tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33054811735289225832024-03-13T21:36:34.614-05:00Roehl: World LiteratureMs. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-49546226342101647492009-05-04T14:42:00.001-05:002009-05-04T14:44:19.458-05:00Doll's House Reading and TestIf you have missed reading part of Ibsen's play, you may read the missed sections online. <a href="http://www.bibliomania.com/0/6/322/2393/frameset.html">Click here </a>to access a website will the full text of the play.<br /><br />The 25-question multiple choice exam on <em>A Doll's House</em> will be Friday, May15. Students doing May Term need to take this exam as the last assignment for their fourth quarter grade.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-12529442627542584902009-05-04T14:39:00.003-05:002009-05-04T14:44:50.407-05:00Henrik Ibsen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6721gxdyMNQdVkR545y4WMmJ2Dag7XsWxmc36qnr3KoDquC0hjcTJrhDqA6zj_m8w7AXpRL_moRl22BGxkiHWxMRl5z8tD2Y9Y1Xe_Ng7me2pGLXlK_RfnoKSgHS9de-8IlTWVXKteDA/s1600-h/ibsen.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332056377229055954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6721gxdyMNQdVkR545y4WMmJ2Dag7XsWxmc36qnr3KoDquC0hjcTJrhDqA6zj_m8w7AXpRL_moRl22BGxkiHWxMRl5z8tD2Y9Y1Xe_Ng7me2pGLXlK_RfnoKSgHS9de-8IlTWVXKteDA/s400/ibsen.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><ul><br /><li>Born in Skein, Norway</li><br /><li>Lived his early life in poverty, stung by social rejection. </li><br /><li>Hired as a playwright by the National Theater in Bergen.</li><br /><li>Left Norway in 1862, starting a 27-year self-imposed exile. During this time he wrote his finest plays.</li><br /><li>"A literary pioneer who created the modern, realistic prose drama.”</li><br /><li>The bold, social commentary in his plays often earned him criticism.</li><br /><li>“A Doll’s House (1879) aroused controversy because it portrayed a woman whose actions were not considered acceptable at the time.”</li><br /><li>Ibsen was a revolutionary playwright who provided detailed stage directions that precisely described sets, lighting, props and how actors should interpret their lines.</li></ul>Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-47196200580998641012009-03-13T10:33:00.003-05:002009-03-13T10:37:11.566-05:00Essay and Test on March 27The final exam for your choice book unit is Friday, March 27. That is also the date that your essay is due. If you are leaving early for spring break, you need to complete both assessments before you leave. Below is a description of the essay assignment.<br /><br />For the choice book analytical essay you need to compare your choice novel to two other works studied in World Literature. Your comparison should analyze a common topic by detailing text to text connections – remember that you can discuss the differences in how the texts approach the topic as well as the similarities. The A to Z Taxonomy of Common Issues is a great place to start for essay ideas. You may use any films, poems, short stories or novels read in World Literature this year for the two texts that you will compare to your choice novel. Since you may not have ready access to the short stories or previous novels read in World Lit, supporting details for main points for those texts simply need to be paraphrases of events and ideas. However, you should support main ideas about your choice novel with direct quotations from the text.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Comparison Texts</span><br /><br />World Literature I major texts:<br /><br /><em>Brave New World</em> by Aldous Huxley<br /><em>Things Fall Apart</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Chinua</span> Achebe<br /><em>Siddhartha</em> by Hermann Hesse<br />Choice novel (<em>Life of Pi</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Yann</span> Martel, <em>Snow </em>by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Orhan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Pamuk</span>, <em>The Last Summer of Reason</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tajar</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Djaout</span>, <em>Frankenstein</em> by Mary Shelley<br />Films: <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Il</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Postino</span>, The Cup, Surviving Picasso<br /></em><br />World Literature II texts (so far)<br /><br /><em>The Handmaid’s Tale</em> by Margaret Atwood<br />Films: <em>Pride and Prejudice</em>, <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Lagaan</span><br /></em>Various short stories (keep track of them in your notebook)<br /><br />The essay should be two pages long, 12-point font, double spaced.<br /><br /><strong>The essay is due on Friday, March 27 or the day before you leave for spring break!