HONORS - Socratic Seminar Reflection

Please blog reflecting on your experience with the 3 Socratic Seminars we have held in class this semester. We did one in November, one in early December, and one in mid December. Some things you might consider in your post:

• Have you enjoyed Socratic seminars? Why/why not?
• What is easy about them? What is difficult?
• Have you improved from the first one to the most recent? If so, how?
• What have you learned from the Socratic seminars?
• Will this knowledge be helpful to you in other ways, or in other classes?

DUE - Friday, Dec. 20, 5pm

CP - Argument Paragraph #3

We recently reviewed conventions for formal writing and reviewed the distinction between claims and facts.

We also discussed and debated whether Pi chooses the right plan for Richard Parker in Chapter 57 of Life of Pi.

Now, on your blog, please write an argument paragraph answering the following question:
Does Pi choose the right plan for Richard Parker--Plan 7, "Keep Him Alive"?

Please use your observations and reasoning from our class work, and remember the following guidelines:

• no first or second person pronouns
• use present tense
• use formal language (no contractions, slang)
• include textual evidence and provide citations :-) 

DUE - Saturday, Dec. 14, 8pm
Here's the short argument structure & model we have discussed in class, for reference

CP - An Important Memory

Think of a memory that you hold dear. What is the memory? Why is it important to you?

CP - Letter of Advice

We have read through Chapter 50 of Life of Pi. Now that Pi is alone on his lifeboat with Richard Parker, please write a brief letter giving Pi advice on what to do. You may write to Pi in your own voice; first- and second-person pronouns are appropriate for this assignment.

If you'd like to try a slightly more creative alternative approach, write a letter that Pi would send to an advice columnist, if he were able to do so, at this point in the novel. (Think: what questions would it be most important for him to ask?) Then, take on the role of the advice columnist and write back to Pi.

HONORS - Argument Practice

Your assignment: to brush up on your formal argument writing skills. We've practiced argumentation in a few forum discussions and, to a lesser extent, in our most recent Socratic seminar. Let's translate those argument skills back to writing. Our first big formal essay is coming up soon!

Select EITHER Chapter 48, which we used for our close reading activity, OR the selection from our Socratic seminar, Chapters 54-57. Write an argument of one paragraph defending a claim of your choosing. Here is the Google Presentation we looked at in October, which might help you write.

Don't forget:

• no first or second person pronouns
• use present tense
• use formal language (no contractions, slang)
• include textual evidence and provide citations :-)

DUE: Monday, 12/9

CP - Argument Paragraph #2

It's time to write another argument paragraph--again, we are building an important writing skill you will need not only for your essay about Life of Pi, but for much of the writing you will do in high school and college!

The question:
Is Pi's story about the pandit, the imam, and the priest true? (This story is told in Chapter 23 of Life of Pi, p. 64-70.) As you think about your answer, consider this: Can a story be true without being factual?

Use your notes from class today, the Google Presentation we went over in class, along with your notes about writing a short argument, to help you answer this question. Review the feedback you received on your first paragraph before you begin writing!

Remember:

-indicate the text you are writing about in your topic sentence

-topic sentence serves as your thesis; answer the question

-choose evidence carefully

-follow the flow of ideas we discussed in class

-adhere to rules of formal writing! (No 1st or 2nd person, use present tense, no contractions or informal language)

DUE - Monday, 11/25

HONORS - "The Three Wise Men" in Chapter 23

Now that we've closely analyzed Chapter 23, please reflect on the truth of the story, what makes a story true, and the influence of Chapters 21-22 on the way that we perceive Pi's tale of the "three wise men" meeting his parents and informing them he is practicing three religions.

DUE - next class meeting

CP - Argument Paragraph

Now that we have talked in class about how to write a brief argument about a work of literature, it's your turn to try writing an argument yourself. Using Chapter 4 of Life of Pi (Martel 12-19), answer the following question:
What does Pi argue about zoos and freedom?

Remember:

-indicate the text you are writing about in your topic sentence

-topic sentence serves as thesis; answer the question

-choose evidence carefully

-follow the flow of ideas we discussed in class

-adhere to rules of formal writing! (No 1^st or 2^nd person, use present tense, no contractions or informal language)

DUE: Tuesday, Nov. 19

HONORS - Zoos - Confinement vs. Freedom

Using the evidence gathered for our in-class debate about whether zoos are places of confinement or freedom for animals, please write one paragraph (minimum) on your blog revealing your own views. In your blog post, be sure to compare your views to Pi's and to carefully review the evidence presented by your peers!

