Essay Topic and Winter Break Homework

You will write an in-class essay on one of the following. The outlines will be due in advance. Once your essays are finished, you will revise them over the break. Your final should include your outline, your draft (in-class essay), and your final, typed paper.


TOPIC CHOICES:
1) Hamlet’s madness: faked, real, or situational? So what? Does the text give clear indications, or is the issue left up to the actor and director?--- you will need to trace Hamlet's dialogue from start to finish to determine your pov on this topic. You should analyze and pay particular attention to each soliloquoy

2) Is Hamlet a tragic hero? (See me for a snippet of Aristotle’s Poetics if you choose this topic.) Consider what Ophelia, Claudius, and others say about his character.

3) Deception / Appearance and Reality
Hamlet has been called a "claustrophobic" play because of the ways the different characters spy on one another, but "spying" is only one form of deception in the play. There is also Claudius, the incestuous fratricide, playing the part of the good king, and Hamlet himself decides to "put an antic disposition on" (1.5.189). In a way, it is Hamlet's job to see through all of this deception and to discover the truth, although, to discover the truth, Hamlet himself must use deception. What point is Shakespeare trying to make by introducing all of the deception, lying, and false appearances into his play?

4) Melancholy, Madness and Sanity
Hamlet tells his mother that he "essentially [is] not in madness, / But mad in craft" (3.4.204-205) and claims to "put an antic disposition on" (1.5.189), but does he ever cross the line between sanity and insanity in the play? To complicate matters, the world of Hamlet seems insane: the king is a murderer; the queen lusts after her dead husband's brother; friends spy on friends; and one character (Ophelia) really does go insane. Could Hamlet really be sane in an insane world? And what about Hamlet's melancholy? From the beginning of the play, Hamlet is depressed, and he considers suicide several different times. What is the real cause of his melancholy? Does he ever break out of his melancholy?

Theme of Decay and Corruption
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (1.4.98). In fact, many things are rotten in the state of Denmark, and images of decay, corruption, and disease are common throughout the play. Following the conventions of tragedy, many of the characters become corrupted in some way, and, by the end of the play, all of the corrupt characters must be eliminated so that Denmark can once again be set right. Many characters in Hamlet die. In what ways is each of these characters "corrupt"? What images in the play suggest decay, corruption, or disease?

Unrequited Love

Homework for the week of December 8, 2008

Monday, December 8, 2008 Workshop Personal Statements. Please be sure to review the procedures for the workshop.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 Review Act III. Journal entry: Have you ever been the victim of unrequited love? How did you feel? Have you ever been the recipient of affection from someone whom you did not care about? How did you feel about the situation? Come prepared to discuss Act III.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Find examples of imagery that reveal decay or corruption. What effect do these images have on the reader? How would you explain Shakespeare's inclusion of these images in the play?
Thursday, December 11, 2008 Read Act IV and be sure to pay attention to your flags.
Friday, December 12, 2008 Finish reading the play and bring at least three moments or lines or speeches that you'd like to discuss in class on Monday.

Journal Entry Plotting Against You

Write about a time when you discovered that someone was purposefully plotting against you for some reason. Explain the situation. How you felt, how it turned out.

Parents and Kids

To what extent do parents have the right to "spy" on their children? What circumstances might allow or prevent this?

Thinker or Doer Journal Entry

Characterize yourself as a "thinker" or a "doer." In this respect what character in the play are you most like? How would you like to be different, or would you like to be different?

Homework for the week of 12/1/2008

Monday, December 1, 2008:
Journal Entries:Characterize yourself as a "thinker" or a "doer." In this respect what character in the play are you most like? How would you like to be different, or would you like to be different?
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Journal Entry: To what extent do parents have the right to "spy" on their children? What circumstances might allow or prevent this?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Write about a time when you discovered that someone was purposefully plotting against you for some reason. Explain the situation. How you felt, how it turned out.
Complete reading Act III.
Thursday, December 4, 2008:
Find 5 citations from the text to support the following idea: Hamlet searches contiusously for the answer to the question of whether or not he should avenge his father's death. His concern with right and wrong in religious, moral, and political terms causes him much inner turmoil.
Friday, December 5, 2008:
Find 5 citations to support the following idea: Hamlet's sanity or insanity has baffled critics for years. Even the characters in the play discuss in consistencies in Hamlet's behavior, sometimes assuming he is really insane, at other times amazed by the clarity of his thought. Read Act IV by Monday.

