today—we need these back by FRIDAY, Sept. 29. with the money (cash, please)!!
FOR THE ELEVEN STUDENTS WHO DON"T HAVE HEALTH FORMS: if you don't return these to us YOU WON"T BE ALLOWED TO GO ON THE FIELD TRIP to the EITELJORG or on any other field trip, even the in-town field trips using city busses that we may take during our regular meeting time!!
As we've explained, planning and organizing this trip has taken us hours of paperwork and phone calls and the record keeping for the money will take us hours more. STILL, we think you will find it a "capstone" kind of experience—it's not "fluff" or something extra you can afford to skip out on. ALSO—good news--There will be some class "work" (I-Search) to do at the museum that will boost your grade (bonus points—and many of you desperately need these!)
WHAT WE DID TODAY: (1) Handed out forms for trip; (2) handed out summaries of chapters 18. 19. 20 of The Red Heart—regulars must read these! (3)You were reminded of Friday's open book "test" (which will involve your writing about and synthesizing ideas from the unit, as well as answering a few questions about the novel); (4) Dr. Stephen Ball presented a historical overview of Indian activities in Indiana after "contact" (17th/18th/early 19th centuries). We learned about pandemics and the great number of changes our region had undergone before the white settlers even came; we reviewed the earlier warfare between Native American groups and those Europeans who came to live on the frontier—and the great change among all the Indians east of the Mississippi, who went from having been farmers for centuries to hunter/tradesmen in a very short amount of time. (Ask me tomorrow if I have a summary of MY notes on his topics).
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26: WE WILL FINISH PROJECTS and move on to last dealings with the novel. (Look for your project grade online on Friday evening).
THURSDAY, Sept. 27: Today you took a BONUS POINTS quiz over Dr. Ball's presentation. We reminded you to SHOW US THE MONEY/Permissions for Tuesday's Field Trip (if you don't go, you will have make-up work to do in the two hours in Study Hall for that day as points are being given for the I-Search part of our experience in the museum as well as for the follow-up evaluation of the entire Indian project).
Tomorrow, Friday, you will be given a couple of prompts for the ESSAY we will be writing over The Red Heart. Be prepared by having read the entire book and having something to say about how it relates to the experiences of people in today's very different world, but one still struggling with the great issues Frances Slocum faced in her seven decades on earth (I'm just brainstorming here—many of these will be overlapping and not distinct categories):
WAR (near and far; other people's wars; defeat or victory and their
consequences for decades or even centuries to come—
CHANGING CLIMATE/ ENVIRONMENT and Environmental Protection
(Agricultural to Hunter/Traders changed as the environment changed—fences are
just "little" things that changed the world of the Indians; the steel
plow changed the face of the
FEEDING THE WORLD/ AID to DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (biodiversity, use of biomass for fuel, rising prices for meat and dairy, our ability to feed ourselves and others. Indian peoples faced malnutrition and starvation due to war and their status as refugees in their own country—how would you deal with this?)
CHANGING ECONOMY (Adjustments we are and will be making for years to come as we move from a manufacturing economy to a service economy—the Indians moved from subsistence and self-sustaining economies to the American economy, driven by consumerism, industrialization, large-scale farming and the end of hunting and trapping as major sources of income for large groups, and became entrepreneurs—small businessmen, farmers and landholders, skilled craftsmen and women—what part of culture did they have to abandon when cottage industry disappeared and the long work week/year was substituted?)
IMMIGRATION (who is coming to America now, who will be thriving and reproducing and at what rates, how will new people and ideas enrich and change what we now regard as "traditions"? Frances and her family have to adapt—will we?)
LANGUAGE CHANGE (how will a global economy, the migration and movements of millions of people affect English? Frances loses a good deal of her command of it, but can speak several Native American tongues—does language facility help her survive/thrive?)
SOCIAL and POLITICAL CHANGE: How did these affect
Think about Kinship society's ability to mount effective
resistance—what, if anything, could make Americans a "kinship"
culture again—and what impact would that have on our global standing as we
compete for scarcer and scarcer resources with the emergent super economies of
India, China, and perhaps, someday, Russia? How were the Slocums
affected by the developing democratization of
ASSIMILATION and MULTICULTURALISM: Think about "Who is Us?"—that article we read at the beginning of the year. Will we hold together as a nation when the various crises, now potentialities but maybe someday realities, confront us? Who in the book not only thrives but creates opportunities for coming generations to thrive—and why do they have this chance?