DUE:
Honors - 11/15

CP - Author's Note Reflection

1) Read through the notes from our Socratic Seminar:

• period 6

• period 7

2) Choose ONE of the quotations in Part B and blog your answer to the question in BLUE below the quotation you have selected. You should write a minimum of one paragraph. Be sure to reflect on the Socratic Seminar we had and review any notes you took as you read the Author's Note OR as you observed/participated in the seminar.

DUE - Tuesday, Nov. 12

HONORS - What is truth in story?

Yann Martel begins his 2001 novel Life of Pi with an Author's Note, in which an author character reveals what led him to Pi Patel and offers many ideas about writing. The author character writes that he had planned to work on his second novel in India, and "Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence" (Martel VIII).

Based on our seminar discussion of the short story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," and on your understanding of the Author's Note, please comment on this quotation from Life of Pi. Cite a specific example from your own reading experiences that either proves or disproves the idea that fiction is a "selective transforming of reality."

HONORS - Argument about "Found Objects"

Use our discussion of short arguments to write a paragraph about the story "Found Objects" by Jennifer Egan. Some possible topics for you to choose from:

• Sasha can/cannot stop stealing
• Coz is/is not helping Sasha
• Sasha wants to please Coz
• Sasha is "stuck" and cannot make progress

DUE:
per. 3 - Thurs., Oct. 16
per. 4 & 5 - Fri., Oct. 17

HONORS - "Found Objects" Creative Writing

For this assignment, you will focus on a minor character from the story "Found Objects" by Jennifer Egan. Be creative, but accurate; put yourself in the character's shoes. Choose one of the following 4 options and post a response on your blog.

1. You are Alex, and you have realized that your "I BELIEVE IN YOU" note is missing from your wallet.
• Imagine that you know Sasha took the note and confront her.
OR

• Use your reaction to realizing the note is missing to show the story of the note's meaning to you.
2. You are the woman whose wallet Sasha took in the bathroom of the Lassimo Hotel.
• Write Sasha an email that you will never send. (Imagine what message you would want to relay to Sasha if you were the wallet woman. Do you feel sorry for Sasha? Are you angry? Go with the message that feels right based on what the reader knows about the character.)
OR

• Imagine that you have returned to your hometown from your trip to New York. Tell the story of your stolen wallet to your friend.

CP - Response to the Ending of "Sonata for Harp and Bicycle"

Joan Aiken, the author of "Sonata for Harp and Bicycle," once said that "A flat or unsatisfactory ending is the worst sin a writer can commit." Is the ending of "Sonata for Harp and Bicycle" satisfactory or not? Why? If it was unsatisfactory, what would you have changed?

HONORS - "To Build a Fire" argument

Now that you have read Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire," please write a paragraph defending one of the following claims:

• The man dies because he tries to use reason to outwit nature; the dog survives because he uses instinct to work with nature.
• The man dies because he tries to use reason to outwit nature.
• The dog survives because he uses instinct to work with nature.
• The man dies because he dismisses the advice of the old-timer on Sulphur Creek.
• A claim of your choice.

Remember that this is formal writing and you should follow the guidelines we discussed last week!

Resources:

• "To Build a Fire"
• period 3 evidence
• period 4 evidence
• period 5 evidence

Toy Story

Think of a childhood toy that you loved dearly. On your blog, please write one paragraph about the toy. Some questions to consider:

• What is the toy? 
• How did you get this toy?
• Why do/did you love the toy so much?
• Describe how you feel/felt about owning the toy. 

Summer Reading Reflection

Now that we have discussed the summer reading assignment and you have re-read your summer reading essay, it is time to determine how you can improve your writing on essays this year. Please create a blog post of two paragraphs called Summer Reading Analysis. 

To help you with this assignment, please refer to the summer reading essay rubric and the Google Presentation we viewed in class.

Remember that for "Conventions," teachers looked at 3 things:
1. Pronouns - no first- or second-person. So, no "I," "me," "we," or "you"!
2. Verb tense - writing about literature should be in the present tense.
3. Informal language - there should be no contractions, abbreviations, or slang in your essays.