</strong>Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-82602638612319845502009-02-08T20:08:00.002-06:002009-02-08T20:17:25.009-06:00Jane Austen's InfluenceJane Austen, 1775-1817<br /><ul><li>The daughter of a rector—the seventh of eight children—educated at home and never lived apart from her family</li><li>Her novels are closer to 18<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> century satire than Romantic Age works.</li><li>Observed social behavior with “shrewd perceptiveness.”</li><li>Common theme—maturity achieved through loss of illusions<br /> <br />Novels:<br />Sense & Sensibility (1795)<br />Pride & Prejudice (1796)<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Northanger</span> Abbey (1797)<br />Mansfield Park (1811)<br />Emma (1814)<br />Persuasion (1815)</li></ul><p>**Sense and Sensibility first published in 1811<br /> </p><p><em>Pride & Prejudice</em> Characters</p><p>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bennet</span> Sisters:</p><p>Jane <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bennet</span>--the beautiful, eldest daughter<br />Elizabeth <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bennet</span> - The novel's protagonist<br />Mary <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bennet</span> - The middle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Bennet</span> sister, bookish<br />Catherine (Kitty) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Bennet</span> - The fourth <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Bennet</span> sister, a flirt<br />Lydia <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Bennet</span> - The youngest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bennet</span> sister, a flirt</p><p>Love Interests:</p><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Fitzwilliam</span> Darcy - A wealthy gentleman, the master of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pemberley</span><br />Charles <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Bingley</span> - Darcy's best friend, has a considerable fortune.<br />George <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Wickham</span> - A handsome, fortune-hunting militia officer.<br />Mr. Collins - A pompous clergyman who stands to inherit the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Bennet's</span> home.<br /><br /><br /></p>Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-90438743033754952122009-01-29T08:47:00.005-06:002009-01-29T08:55:13.000-06:00Key Word PredictionConsider the key words from the first pages of <em>The Handmaid’s Tale</em> and predict the story.<br /><br /><strong>palimpsest:</strong> a parchment that has been erased to make room for other text<br /><strong>pedantic:</strong> overly concerned with minute details<br /><strong>debase:</strong> to reduce in value or dignity<br /><strong>servile:</strong> submissive; fawning<br /><br />angels<br />football<br />thongs<br />unwoman<br />nunneries<br />colonies<br />blood<br />shatterproof<br />black market<br />prayvaganzas<br />Econowives<br />anarchyMs. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-23244344630368552962009-01-29T08:39:00.002-06:002009-01-29T08:47:16.010-06:00Margaret Atwood BackgroundMargaret Atwood was born in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1939.<br /><br />Atwood was raised a strict agnostic, and she believes atheism is a religion.<br /><br />Her formal degrees are from the University of Toronto and Radcliffe College. She has also received 16 honorary degrees.<br /><br />She is Canada's most eminent novelist and poet.<br /><br />Her novels include strong women characters, and the books explore contemporary issues and sexual politics.<br /><br />Her novels: <em>The Edible Woman</em> (1969); <em>Surfacing </em>(1973); <em>Lady Oracle</em> (1977); <em>Life Before Man</em> (1980); <em>Bodily Harm</em> (1982);<em> The Handmaid's Tale</em> (1986); <em>Cat's Eye</em> (1989); <em>The Robber Bride</em> (1993); <em>Alias Grace</em> (1996); <em>The Blind Assassin</em> (2000); and <em>Oryx and Crake</em> (2003).<br /><br /><em>The Handmaid's Tale</em> film was released in 1990, and the book was recently staged as an opera.<br /><br />For more information on Margaret Atwood, read her full biography at <a href="http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth03C18N390512635243">Contemporarywriters.com</a>.<br /><br />View this <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6109964117465231930&q=%22margaret+atwood%22+%22handmaid%27s+tale%22&total=9&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=6">ten-minute clip of a Bill Moyers interview </a>with Margaret Atwood to hear first-hand some of the political and religious beliefs that influenced <em>The Handmaid's Tale</em>.<br /><br />After viewing the clip, respond in your journal to one of the following Atwood quotations from the video clip. Your personal response should be at least one full-paragraph. You may also wish to make connections between the quotation and films, books, and current events.