What's Not to be Thankful For Holiday Homework?

Find 5-10 pieces of writing with typos. Circle the typos. Write one page to include in your collection which considers the following: (these are guidelines, you are welcome to go your own way) Are people becoming more and more illiterate or is language simply evolving? What role do pictures play in literacy? Do people need a common set of writing rules to agree upon or is it ok if our individual styles guide our writing? Are people who care about grammar just being old fashioned?

Also, read Act 11 in Hamlet

Homework Week of November 10-14, 2008

Monday, November 10, 2008: Please write the one page self-reflection about the work you did as a member of the theater company. Please be sure to be specific about how you contributed to the group as a whole. Compare yourself to the other members of the group. Did you feel the work was distributed evenly or did one or two people take a heavier load? Be as honest as you can.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008: Be sure to have finished reading the first part of Mythology by Edith Hamilton.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008: In class today, we will be talking about the "So, What?" portion of an essay. For homework, please re-write your essay introduction to include some so what sentences.
Thursday, November 13, 2008: In class today, we will continue discussing the "So What" part of an essay question. For homework, please work on the revision handout you received on Wednesday. Please complete the work on looseleaf.
Friday, November 14, 2008: Complete your outlines for an in-class Essay on Oedipus Rex next Monday.

Paper Revision Policy

When it comes to writing, nothing is perfect and I want to encourage you to look back at your work and see it with fresh eyes. There is nothing like time to allow us to see mistakes and chicanery in our writing.

I have added a category to your overall grades for revision work. This will be an area where you are allowed to earn as much extra credit as you are willing to work for. I can't think of a better way to encourage you to re-visit your writing again and again and again and again and again and...well, you get the idea I hope.

All revisions must be typed, spell-checked, and submitted with the original(s) and/or additional copies of revisions. I would also appreciate a title page. I do not mind if you do the same paper 100 times! I will add additional ways to earn points as your papers continue to teach me the types of errors you are making and as I see how often and who decides to take advantage of this extra credit opportunity in AP.

Here are ways to earn points on revision work:
1) correcting MLA citation errors and grammatical errors (10 points).
2) revise/enhance/rethink order of paragraphs to enhance flow (10 points)
3) revise thesis statement and body paragraphs to reflect the new proof (10 points)
4) explain on a separate page what the overall focus of your changes consisted of and why you made them. (10 points)
5) a one-on-one conference with me about your paper (10 points--must be arranged in advance and is your responsibility)
6) revising for errors in logic (10 points)
7) revising to enhance flow, vary sentence length, include transitions (10 points)
8) revising to avoid repetition, misinterpretation, or inappropriate tone (10 points)
9) revising to incorporate voice (10 points)
10) revising introduction, conclusion and topic sentences--this will likely mean re-visiting the text to try to answer the "so what" (10 points)

Homework for the week of October 27, 2008

Monday, October 27, 2008: In class, you will be taking your final poetry exam. For homework, read pages 211-215. What is a tragedy? Mark the introduction. Pink= words you do not know. Be sure to look them up and bring in index cards with these new words on them to show me on Tuesday.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008: In class, you will be working on your poetry final exam. For homework, read pages 215-230. Use the green flags to mark the foreshadowing of the tragedy. Use pink for unfamiliar words.
Wednesday, October 30, 2008: In class, depending on the time needed, you will be finishing your exam. For homework, read pages 230-245.
Use the blue flags, to mark images, sensory details or examples of personification.
Thursday, October 30, 2008: In class, we will do an introduction to theater terms, classic drama and poetics. For homework, please finish the play (245-263). Use the green flags to illustrate examples of characterization (where we learn something about who Oedipus is as a person).
Friday, October 31, 2008: Happy Halloween! There will be a separate hand-out for the weekend's homework as it pertains to a project you'll be working on next week.

Homework for the week of October 20-25, 2008

Monday, October 20, 2008:
Bring your copies of "Hollow Man," to class on Tuesday for discussion. Please write a journal entry on the poem if you have not already. There is an online post ALREADY on the blog for your entry but not everyone has completed the work.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008:
Choose one of your essays to revise and type for a final. Be sure to use the rubric to make sure that you're using MLA guidelines for the final, typed paper.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008:
Same as Tuesday.
Thursday, October 23,2008:
Journal entry on ballad. Requires a little research. Find a ballad, read it, and respond in journal format.
Friday, October 24, 2008: Read the first 30 pages of the Independent Reading book about Mythology.

