Finally, the assignment for Books 12 and 13

See the previous blog post for the assignment, which is due on Wednesday. Feel free to stop by with questions, if you have any.

Odd-day English section

You're the class that's ahead. This assignment is due on Friday (not Wednesday), Winter Carnival Day.

In Homer's Odyssey, read and annotate Books 12 and 13. Also, in a well-developed paragraph or two, answer the following question. Be sure to use evidence (with line numbers) to support your points:

Books 12 and 13 involves several lies and plans to tell lies. In these situations, what is the advantage of lying? Would it have been better to be honest in any of those situations? As you develop your response, be sure to identify who is lying and when.

Shakespeare sonnets

Over break, I'd like you to choose a sonnet to memorize. We'll work on memorization the week after you get back from break so you can present your memorized poem the week after that.

All of Shakespeare's sonnets are listed here, via MIT:

http://shakespeare.mit.edu/Poetry/sonnets.html

You can also go here to see many of the most popular sonnets (other poems are here as well; the sonnets are clearly labeled as sonnets; be sure to click "Show More"):

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-shakespeare#tab-poems

Oedipus essay

Due October 15 and 16

As Oedipus is being led away, Creon says,

                    Think no longer

That you are in command here, but rather think

How, when you were, you served your own destruction. (80)

In what ways did Oedipus “serve his own destruction”? You may not think that Oedipus is completely responsible for what happened to him, and you may address that, but your essay should definitely address the ways in which he is. 

Write a well organized essay that includes an introductory (or thesis) paragraph and at least two additional (body) paragraphs. Make clear points and use quotations from the text as your evidence, as an opinion without textual evidence has no value in this essay. 

NOTE: Share your essay with me (wpreston@mphschool.org) via Google Docs. Due before the start of class.

The readings for Monday

Those of you who had me this past Tuesday have my class again on Monday. (For those of you who are new to MPH, that may be confusing, which is why you should always look both here and at the schedule. The cycle of days moved on, even though we were away at Bryn Mawr.)

For Monday, read Chapter 11 up through verse 9. Then read chapters 12 and 13, plus 16 and 17. What arrangements or deals are made between God and Abraham? Next week, we'll finish with the Bible, for now, and move over to Greek literature.

Calendar

Always check the calendar (link at the right) for assignments.

Writing: The Inheritors

Please note that the calendar link will always be updated to provide you with dates for assignments.

Writing on The Inheritors
Assigned: Sept. 5, 6
Due: Sept. 9,10

Part 1: We discussed genre in class today. What genre or genres (it could be several) is The Inheritors? Fully explain your answer.

Part 2: What is one important idea the author wants to convey to readers? Fully explain the idea and what the writer does to make sure this idea gets across.

Each of these parts should be one clear and well-organized paragraph. Type, double-spaced, 12-pt. font (preferably Times Roman). Spell check. Reread. E-mail me or talk to me at school if you have questions.

Welcome

Yes! It's English 9!

Always check the calendar link. Homework will always be listed there.

Summer Reading

In case you didn't see this information elsewhere: The summer reading (for English, history, and biology) consists of two books. [NOTE: Be sure to check the school's website for all summer assignments.] Come to school in the fall prepared to discuss and write about those books. Annotate them; that is, take notes—in the books as well as, if you like, in a notebook. Your English, history, and biology teachers all thought there was value in both books for all of our classes. We would like you to read the books from the point of view of each of our classes.

For the English perspective, consider the following:
What is the point of view for each book? That is, what person is shaping the perspective of the book?
What kinds of information does each book present?
What ideas—both small and large—does each book convey (or try to convey)?

Neanderthals Rediscovered: How Modern Science is Rewriting Their Story, by Dimitra Papagianni and Michael Morse

• ISBN-10: 0500292043
• ISBN-13: 978-0500292044

The Inheritors, by William Golding

• ISBN-10: 0571329098
• ISBN-13: 978-0571329090

[NOTE: Check at Amazon first for the Golding book. B&N does not seem to carry it. You may have to buy a used edition or a different edition, which is fine. Sorry for the inconvenience, but Amazon does seem to be running short on copies. Don't wait to track one down!]

Complete end of the year schedule

In case you can't locate your handout, here's the complete schedule.

Assignment Schedule: Night

May 22-23: Read to p. 97; expect a brief quiz

May 24, 28: Finish the novel; there will be time in class to work on writing (see writing prompts below)

Show draft work: May 29 or 30

Further review of writing, if needed: See me again any time after that.

Final version: Any time during finals week (ends June 3-6)

Writing: Choose one of the following prompts for a five-paragraph essay that includes an introductory (thesis) paragraph and a conclusion. Every body paragraph must include details from the book, including direct quotations.