<br /><br />"When societies come under stress, these kinds of things happen. People start looking around for human sacrifices--for someone they can blame."<br /><br />"In order to preserve our freedoms, we have to give them up for now."<br /><br />"The theocracy that I put in <em>The Handmaid's Tale</em> never calls itself Christian. In fact, it never says anything about Christianity . . . . The slogans are all from the Old Testament."<br /><br />"I believe in the America of Thoreau. Thoreau, the conscientious objector. Thoreau, the man who stood upon his principles."Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-28327981483503381472009-01-29T08:38:00.001-06:002009-01-29T08:39:27.118-06:00The Handmaid's Tale Reading ScheduleThe date indicates the day the reading is due. Be prepared for quizzes, discussions or activities based on those pages.<br /><br />Feb. 2: pp. 1-33<br /><br />Feb. 4: pp. 34-66<br /><br />Feb. 9: pp. 67-106<br /><br />Feb. 12: pp. 107-188<br /><br />Feb. 18: pp. 189-233<br /><br />Feb. 20: pp. 234-311Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-68978427799718625242009-01-26T14:58:00.002-06:002009-01-26T15:03:45.216-06:00World Lit II OverviewWorld Lit II examines the essential question: How do humans express themselves through their political and personal relationships?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Atwood and Austen</strong></span><br /><br />In February we will read <em>The Handmaid's Tale</em> by Margaret Atwood and view the hot new <a href="http://www.prideandprejudicemovie.net/splash.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Kiera</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Knightley</span> re-make of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice</a>. Political and personal concepts studied during this unit include women's roles, oppression, civil liberties, sexism, censorship, religious fanaticism, the death penalty, love and war.<br /><br />We will also make thematic connections to short stories and poetry in the <em>World Masterpieces</em> textbook.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Choice Unit</strong></span><br /><br />In March students pick one of the following novels to read:<br /><br /><em>Kite Runner</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Khaled</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hosseini</span><br /><em>The House of Spirits</em> by Isabel Allende<br /><em>July’s People</em> by Nadine Gordimer<br /><em>Nectar in a Sieve</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kamala</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Markandaya</span><br /><em>Waiting </em>by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Jin</span> Ha<br /><br />This choice unit continues to explore many of the concepts introduced in <em>The Handmaid's Tale</em>, and book clubs discuss how people survive political upheavals while maintaining their personal relationships.<br /><br />With March also comes a World Lit all-time favorite--the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Bollywood</span> blockbuster <a href="http://www.lagaan.com/#"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Lagaan</span></a>. 99% of World Lit students love this film. In fact, whenever I run into past World Lit students, they ask me if I have shown <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Lagaan</span> </em>yet. A few years ago a bunch of World Lit boys, inspired by this film, even started playing cricket on Sunday afternoons at an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Edina</span> park.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Politics and Relationships in Plays</span></strong><br /><br />During the Fourth Quarter, World Lit students will not only read the following plays (either in their entirety or excerpts), but also see the dramas come to life through film. The guiding question for this drama unit is: What are the personal and societal obstacles that people must overcome to have a successful marriage/committed relationship?<br /><br /><em>Othello</em> by William Shakespeare<br /><em>A Doll’s House</em> by Henrik Ibsen<br /><em>Importance of Being Earnest</em> by Oscar WildeMs. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-34748504761267659152009-01-26T14:53:00.002-06:002009-01-26T14:57:59.712-06:00Supplies NeededWorld Literature students use a single subject, composition notebook to showcase their thinking and writing in World Literature. Notebooks need to be in class every day as participation points will be given on a regular basis vs. turning in the notebook at the end of the unit like in World Lit I.<br /><br />The classroom magic markers are all running dry. To make all of our Thinking Map posters, A to Z lists, and other activities, room 271 desperately needs markers. Consider donating a pack of markers for extra credit.