Homework for the week of 10/14/2008

Hi All,

Poetry projects are due this week and the marking period ends Friday. With that in mind, your only assignments are:
1) finish your outline for an in class essay this week
2) Choose one of your journal entries to clean up and revise to turn in for a grade.
3) Finish that project and make sure you have ALL the pieces!

Best of luck!

Lauren

Journal Entries for "The Hollow Men"

Journal Entries for "I Know How the Caged Bird Sings"

Journal Entries for "My Last Duchess"

Homework for the week of October 6, 2008

Monday, October 6, 2008: Complete your outline for the Spring sonnets that we worked on in class today. You must have a completed outline in order to take the in class essay test tomorrow. No outline, no credit.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008: Read Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess." Annotate and respond to the poem in a journal (there is a post online for you to do this).
Wednesday, October 8, 2008: Read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," by Maya Angelou. Annotate your poem and write a journal. (there is a post online for you to do this).
Thursday, October 9, 2008: No school today. For homework, complete an outline of the "Henry IV, Part Two," excerpt you have for your in class essay test on Friday.
Friday, October 10, 2008: Read "The Hollowmen," by T.S. Elliot. Annotate and write a journal entry. Be sure to have this poem with you in class on Monday, flags and all.

Journal Entries for October 1, 2008

What poem did you read? What was the structure? What was your favorite line and why? Give me something good to read here people!

Homework for the week of 9/29/2008

Reminder: Final poetry project is due typed and perfect October 16, 2008. Each late day is a letter grade off. Please continue to work on it for a few minutes each night. You won't regret doing this.

Monday, September 29, 2008: Complete the outline you were given in class. Please make an effort to leave nothing blank and to do your best work. This will count as a grade for the marking period.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008: Using the handout you were given last week, begin to properly create your annotated bibliography.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008: Read a poem from your anthologies, and write a journal entry based on what you read. Please annotate the poem, using flags, and be prepared to show me on Thursday what you read. Bring in your book.
Thursday, October 2, 2008: Bring in your music and illustrations for Sestina.
Friday, October 3, 2008: Annotate the excerpt from "Henry IV, Part II."

Teaching Terms Self-evaluation

This is your first time participating in teaching your fellow classmates or in having your classmates teach you hard stuff. You will be doing this all year. Take a few minutes to think about how you did or if you haven't gone yet, how you participated as a classmate.
1> Was your presentation creative?
2) Did you keep it short?
3) Did you define your term both out loud and on paper?
4) Did you check to make sure your classmates learned the term?

Additional questions: Were you prepared at the start of class? If not, why not?
2) Did you ask your teacher for help if you didn't understand the term you were assigned to teach? If not, why not?
For Classmates:
1) If you were watching your classmates, did you create a flashcard? Did you ask questions if you didn't understand the term?
2)Did you give your classmates eye contact and other ways of demonstrating active attention?

Homework for the Week of September 22, 2008

Monday, September 22, 2008 Answer the self-evaluation post (above this one) in the comment section about your participation and/or teaching of your first term.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008: Revise your essay again, if you would like a better grade. If you do not, choose one paragraph to revise.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008: Annotate Sestina, and prepare an illustration and bring in some music as if you were making a "soundtrack" for the poem.
Thursday, September 25, 2008: Work on your annotated bibliography using the guide you have been given in class.
Friday, September 26, 2008: Prepare the two poems and the outline you have been given for your in-class essay test on Monday. No one will be aloud to take the test if the outline is incomplete and/or the outline is not finished.

Writing Tips Part 2

1. Choose a tense and stick to it. If you begin your essay, "Wordsworth wrote," you have chosen the past tense. Your next sentence can't be "Wordsworth writes."

2. Do not switch to the 2nd person point of view. Example, "In the poem, the author chooses words to show how constraining the form of the sonnet is. Therefore, you can't be as creative if you only have ten syllables to a line!" Instead, revise the line to say,"ten syllables is too rigid a constraint to place on a form of writing intended to express creative thought." Or something like that.

3. Use topic sentences!

4. Stick to proving whatever your topic sentence promises to defend. For example, if your topic sentence says "Wordsworth uses imagery to elaborate on the restrictions of the sonnet." The rest of the paragraph should have examples and analysis of how the images are restrictive and NOTHING ELSE.