1. Reread the preface that starts on p. vii. Wiesel says, “I needed to give meaning to my survival.” What are three “meanings” or ideas that a reader should take from the book? That is, what abstract ideas, not ideas about Wiesel himself.

2. In the preface, Wiesel includes passages that he removed from the first draft of the book. Beginning on p. xi, he tells us more about his father’s death, and he says he cannot forgive himself. On p. 91 in the memoir, Elie sees a rabbi’s son abandon his father, and Elie worries that he will betray or abandon his own father. To what extent does Elie both betray and stay faithful to his father?

3. We discussed how Wiesel utilizes various motifs in his memoir. Explore how his use of motifs helps to develop characters and the book’s main ideas.

A brief survey

Follow the yellow-brick road . . . uh . . . I mean, the bluish link.





https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7f3i1duN6e8icBN0hsqk5As-YHmR82oRvDZgJVUZ4Y_IYZQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

A little Macbeth-related writing

In class on Monday and Tuesday, you generated lists of virtues. Read Act IV, sc. iii of Macbeth and consider the virtues ("king-becoming graces") that Malcolm lists in ll. 107-110. Write a response (approximately a page or two): What do you think of his list? What points might Shakespeare want to make with this list? Due on April 24/25.

Macbeth questions

As I said in class, answer these questions (which mostly require you to speculate, not summarize or analyze) before you read the first two scenes of Act II. In case you lost the handout, the questions are:

Some Macbeth Questions

1. What is the plan for killing Duncan?

2. Why might this plan succeed?

3. Why might this plan fail?

4. For the most part, the plan is Lady Macbeth’s? Why is it largely her plan and not her husband’s plan?

Writing Assignments for The Odyssey

1. For March 12/13, read “The Geography of The Odyssey.” The link is available at the website. Write a response of one to two double-spaced pages. What is your opinion of the value of the epic’s historical and geographical basis? How does the discussion in this essay shape your own understanding of whether the tale is geographically and historically reliable? How might we benefit from knowing what’s accurate about the story? Why are people so interested to discover the factual origins of The Odyssey?

2. For March 18/19, write a creative piece of at least 500 words. You have two options for this story:

          a. Create a “lost tale” of the Odyssey, something else that happened to Odysseus and his crew along the way. This could even happen after the events of the epic.

          b. Tell a story of yourself on a journey (a trip to the mall; a drive to a relative’s house), but give it Greek epic elements: gods, fate, monsters.

For either version of assignment #2, I’m not expecting anyone to write in iambic pentameter (though you can try), but I do want you to break the story into lines of approximately 10 syllables.

Odd-day Classes on Feb. 4

Hey, folks. See the blog post below about the assignment the even-day students had for books 12 and 13? Well, that assignment has finally come 'round for you. Let me know if you have any questions. Typed, double-spaced, 12 pt.! Due Feb. 6.

Even-day Class

You know who you are! You're the students who I saw on Thursday but who won't have class again until Wednesday!

In case you lost you assignment sheet or missed class, here's the homework for Wednesday (typed, double spaced, carefully checked):

In Homer's Odyssey, read and annotate Books 12 and 13. Also, in a well-developed paragraph or two, answer the following question. Be sure to use evidence (with line numbers) to support your points:

Books 12 and 13 involves several lies and plans to tell lies. In these situations, what is the advantage of lying? Would it have been better to be honest in any of those situations? As you develop your response, be sure to identify who is lying and when.

Always check the calendar

Be sure to always check the calendar. Odd day students, note that I'm expanding your assignment despite the day off. (We have to continue moving on The Odyssey . . . can't stay stuck on any one island for too long!)

Essay on Fahrenheit 451

See the links on the right hand side of the page. For your next class (Friday, Monday), you will hand in the thesis paragraph and topic sentences for each body paragraph. For the following class (Tuesday, Wednesday), the full five-paragraph essay is due.

There's a lot of flexibility on the subject of your paper, but read carefully the assignment sheet. Use the sheet on creating a thesis to remind yourself about how to construct a workable thesis.

Fahrenheit 451

We're now reading Ray Bradbury's satirical novel of the future. Always check the calendar for readings. (NOTE: If there is a snow day, check the calendar for additional reading. We can' let a snow day slow our progress through the book.) Use the bookmark as a guide to annotation.

Additional questions

Once you've turned in your group play project, you have one more thing to write on your own. Type the answers to these questions (12 pt. serif font, double-spaced).

1. What was your contribution to the research and writing of the group project?

2. What did you learn—both from whatever research you did and from the process of collaborating on this project?

Due on Tuesday/Wednesday, Oct. 23/24.