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-2634833244177635692009-01-13T09:49:00.002-06:002009-01-13T09:54:08.217-06:00Siddhartha Vocab and TestsThe vocabulary test for <em>Siddhartha</em> will be on finals day along with a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">scantron</span> exam on plot and characters and a blue book essay.<br /><br />To study for vocab, see if you can answer the "I have . . . Who has" questions below. Also, you can create you the 4-square for your assigned word for extra credit by adding it as a comment to this post.<br /><br />Who has a heap of combustibles for burning a corpse?<br /> <br />Who has the quality of being calm and even-tempered?<br /><br />Who has the practice of self-denial and austerity?<br /><br />Who has being elevated in status or of being of high rank?<br /><br />Who has something that is essential to the nature of a thing?<br /><br />Who has a wandering person who lives in the forest?<br /><br />Who has to bring into existence or to give birth?<br /><br />Who has pale or dull complexion?<br /><br />Who has deep, extensive learning?<br /><br />Who has utter discontent or boredom?<br /><br />Who has burdensome or great difficulty?<br /><br />Who has commanding respect and dignity?<br /><br />Who has twisted or woven together?<br /><br />Who has the act of asking for forgiveness or atonement?<br /><br />Who has a prostitute or hooker?<br /><br />Who has religious washing or ritual cleansing?<br /><br />Who has reincarnation or cycle of life—death—rebirth?<br /><br />Who has urging or making a strong emotional appeal?<br /><br />Who has perfection, in other words the perfect syllable for meditation?Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-18359939853788615742009-01-06T16:47:00.002-06:002009-01-06T16:51:28.430-06:00Hinduism and Buddhism in SiddharthaDefine the following Hindu terms and write at least one sentence about how they relate to <em>Siddhartha</em>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Dharma</span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Brahmin</span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Samsara</span><br /><br />The Vedas & The Upanishads<br /><br />Om<br /><br />Atman (Brahman/Self)<br /><br /><br />Define the following Buddhist terms and write at least one sentence about how they relate to <em>Siddhartha</em>.<br /><br />Meditation<br /><br />Four Noble Truths<br /><br />Eightfold Noble Path<br /><br />Nirvana<br /><br />Historical Buddha (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sakyamuni</span>)<br /><br />KarmaMs. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-80011016488001595702009-01-05T15:41:00.001-06:002009-01-05T15:41:56.919-06:00Siddhartha Reading ScheduleCome to class having read the pages indicated the night before as homework.<br /><br />Jan. 6: pp. 3-24<br />Jan. 7: pp. 25-36<br />Jan. 8: pp. 37-42<br />Jan. 9: pp. 45-61<br />Jan. 12: pp. 63-85<br />Jan. 13: pp. 87-100<br />Jan. 14: pp. 101-115<br />Jan. 15: pp. 117-127<br />Jan. 16: pp. 129-137<br />Jan. 20: pp. 139-152<br /><br />A multiple choice exam on plot, character and vocabulary as well as a blue book essay will be completed on finals day. Finals are January 21-23.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-91388722483925814252008-12-09T20:12:00.000-06:002008-12-09T20:13:18.763-06:00Sonnets· 14 lines of iambic pentameter<br />da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM<br /><br />· Sonnets concerned with universal questions of time, death, beauty, love, moral integrity and poetry itself<br /><br />English--Shakespearean<br />· Three quatrains (4-line stanza) and a heroic couplet (2 rhyming lines)<br />· Rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg<br /><br />Italian—Petrachan<br />· Octave (8-line stanza) and sestet (6-line stanza)<br />· Volta—the shift from octave to sestet with a dramatic change in meaning and/or tone<br />· Rhyme scheme: abbaabba cdecde<br />· can change sestet’s rhyme scheme to create a concluding heroic coupletMs. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-23776286248502165062008-12-09T19:13:00.004-06:002008-12-09T19:18:45.348-06:00Choice Book and EssayThe Choice Book Unit final multiple choice exam will be held Tuesday, Dec. 16 during the shortened late start day period. The 25-question test covers the characters, plot and setting of the book that you read.<br /><br />The essay on your choice book is due Friday, Dec. 19. If you are absent from school that day and have not turned in the paper prior to Friday, please email it to me by 3:10 p.m.<br /><br />Here are the essay prompts and checklist:<br /><br />Essay Prompts:<br /><br />1. How do political situations affect the personal relationships in the novel?