RACISM: How did racist and incorrect views of the Indian peoples hurt their chances for surviving as Indian? What changes on the part of governments in understanding of race/ethnicity might have helped many maintain their Indian customs?
JUSTICE: Do we see the law playing any part in rescuing the Indian people
from complete obliteration? Does it ever help
Monday, Oct. 1, 2007
Today we worked in a lab, writing our essay assignment (given out Friday)
You have a new check sheet to help GUIDE you through the pre-writing work you need to do to draft a successful essay (one which responds fully to the prompt)
Remember the essay has 3 distinct parts:
(1) an explication of a chapter you've chosen because it can give you insights about human nature and because it took your attention in some powerful way. Examine the values and CHARACTER TRAITS exhibited by a major character-- Frances, Ruth, Neepah, Tuck Horse, Deaf Man.
"Explication"—examine what the author is doing in representing a character—look at dialogue, the use of figurative language, the development of plot (what obstacles are in the way of the character getting what he or she wants or needs), direct and indirect characterization—find quotes or summarize passages which illustrate something important about the character and the way he/she faces or deals with problems or challenges.
(2) making a PREDICTION about what kind of changes the future may bring to us which mimic or in some way echo the changes Frances goes through in her life—we may have to adjust to social, cultural, economic changes, or face war, or deal with difficulties in our own lives (alcoholism, ailing or aging parents, making a good marriage, bringing children into a world where many difficulties await them, and so on).
(3) Think about and thoroughly discuss the PREPARATIONS you are making to meet, greet, and persevere in this future world. What character traits, values, skill sets are you still trying to achieve, or will you need, to do well over the next decades when all the responsibilities of the adult world are at your doorstep?
TUESDAY, OCT 2, 2007
FIELD TRIP TO THE EITELJORG –have you turned in all your forms (health, parent permission) and money? ($4.25) (If you've lost your parent permission form, just have them write a signed note giving you permission to travel on the bus to Indy to this museum—health form? Can't do anything about that if you don't already have it).
Those who do not go to the Eiteljorg will have an assignment to work on while we are gone—either your essay or work Mrs. Gunkel will leave behind.
People wanting to read/ready to read the next assignment, find
"The Devil and Tom Walker" by
SPECIAL THANKS
THANK YOU PARENTS/SIBLINGS/Future Student TEACHER (Donna, Mark, Woody, Nicole, Denise, Aleata, in particular!) FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF OUR FIELD TRIP TO THE EITELJORG! Mrs. Gunkel tells me the feedback she got was very positive, and the students I've queried all said it was very worthwhile and fun. We appreciate your participation and were very proud of student conduct and engagement!!
WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY: Oct. 3 and 4th: We will have access to computer lab A310 for drafting and finishing our essays. These are worth 100 points and they need to be very thoughtfully done, fully developed, well-supported, and proofread essays.
You have the prompt and the check sheet—use them to make sure you are doing all the essay assignment requires.
If you have finished your essay, please start reading p. 348+, "The Devil and Tom
FRIDAY, OCT. 4
Group sharing/ peer editing of essays.
(Six students were not here today, three excused, three not. Make sure your parents call in an excuse if there was a legitimate reason for your absence. About 5 of you who did come did not have your papers done. I will take those papers up to 1:30 today without accessing late points. No one made arrangements to bring his or her paper to my home later this afternoon or early evening, though that invitation was issued. Do not be surprised to have late points assessed—please refer to the class policy your parent/guardian signed and which was returned to you to keep in your notebooks on my late policies if you have any questions.
Four entire class periods were devoted to this paper, and many of you not finished neither sought my help or used the lab times entirely to your benefit. Those people not excused for Friday's absence will also have late points on the essay. All who were absent today or not finished with their papers and missing a peer edit will need to arrange to do the peer editing exercise during next week's SRT. Those peer edits not done on SRT-Wednesday, will lose that opportunity for bonus points. You will need to provide me with a print-out of your paper on Monday, and you will need another copy of it for the peer editing work you can make up on Wednesday, assuming you have an excused absence for today).
I gave some brief background on "The Devil and Tom Walker" story and a forecast of upcoming work which will co-ordinate with what you are learning in history class.
YOU WILL NEED THE LARGE LITERATURE BOOK Monday and Tuesday of next
week:
Then on to "Civil War" literature (pp.580-607), all in large book from October 15th and on.