You will be graded on this reflection as follows:

• 9-10: thoughtful, accurate reflection on steps student should take to improve
• 7-8: thoughtful reflection on steps student should take to improve
• 6: attempt to reflect on steps student should take to improve
• 0-5: post is not complete or demonstrates little thought 

DUE:
Friday, 9/27

Writing Prompts for "This I Believe"

You will choose any three of the following writing prompts and post a response on your blog. These prompts are designed to provoke your thinking about your own views and beliefs. If you do this assignment well, you should have a strong foundation for your final "This I Believe" essay. Each response should have its own post. Please title the posts in the following format:
"This I Believe" - Prompt #

DUE:
Blog post #1: Honors - 9/20; CP - 9/23 (for HW)
Blog post #2: Honors - 9/24; CP - 9/23 (in class)
Blog post #3: Honors - 9/25; CP - 9/27

1. As a teenager, what do you believe are the most important “rules to live by”? When did you learn those “rules,” and who taught you?


2. Can you think of someone who has taught you a valuable lesson about life? Can you remember the exact moment when that lesson occurred?


3. Finish this sentence: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about life, it is...”


4. Have you ever changed your mind about something that you were previously certain about?


5. We all tend to judge people by their appearances, even though looks can be deceiving. Have you ever prejudged someone incorrectly based on appearances, or has someone ever prejudged you unfairly based on how you look?


6. Everyone has problems or challenges to overcome in life. What has been the most challenging or rewarding moment in your life?


7. Did you ever have to confront someone very different from you? If so, what happened? What did you learn?


8. Have you ever been disappointed because someone made you a promise that they failed to keep? Or have you broken a promise that you made to someone else?


9. Have you ever been in a situation when you didn’t quite have the courage to take action in a situation when you felt you should?


10. Have you ever had a “do something” moment—a time when you realized you had to take action in order to make a change happen?

HONORS - Food For Thought Response: "Failure Is An Option"

After reading the National Geographic article "Failure Is an Option," choose one of the following topics, and respond with a post on your own blog. Your post should be at least one well-developed paragraph in length. For both topics, your purpose is to explain the transition from failure to success.

Topic 1
Think of a time when you experienced failure. This experience does not have to involve school. How did you persist and adapt to learn from this failure? [REMEMBER: This will be posted on the internet, for anyone to see; think carefully before publishing!]

Topic 2
Quickly research one of the following individuals or products:

• Steven Spielberg
• Terry Fator
• Kurt Warner
• J.K. Rowling
• New Coke (Coca Cola product)
• Arch Deluxe (McDonalds product)

Explain how the individual experienced failure, or how/why the product failed. Then explain how the individual persisted to achieve success, or what the company did to learn from its failed product.

DUE: Next class meeting.

Welcome to HHS!

I look forward to working with you in English class this semester. Let's get started by setting up your blogs!

You will be doing much of your writing this year on a blog that you will create today. It is important that you complete all of the posts, as they will become a significant component of the portfolio you will put together at the end of the semester. 

1. Log into your school Google account.

2. Navigate to Blogger. (Open this site in a different tab or window.)

3. Click "New Blog" on the left-hand side of your page to create your blog.

4. Give your blog a title that follows this format: First name Last initial's English 9 Blog. For example, if your name is John Smith, your blog should be called John S. English 9 Blog.

5. Give your blog a custom URL that follows this format: First name Last initial English 9 Blog. For example, if your name is John Smith, your blog URL should be johnsenglish9blog.blogspot.com. 

6. Choose a template (you may choose whatever template you like, and you can feel free to change this later).

7. Once your blog is set up, fill out this form to make sure I have all of your blog information. THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT! I will be reading and commenting on your blog posts throughout the semester, and I will need this URL to grade your portfolio.

8. Finally, write an introductory post of one or two paragraphs on the following topic. Please use the subject line An Important Book for Me. 
Think of a book that has been meaningful in your life. In your blog post, please provide the title and author of the book and describe why it is meaningful to you. 

Please review this article about online safety for teens. Remember, you should never post personal information online! 

Cartoon from http://www.allvoices.com/cartoons/c/94263908-back-to-school

"Gold...poison to men's souls"

In a blog post of at least one paragraph, please explain your views on the following:

Is money "poison to men's souls"? 

Cite examples from your experiences and observations in your answer.

CP - Parents & Teenagers

Write about an argument (or difference of opinion) you had with your parents. What was the situation? How did you feel during the argument? What was the outcome? How did you feel after? Use these questions to get started, but treat this as an opportunity to be creative with your writing. 