<br /><br />2. What does your choice novel teach the reader about the key components to a successful government? <br /><br />3. What is the author saying about obsession in the novel?<br /><br />4. Analyze the connection between hope and despair in your novel.<br /><br />5. What does the novel say about the role of religion in people’s lives?<br /><br />6. What is the author saying about mental health in the novel?<br /><br />7. What is the author saying about nature’s healing power in the novel?<br /><br />8. Compare and contrast the choice novel with either Brave New World or Things Fall Apart in terms of theme(s) developed.<br /><br /><br />Essay Checklist<br /><br />____ The essay is at least two pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, with one inch margins.<br /><br />____ The essay has a creative title.<br /><br />____ The introduction has an attention-grabbing device like an anecdote or relevant quotation.<br /><br />____ The book’s title and author is incorporated into the introduction.<br /><br />____ The thesis statement includes specific cultural components and the connection to humanity. <br /><br />____ The body paragraphs have clear topic sentences.<br /><br />____ Analytical statements are supported with direct quotations from the novel.<br /><br />____ <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MLA</span> format is used to cite all direct quotations (e.g. Shelley 24) and other sources cited.<br /><br />____ The essay is free of plagiarism. <br /><br />____ The conclusion leaves the reader with a lasting impression by commenting on the relevance of the topic for the reader’s life. In other words, why do humans care about the issues discussed in the essay?Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-78200033421655314622008-12-08T14:13:00.002-06:002008-12-08T14:16:48.624-06:00Common--I Have a DreamThanks Ariel for sharing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Common's</span> "I Have a Dream" during class today. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBa55sDTIiA">Here's a link</a> to a video of the song. I love it!<br /><br />And for hour 5, Hannah's favorite pianist plays <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX0Ks18Drf4&feature=related"><em>The Office</em> theme song</a>.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-84644649888891111412008-12-07T16:42:00.005-06:002008-12-07T17:27:21.366-06:00Roehl's Favorite Hip Hop ArtistsOne of my favorite Hip Hop artists is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bryonn</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bain</span>, Brooklyn's Famed Spoken Word Poet. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bain</span> currently teaches at Columbia University and at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Riker's</span> Island Prison. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Utne</span> Reader claims that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bryonn</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Bain</span> is one of 30 visionaries under 30 who are changing the future.<br /><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Bain</span> first came into the national spotlight when he was falsely imprisoned by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">NYPD</span> during his second year at Harvard Law School. Following his false imprisonment, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Bain</span> wrote the article "Walking While Black" for <em>The Village Voice</em>, and that article earned him a Mike Wallace interview on <em>60 Minutes.</em><br /><br /><br />I took a class from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bryonn</span> last year about the importance of Hip Hop to youth culture. Here are some ideas from my notebook:<br /><ol><li>Many Hip Hop artists incorporate socially responsible themes into their music; however, the music industry capitalizes on stereotypes of gangs, guns, drugs, and misogyny. </li><br /><li>70% to 80% of Hip Hop consumers are white, suburbanites. </li><br /><li>Rap is something you do. Hip Hop is something you live. </li><br /><li>The components of Hip Hop are the DJ, the graffiti artist, the B-Boy or B-Girl <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">breakdancer</span>, and the emcee (also known as the spoken word poet or rap artist). </li></ol><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Bain's</span> Hip Hop lesson ideas for schools have been greatly influenced by Paulo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Freire's</span> Pedagogy of the Oppressed. For an excerpt of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Freire's</span> book, <a href="http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/education/freire/freire-2.html">click here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J-cfxhFyio">Click here</a> to watch a five-minute clip about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Bryonn</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Bain</span>.