Don't forget: there's a RED HEART quiz on Tuesday. Bring the book back then or, if you've lost it, replace it with a new copy (available in all the local bookstores).
MONDAY, Oct. 8, 2007
Today you were assigned questions 4 and 5 on page 360 of lit book; you may do your choice of one question under 6,7, and 8. Honors—due tomorrow; Reg—due Wednesday (15 points). We will have our Red Heart quiz tomorrow; bring your novel AND your Interactive Reader as our next assignment is in it (Civil Disobedience, p. 76—Honors are to do the Pause and Reflect in addition to p. 92 and 94 by Thursday). Regulars will do Pause and Reflect and p. 94.
If you have missed turning in the essay assignment, make sure I have it tomorrow and that you get someone to do a PEER REVIEW for you.
WYLIE HOUSE PEOPLE!! The web site is unblocked at South; you need to be checking in here or at home and doing the assigned work (answering questions based on examination of sites they've pre-selected for your viewing). Bridgett and Suzanne will be here Thursday morning, 8 AM to work with you and they, along with Mrs. Gunkel and I, will expect you to have something done—you are doing this for a grade, after all!
Tuesday, Oct. 9: See above
Wednesday, Oct. 10: You should have turned in your answers to questions 4,5, and your choice of 6,7 or 8 on p. 360 of Lit. Book. We just got started with Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" and we will continue it tomorrow. On Friday, HD students should be able to show me their Interactive Readers with the Pause/Reflect questions, p. 92, and p. 94 done; Regular 2nd period students should have the Pause and Reflect done, with p. 94 finished by Monday.
BONUS OPPROTUNITY for anyone: up to 10 points. Go to the
THURSDAY, Oct. 11: We will finish up with Thoreau as best we can; then start the play, "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail."
Friday, Oct. 12: new vocab to "Night
Thoreau Spent in Jail" includes
1. patrician 2.
extrovert 3. disparage 4.
contrition 5. peripatetic
6. splenetic 7. bridle (the verb) 8. transcendental 9. tabernacle 10. paroxysm
HD: we will continue with the play on Monday
Reg: we will start the play.
ALL: the work in the IR must be done!!
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Monday, Oct. 15: New vocab for NTSin Jail—with these 10 words, write down definition and then write your own original sentence showing you know how to use the word (do not merely mention the word: "I like the word 'proscription'." Wrong!) Ideally, the reader of your sentence should be able to deduce the word's meaning from the context clues you give. Another prohibition: Do not include the word's definition in your sentence: "I am grouchy and difficult to deal with today for I am cantankerous." These are due on THURSDAY, after the PSATon Wednesday.
Here are those 10 words: proscription, despoiled, cantankerous, derisive, cyclorama, Unitarianism, nonagenarian, psychosomatic, distraught, arpeggio.
Reminder: Turn in the Interactive Reader assignment on "Civil Disobedience"(see above) by tomorrow or you can receive only ½ credit for it.
TUESDAY, Oct. 16: We will continue reading the play. If you have been absent, please check out a playbook. Students who may want to revise the Red Heart essay will meet with me for help in the last 20 minutes of the period. Those paper's revisions will be due in, with the original essay and my comments, on Thursday.
Check the webgrades for your essay grade and to see what's missing.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17: PSAT lst and 2nd period. Homework: If you were here on Tuesday and worked in a reading group, make sure you answer your assigned question over NTS in Jail—don't let the group down!!
THURSDAY, Oct. 18: We will try to finish the play. You will turn in the vocab assignment. We will have a test on Tuesday or Wednesday over Thoreau and transcendentalism. We will be talking about persuasion and you will get to practice your persuasive techniques in an essay you will be writing that is part of Tuesday's test. What we don't get finished in class, you will be on your own to read. YOU MUST TURN IN THE IR TODAY WITH WORK ON CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE DONE> last chance.
FRIDAY, Oct. 19: FALL BREAK (no school)
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Monday, Oct. 22: Bring playbooks. We will Review Thoreau; BOOKS. TEST over THOREAU on Tuesday, Oct. 23. This test will include vocabulary (20 words) from play and (!0) words from IR "Civil Disobedience."