5. Use transitional phrases to move from one paragraph to another. For example, while Wordsworth seems to dislike the Sonnet, Keats on the other hand, seems to admire the form.

Telephone Conferences--Changes Posted

Telephone Conferences: Let's rotate this way until further notice...
Mondays: Manny, Frank, Katherine, Kyle
Tuesdays: Estefany, Stephanie
Wednesdays: Nadege, Jeriel, Matthew
Thursdays: Chris, Elizabeth, Jennifer

remember to call prepared with
1) what you have done
2) what is left to do
3) what you need my help with

thanks,
Lauren

Homework for the week of 9/15/08

Monday: Work on your annotated bibliographies. Remember to use the MLA format.
Tuesday: Revise your essay or finish your essay if you weren't prepared last week. Use the writing tips on the blog and make sure you have an outline and a clear thesis statement first.
Wednesday: Prepare to present your metrical term to the rest of the class.
Thursday: Respond to Sestina by bringing in a piece of music that you would set this poem to as well as an illustration or picture that you think best represents the poem.
Friday: Prepare your outline and annotations for an in class poetry timed practice test on Monday.

Writing Tips

1. Don't flatter, wax poetic, or languish praise upon the text you've read. When you say something about how "amazing" the poem was, an AP reader thinks you sound disingenuous and indicates that you lack precise words to analyze and discuss the poem.

2. Don't use a word unless you know how to use it and what it really means. So, don't say ironic when you mean sarcastic.

3. DO pre-write, outline, and generally sketch out your thoughts BEFORE you begin your essay. The more organized and clear you are about what you will say, the better your essay will flow and the more sense it will make.

4. Remember that paragraphs need topic sentences. Topic sentences should come from a clear thesis statement. Your essays should not feel like journals or thoughts on paper. They should sound formal and well thought out.

5. Don't preach. No one wants to read platitudes, aphorisms, or sermons. Instead we want to read how the author achieves something and what that something has to do with a universal question (perhaps the human dilemma).

The Lanyard

So, how does Billy Collins make us understand that we can never repay a mother's love and that that is totally ok? What devices does he use to make that message clear? Where does the tone shift? Give it your best shot!

Homework for the week of 9/8/08

Hi All,

Here are the assignments for the week. It should go without saying that you should be working independently on your research project,but, there, I said it.


Monday night 9/8/08
Using this link, http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms
create flashcards for 10 terms and bring them in Tuesday.

Tuesday: annotate the paper copy of the poem and write a journal entry for "The Lanyard." Anyone who wants a head start on this, the poem can be found here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4990320. You can also listen to a radio interview with Billy Collins if you are interested. All of this information will help you to write a better journal entry. Oh, and here he is reading the poem
http://asset.teachersdomain.org/resource/pe08.rla.genre.poetry.collinyard

Wednesday: Write a journal entry from your anthology. Try to choose a DWG and make sure it is from the 16th century this time.

Thursday: Compare and contrast the Keats and Wordsworth poems. Have both annotated and be ready to use your annotated copies for the in-class essay on Friday.

Friday: Create 6 (six) multiple choice questions in the AP format and style based on any poem we have read in class. Be prepared for your classmates to answer them and make sure you can justify and explain your answer.

Telephone Conferences: Let's rotate this way until further notice...
Mondays: Manny, Frank, Katherine
Tuesdays: Jeriel, Estefany, Stephanie
Wednesdays: Nadege, Kyle, Matthew
Thursdays: Chris, Elizabeth, Jennifer

On Toni Morrison's Nobel Prize Speech

Welcome to the newest class of AP students!

This will be your first chance to practice a journal entry. No, you don't have to answer every question below, but here are some questions to guide your thinking.

What IS this thing? What is the point of view? Who is the old woman? What is the bird? What do you think this all means? What is confusing? What does this have to do with literature anyway? What kind of writing is this--formal, informal, a little of both? Why do you think Toni Morrison is giving this speech while accepting a prize for being an amazing writer? Who do you think she is talking to? Are there metaphors? Themes? Dialogue? How many KINDS of writing can you identify? What phrases or words struck you? What did you think the tone was? How about the mood? Did it change or was it the same throughout? Were there archtypes you recognized?

Unpack!

Lauren