<br /><br />Listen to a few of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Byronn's</span> songs, like "Ancestor's Watching," by <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/bryonnbain">clicking here</a>.<br /><br /><br />For more information about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Bryonn</span>, visit his website <a href="http://bryonnbain.com/success/?page_id=2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">bryonnbain</span>.com</a>.<br /><br /><br />Another favorite Hip Hop artist of mine is Origin. Origin, aka Jeremy Dudley, is an elementary school teacher in Albany, New York. Jeremy, like me, is a teacher working with the National Urban Alliance (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">NUA</span>).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.originalrap.com/media.htm">Click here</a> to check out Origin's website and some of his songs. There's even a news video about the rapping elementary teacher.<br /><br />Here's a picture of Jeremy with Evelyn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Rothstein</span> (the woman responsible for the A to Z Taxonomy, defining format, and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">metacognition</span> frame) at a workshop that I attended in Albany last summer.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277183893022269026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hX81t8hSwNoUUbAhtkC7AqtjRGt_ByL2A1nq63GMPX0ktv_hkSGPsUajKegKIARXFqpbQhDaApfdfxUtjQ2AQsTEMAqWAnzIgbMbh9546K_7mJZ1eeHLerUBlHENbZhcauVSiOXWQao/s400/albany+evelyn+and+jeremy.jpg" border="0" />Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-569230588703856772008-11-29T14:26:00.002-06:002008-11-29T14:31:32.122-06:00Religion FinalThe final exam for the religion unit will be Wednesday, December 3. Each student will get to choose between a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">multiple</span> choice exam or a blue book exam. Students should play to their strengths and select the exam that best fits their preferred testing style.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">multiple</span> choice exam has 45 questions covering the beliefs, practices and history of the five major religions of the world and the short literature selections that we read in class. The blue book alternative involves writing a paragraph response to three separate questions. Paragraph topics range from comparing and contrasting religions to analysing some of the literature studeied in this unit. Each paragraph is worth 15 points--for 45 points total.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-42351583956344728152008-11-03T19:37:00.002-06:002008-11-03T19:42:35.124-06:00What is religion?<em>Patterns of Religion</em> defines “religion as a system of meaning embodied in a pattern of life, a community of faith, and a worldview that articulates a view of the sacred and what ultimately matters” (32).<br /><br /><strong>Theistic Religions</strong><br />Hinduism<br />Judaism<br />Christianity<br />Islam<br /><br /><strong>Non-theistic Religions</strong><br />Buddhism<br />Confucianism<br />Scientology<br />Transcendental Meditation<br /><br /><br /><strong>Forms of Religious Expression<br /></strong><br />Beliefs—symbols, stories, doctrines, and conduct<br />Morality—codes of conduct, right and wrong<br />Ritual—life cycle and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">calendrical</span> rites<br />Scripture—oral and written literature<br />Community—social structures and institutionsMs. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-15610996468245100012008-10-29T20:37:00.003-05:002008-10-29T20:42:03.040-05:00Choice Book UnitThe choice book unit begins next week. You will select one of the following books:<br /><br /><em>Last Summer of Reason</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tahar</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Dajout</span><br /><em>Life of Pi</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Yann</span> Martel<br /><em>Frankenstein</em> by Mary Shelley<br /><em>Snow</em> by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Orhan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Pamuk</span><br /><br />You will be responsible for developing and teaching a lesson on your choice book to your book group. The lesson will cover an entire day, and you must maximize student learning and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">engagement</span>.<br /><br />On Monday, November 3 you will have a chance to read parts of each book to make a selection, but you may wish to do some research on the books before then.