Don’t forget to read your excerpt from Uncle Tom’s Cabin and, HD students, to do the “student response” I talked about (see bottom of page—how would you react if you lived in the 1850’s and were a Southerner? A Northern fence-sitter? An Abolitionist? A non-slave owning Southerner? And so on). Also, finish as much of the play as possible.
Regulars: Many of you did not have your sentences to the second set of vocab words (see entries above); you must have these done Monday or you can only get ½ credit for them.
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MONDAY, Oct. 23
Today I reminded you to finish vocab sentences and the “review” (adapting another’s point of view in rating the excerpt from Uncle Tom’s Cabin). You were to read as far as you could in Act II. I gave out the words below for review before reading Act II.
Tomorrow I will summarize many important ideas in the play (Transcendentalism, aphorism, protest literature, etc.), go over all vocab that will be on the test, and review an excerpt from Walden for you. Then on Wednesday, you will take the multiple choice/true false/ short essay test (usually, I allow an overnight on the essay part, so don’t panic—but do take your play book home with you on Wed. if you don’t finish the essay questions in class).
Here are the new words you should be familiar enough with to read Act II with good comprehension:
Pontificate (verb): to express opinions dogmatically (not allowing for alternate interpretation) “Emerson is told, sarcastically, to go pontificate with Carlyle, a famous British essayist and contemporary, since he doesn’t want to be an activist in the mode of the jailed Thoreau.”
Jeremiah: righteous prophet of doom (a “jeremiad” is such a speech forecasting doom to a country for its many sins)
Idyll (noun): poem or short piece of literature recounting a rural or pastoral scene and pleasant feelings about the natural world (Our picnic was like an idyll from days gone by)—the adjective “idyllic” is more frequent in usage today
Ecstasy(noun): state of great joy
Aghast(adj): to be highly shocked and surprised (She was aghast when they discovered the moldy cheese)
Benignly(adv)—harmlessly; showing kindness and gentleness or benefit
Psychedelic (adj): of or relating to hallucination/ or an altered state of awareness
Walspurgisnacht (noun): German word for “witch’s meeting”, and by extension, any nightmarish evening (took place at end of April in pagan rites long ago).
Awry (adv): amiss, askew, wrong (When things go awry, we are upset.)
Pieta (n): (Italian) any painting or sculpture of the Virgin Mary and the dying Christ.
Impervious(adj): impenetrable/ that which cannot be affected or penetrated
Goyaesque(adj): like a painting by Goya, famous 18th c. Spanish painter whose scenes of war and its effects are considered nightmarish
Fusillade: discharge from several weapons (The escaping criminals were met with a fusillade of shot from the observation towers)
Ricochet: to rebound at least once from a surface
Quid pro Quo: Latin for “substitution, an equal exchange”
Oct. 23/24: sub days. You read “Walden” excerpt and “Occurrence At
Oct 25: I reviewed you for the test.
Oct. 26: THOREAU test and take home essay.
Monday, Oct. 29: You will be given assignments (questions) to answer
over “A Mystery of Heroism” and “The
(1) p.602 (“Mystery”) 2,3,4,6,8 (each worth 3 pts for total of 15)
(2) p. 607 (“
(3) You will need to read for next week “The Notorious Jumping Frog of
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Monday, Oct. 29—Friday, Nov. 2: We finished up “Occurrence” discussion
on Tuesday (Monday, I was still on bereavement leave and the sub gave you study
time). You have had time this week to complete the assigned work from the
last several days, as well as to read with the rest of the class in the work
assigned last week. On Friday, I reviewed the Thoreau test and added the words
you will need to study for the final exam. You will have a study sheet for it
on Monday, Nov. 5th; there is no school on Tuesday; on Wednesday, we
will finish our last push/review and then you will take the final. The final
DOES TAKE TWO HOURS for most students; however, bring something with you to
read or study. The new trimester starts on Monday, Nov. 12th;
we will begin with the women authors of the late 19th and early 20th
century (Cather/ Chopin) and then leap into The Great Gatsby.
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November 12, 2007 START of the
2nd TRIMESTER
Monday: Today we started
reading “The Yellow Wallpaper” in your IR (219; p. 767 in literature book)
after we had brainstormed signs of depression and talked about the background
of 19th century psychology and what was known about clinical
depression, especially in women.
HONORS: Do Pause and Reflect plus vocabulary assignment in IR.
REGULAR: We are working on a “quiz” set of questions over the story.
You will also need to do the Vocabulary page accompanying this story in the IR.
November 13, 2007
Today you worked in groups reading “The Yellow Wallpaper” and
finishing the assigned work in it (you had a handout with 10 or so questions,
plus pp. 239 and 240 to do in the IR— you will need to do oart
B (sentences using any 4 of the new vocabulary words) on your own (again, p.
240).
Some groups got started on “The Story of an Hour” and you have a
question sheet on it you may complete tomorrow with your group.
Then, Thursday, we will read “A Rose for Emily” (you will write a
paragraph length response to question 6 at the end of the story in the
literature book). You will also do the
Pause and Reflect questions in the IR, as well as the exercises on pp. 169-171
in the IR with your group for this story (or if absent, on your own). We will
be working in the group Wednesday and Thursday; there is a short film we may
see on Friday which will help you understand some of the story’s critical
features.
The last major story to be read we will start on Monday; it is called
“Winter Dreams,” and it foreshadows the themes you will find in The Great
Gatsby, the novel we will read all or part of (HD, all) after Thanksgiving.
The paragraph length response over question 6, p. 860 over “Winter
Dreams” will be due on Tuesday of next week; we will have a quiz over the first
three stories above, with vocabulary, on Wednesday, If you are going to be gone
on a family vacation next week YOU MUST DO THIS WORK IN ADVANCE OF YOUR ABSENCE
as it is all due before Thanksgiving vacation. (See my written class policy
which you and your parents have signed; it was returned to you last August and
should be in your folders). This means you must see me about doing the quiz
before you leave, otherwise the score you will receive will be ZERO.
MONDAY, NOVERMBER 19
e read 4 poems today in our “American Dream” Unit: “Lucinda Matlock,”
“ Richard Corey,” “Miniver Cheevy,”
and “We Wear the Mask” (824-235) We will read “Sympathy” later and move on to
work in small groups on the Harlem Renaissance poets in the literature book, p.
940-951.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20
We will finish our work on early 20th century poets today
and tomorrow. The assigned questions will be due at the beginning of the period
on Wednesday. If you were absent and have an excused absence, you may pick up
the packet partners worked on today and do it on your own, but it will be due
on Monday, Nov. 26.
Students were given a copy each of Gatsby in 2nd period; be
sure to get yours tomorrow if you were absent today.
Lst period will receive the books tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY, November 21: You will receive your copy of The Great
Gatsby today, along with some handouts covering important vocabulary,
history, and characters in the novel.
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Monday, Nov. 26
Welcome back! Hope you had a great holiday. Today you had time to work
on missing items and to read chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby. I handed out 14
concept questions which you will be able to do in reading groups over the next
couple of days. We watched a snipped to the A and E version of this novel so
you could get a sense of the setting. Tomorrow we will read in groups—all of
us, HD and Reg—in period 1 (we’ll divide up and some
groups will go to Mrs. Gunkel’s room)—that’ll be
during lst period. Then in 2nd period,
we’ll all go to Mrs. Gunkel’s room to work on
American History. If this works out ok, we can continue the reading groups for
a time. The scores, overall, were better in group work, for the most part, than
when the work is done individually. Certainly the turn-in numbers went up and
that, along with your excellent participation, is going to help everyone’s
grade eventually.
Tuesday—Thursday: You were involved with reading in groups and
answering questions over the novel, The Great Gatsby. I hope most groups got to
chapter 5, if not entirely through it. HONORS STUDENTS will need to read the
entire book, so you may read on—I’ll have an essay assignment for you next
week.
In the meantime, on Thursday, the classes went to the library and we
continued in there for our two hours today, Friday, Nov. 30. We will also have two hours in the library
and computer lab on Monday, so most of you may be finished with your research,
documentation and annotation, and required writing assignments by the end of
the periods on Monday, Dec. 3. If not, however, you will be able to continue
working on your American Master until Friday, Dec. 7—however, no paper will be
accepted for full credit after that.
Dec. 4: Return to group to finish 5 and associated questions* over Gatsby.
*(Copy of these questions below:)
_________________________________________________________________________________
THE GREAT GATSBY Questions: Chapters 3, 4,5
Please answer these questions with your group. Each student should maintain his/her own record of the agreed-upon answers, but the group may, if it so chooses, turn in ONE answer sheet. However, if individuals wish to have their answers evaluated apart from the “group answer form,” they may turn in their own answers, which will be graded exactly the same way as the group sheet. Any student within the group, called upon at random, should be able to provide a thoughtful answer to any of the questions when the teacher evaluates the group’s “teaching each other” success.