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-18242241766429488412008-10-07T13:28:00.002-05:002008-10-07T14:08:02.211-05:00Things Fall Apart VocabularyWorld Lit students, click on comments for this post and write the information for your assigned vocabulary word. Complete information for 4-Square vocabulary includes 1) a dictionary definition, 2) a symbol or image that represents your word, 3) two synonyms that you think that your classmates will understand, and 4) the word used in an original sentence that shows complete understanding of the word. The sentence should be about Things Fall Apart in terms of character, symbol, plot, setting or theme. NOTE: Although you are not able to post an image with your comment, simply describe the image.<br /><br />Once all of the entries are made, students may wish to copy and paste the complete definition information into a Word document and print that to glue in their notebooks. Students may even want to print a second copy of the vocabulary words to make flash cards to study for the test.<br /><br />Here are the vocabulary words:<br /><br /><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">egwugwu</span></strong>, p. 4, a masquerader who impersonates an ancestral spirit<br /><br /><strong>kola nut,</strong> p. 6, (same as cola) a nut from an African tree that contains caffeine<br /><br /><strong>proverb</strong>, p. 7, a short saying that expresses some obvious truth<br /><br /><strong>Oracle</strong>, p. 12, any person or place believed to be in communication with a Deity (God)<br /><br /><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">agbala</span>,</strong> p. 13, a woman; or a man who has taken no title<br /><br /><strong>malevolent</strong>, p. 13, wishing evil or harm to others, “nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw.”<br /><br /><strong>incipient</strong>, p. 13, just beginning to exist, “incipient laziness” of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Nwoye</span><br /><br /><strong>chi</strong>, p. 18, personal god<br /><br /><strong>abomination,</strong> p. 18, something hateful and disgusting<br /><br /><strong>tapper</strong>, p. 20, someone who taps trees to get the sap or oil<br /><br /><strong>share-cropping,</strong> p. 22, a farmer who gives part of his profits to the landowner<br /><br /><strong>cassava,</strong> p. 23, tuber (root starch) often used for tapioca<br /><br /><strong>Ibo (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Igbo</span>),</strong> p. 27, an African people of Southeast Nigeria<br /><br /><strong>bride-price,</strong> p. 40, the money paid by the groom’s family to the bride’s family<br /><br /><strong>harbingers,</strong> p. 56, a person or thing that comes before to indicate what follows<br /><br /><strong>effeminate,</strong> p. 58, having characteristics usually attributed to females; unmanly<br /><br /><strong>plantains</strong>, p. 63, banana<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ogbanje</span>, p. 77, a child who repeatedly dies and returns to its mother to be rebornMs. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-57487304286992613592008-09-24T21:16:00.003-05:002008-09-24T21:23:57.434-05:00More on Brave New World TestI ran an item analysis of the test, and the vocab questions were not the hardest ones on the test. In fact, only three vocab words appeared to cause problems. Most of the commonly missed questions were on details in the book. <br /><br />Anyway, your scores were posted to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Edline</span>, and I took the test out of 43 when there were 45 questions on the test. In my two classes, two students scored 44's, and two students scored 43's.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-23561817245521419092008-09-24T11:18:00.002-05:002008-09-24T11:24:41.442-05:00Vocab on test was tough . . .Being personally responsible for understanding vocabulary words in the context that an author uses them is a new idea for many of you. I know that many of you are upset about the difficulty of the vocabulary section on the <em>Brave New World</em> exam.<br /><br />I also discovered that <em>moribund</em> was a word on the test because it was a word used last year, and I neglected to delete it when I revised the test this fall. So for sure everyone gets one free point. I always take tests out of the highest score, and, in fact, if one student has such a high score, I often take the test out of the second highest score.<br /><br />After I run the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">scantron</span> exams, I will post your grades again to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Edline</span>, and you can see what the test ends up being worth for points. <br /><br />With the next book, you will continue to be personally responsible for understanding the vocabulary word in the context of the novel, and you will need to build your own definition. However, we can take more time on the words, making sure you fully understand them.