Chapter 4
l. Discuss the world of Gatsby’s parties. Then answer this question: How does the imagery of pp. 42-46 help us see and imagine that world? (Be very specific, providing examples of the color, sound, picture, etc. imagery). Consider the descriptions of men and women, fruit imagery, the materials of the tables (food, especially), the colors associated with the party, the music, gossip, talk or other noises and so on.
2. Why does Nick feel uncomfortable at the party? (Use textual paraphrase or quotation to help you explain).
3. How do his feelings affect the way he reports what he sees? Give at least two specific examples (quotations from the text) and explain their implications.
4. Even before Gatsby actually enters, Nick describes him through other people’s words and through his own feelings. What do we learn about how Gatsby affects other people?
5. Do we learn any objective facts about Gatsby? Explain with examples.
6. Where and how does Nick report several seemingly distressed marital situations? Give at least two examples. Explain why you think Fitzgerald has included these observation
7. How does Nick’s
affair with
8. What do her character flaws illustrate about NICK’S character? What does his attitude about women suggest, for example?
9. On their trip to
Chapter 5
1. In return for Nick’s help, Gatsby offers to let him in on a “rather confidential sort of thing” concerning bonds. Nick declines. What does this conversation tell us about Gatsby? About Nick?
2. How does Gatsby “prepare” for his meeting with Daisy? What do these preparations tell us about his sense of self? (Is he confident or anxious? Natural or controlling?)
3. One of the meanings of “romantic” is “solid belief in seemingly unattainable dreams.” Will Gatsby’s dream about Daisy, sustained for the several years they’ve been apart, hold up now that he’s won Daisy’s heart? Make a prediction and explain your reasoning.
4. Analyze Daisy’s reaction to Gatsby’s attentions. What do these reactions reveal about her character? Explain your thinking.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dec. 5: FILM The Great Gatsby:
Dec. 6: HD, help with essay writing and review for test over chapters
1-5, GG; regulars review for Gatsby test
Dec. 7: Gatsby test; begin poetry associated with 1930’2-1930’s
We will be seeing a film (The Grapes of Wrath) associated with
one of the great writers of the 1930’s, John Steinbeck, and reading a short
section of the novel Of Mice and Men (bonus opps
for reading the entire book, which is under 100 pages, will be discussed). Then
we will move into the literature associated with WWII, and very quickly, after
that and before the winter break, starting on the biography/autobiography The
Color of Water.
PARENTS--HERE IS A COPY OF WHAT YOU WE ARE DOING IN RESEARCH RIGHT
NOW:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Project: Heroes and Masters of the 1920’s and 1930’s
American Studies: 75 points
December 2007
Your task is to nominate an American for inclusion in a new
The goal of this stamp collection is to honor those whose
contributions to
This person needs to be someone who made a contribution to American literature, art or culture.
You task is to research the significant accomplishments and contributions of this person. You
will need to identify the important factors in this person’s life that contributed to who they were and what they achieved. You will need to provide evidence of the body of work for this person.
Your final product should answer the question “Why is this
American worthy to be remembered and honored by placing their picture on a
The research should include minimum 2 research sites, 2 reference books and 1 other book
(No .com’s and no Wikipedia)
Regular students will need to submit document one and two to nominate this person for a stamp.
Honors students will need to submit document one, document two and document three.
You need to hand in:
DOCUMENT ONE
Create a resume for this person. This resume should be neat and attractive and include the following:
(See the sample included with this assignment)
· A profile for this person describing key accomplishments and key skills
· Career highlights
· Education or training
· Honors they have received
DOCUMENT TWO
Write a proposal nominating your person for this honor. Describe why your person is worthy of this honor and support this conclusion with evidence from their lives and descriptions of their accomplishments. The evidence needs to include important details and descriptions of what this person has done to deserve this honor. The conclusion should explain why the accomplishments of the person have had a lasting impression and why this person is still considered an important American in their field. USE THE HANDOUTS AS MODELS.
HD ONLY (or those going for bonus point in the regular class): DOCUMENT THREE
Sorry: this part did not print out on Mrs. Gunkel’s document, but the idea here is that they write a letter from the person they have chosen to investigate to another figure in his or her life (or in the n