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-52449729169756568292008-09-24T11:14:00.002-05:002008-09-24T11:18:17.791-05:00Brave New World Essay Assignment<p><br />John the Savage tells Mustapha Mond, “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin” (Huxley 240). <em>Brave New World</em> includes many moments like these that point to Huxley’s commentary on culture and the essential elements of being human. <br /><br />Choose two components of culture that Huxley discusses in <em>Brave New World</em>. Analyze what causes humans to need that cultural component and what the effects are on a society when that cultural component is either present or missing. Analyze the cultural component in the context of Huxley’s satirical novel. Your thesis statement should tie together the two cultural components by making a general statement about the lesson about life (a theme) that Huxley is teaching through his satire.<br /><br />Essay Checklist<br /><br />___ I have completed two multi-flow maps in my notebook that analyze the causes and effects of the two cultural components discussed in my essay.</p><p>____ My essay is two pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, with one inch margins.</p><p>____ I have included a creative title for my essay.</p><p>____ My introduction paragraph has an attention-grabbing device like an anecdote or relevant quotation.</p><p>____The book’s title and author is incorporated into a general statement in the introduction or my thesis statement</p><p>____ The thesis statement includes specific cultural components and the connection to humanity. </p><p>____ The body paragraphs have clear topic sentences.</p><p>____ Analytical statements are supported with direct quotations from the novel.</p><p>____ MLA format is used to cite all direct quotations, e.g. (Huxley 24). </p><p>_____ Body paragraphs include analysis of the point Huxley is making about being human in light of the cultural component being discussed.<br /></p><p>_____ The conclusion leaves the reader with a lasting impression by commenting on the relevance of the topics for the reader’s life. In other words, why do we care about these topics as humans?<br /> </p>Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-30558561643267148352008-09-23T19:54:00.002-05:002008-09-23T19:58:09.437-05:00Brave New World ExamsOn Wednesday, September 24, you will take a 45-question <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">scantron</span> exam on <em>Brave New World</em>. The test contains multiple choice questions on the plot of the book, a character matching section, and a matching vocabulary section. Remember to study your vocab words and check that the synonyms that you wrote are words that you understand. <br /><br />On Wednesday, September 24, you will be given a checklist for your <em>Brave New World</em> essay on Huxley's cultural ideas. Come to class on Monday, September 29 with your typed essay if you want to have a homework free homecoming week.<br /><br />The last day that I will accept the essays is Friday, Oct. 2, 2008.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305481173528922583.post-84034731602149377952008-09-12T09:01:00.002-05:002008-09-12T09:13:19.580-05:00Brave New World Film FesitvalSince the bridge map text to text and text to word analogies impressed me so much, I have decided that we need a <em>Brave New World</em> Film Festival. The festival will be held next Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19.<br /><br />Working with a partner, the two of you will decide which film sequence (of no more than 5 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">minutes</span>) captures a specific analogy that you made between <em>Brave New World</em> and the other text or world event. <br /><br />If you choose a film connection, you need to introduce the film clip by giving some background on the film and the context of the clip. You will also discuss the specific analogy at a thematic, character or plot level. Then the class will watch the clip, and a brief Q & A can follow if the class has questions.<br /><br />If your partnership chooses to make a text to personal life or text to world analogy, try to find a film clip on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">youtube</span> or elsewhere that illustrates your specific analogy. If you can't find a video or audio clip, then you will need to display a website that discusses the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">relevant</span> information.<br /><br />Your partnership may select a music video or audio file that makes an analogy between <em>Brave New World </em>and that text.<br /><br />Partnerships that select music or historical events will also include an explanation of the analogy and be prepared for a class Q & A.Ms. Roehlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630438741979663595noreply@blogger.com0