HONORS - Act IV Analysis

Choose one of the following poetic techniques: repetition, imagery, or simile/metaphor. Analyze how Shakespeare uses this technique to communicate the reaction of Juliet's family to her "death" in Act IV, Scene 5.

CP - Acting without Thinking

Think of a time when you acted based on emotion--without thinking about it--and regretted what you did. Describe the situation and why you would change your decision if you could. Please remember you are publishing this online and anyone may see it.

CP - The Friar's Plan

Do you think Friar Lawrence is wise to agree to marry Romeo and Juliet? Explain, in a blog post of one paragraph.

Please be sure to begin your post with a clear topic sentence that answers the question. Be sure to follow the rules of formal writing - do not use 1st or 2nd person pronouns, and write in the present tense.

Honors - Act III, Scene 1 - Fate vs Free Will

As he is dying, Mercutio cries out, "A plague a both your houses!" (III.i.100). After stabbing Tybalt, Romeo cries out, "O, I am fortune's fool!" (III.i.130). Citing evidence from the play, argue in a blog post of at least one paragraph either that fate is or isn't responsible for Romeo's actions.

DUE: Thursday, May 2

HONORS - R&J Act II Passage Analysis

This blog post will be graded as a 10-point quiz. 

Choose one of the following passages from Act II of Romeo and Juliet: 

II.ii.1-24

II.iii.1-22

II.v.1-17

Read the passage several times. On your blog, explain the use of contrasts or oxymorons in the speech. Focus especially on light/dark or day/night imagery. Be sure your post includes an explanation of why contrasts are important to the overall themes/messages of the play.

HONORS - Act II, Scene 3 - The Friar's Plan for the Feud

For this alliance may so happy prove

To turn your households' rancor to pure love.

~Friar Lawrence, Act II, Scene 5, lines 90-91

Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in the hope that it will end the feud. Do you think his plan is wise or realistic? Please respond in the comments below. Please read your classmates' responses and build on what they have said earlier rather than repeating the same ideas many times.

Act II, Scene 2 - The Balcony Scene

Now that we have read and discussed the famous balcony scene, please view two version of the scene below. Then, in a post on your own blog, explain which you prefer and why.

Version 1: Royal Shakespeare Company, 2010, New York City

Version 2: Romeo and Juliet, dir. Franco Zeffirelli, 1968

Honors and CP - Act II Blog Posts

For each act of Romeo and Juliet, you will write 2-3 blog posts. Here are the topics for Act II:

1. After Scene 2: The Famous Balcony Scene


2. After Scene 3: The Friar's Plan

CP - Romeo and Juliet, Act I Blog Posts

For each act of Romeo and Juliet, you will write 3 blog posts. Here are the topics for Act I:

1. Pre-reading: Resistance to Change


2. After Scene 3: Elizabethan Marriage Customs


3. After Scene 5: Letter to Romeo or Juliet

Act I, Scene 5 - Letter to Romeo or Juliet

Now that they have fallen in love, Romeo and Juliet need advice! Pretend you are friends with either Romeo or Juliet. Write a brief letter offering suggestions on what they should do next. Write your letter in plain English – then, for an extra challenge, TRANSLATE IT to Shakespearean language.

Act I, Scene 3 - Elizabethan Marriage Customs

Please read about these Elizabethan marriage customs. In a blog entry of two paragraphs, please do the following:

• compare these customs to the Capulets' plans for Juliet to marry Paris
• explore your own views on the topic of marriage, as it relates to life today. How did the Elizabethans' attitudes toward marriage relate to the way we think about marriage today?

Act I, Prologue - CP - Resistance to Change

Describe something that you do simply because it has always been done that way. (In other words, there is no reason you can think of to explain your behavior.) Why have you not been motivated to change?

Should we read Shakespeare?

First, read this Washington Post blog piece, "On the Bard's birthday, is Shakespeare still relevant?"

Then, please write at least one paragraph answering the question from your own perspective. Do you think Shakespeare is still relevant? Should we read it in schools? Why/why not?

CP - Responsibility for the Death of Piggy

_____________ is responsible for the death of Piggy.
a) Roger
b) Jack
c) Ralph
d) Piggy
e) All of the above
f) None of the above

Choose one of the options, a through f, and argue that your choice is correct. If you are choosing option f, you must propose at least one other character who is responsible for the death of Piggy. You must use textual evidence in your response. This blog post will be graded as a 10-point quiz.

Begin your paragraph with a clear topic sentence. Follow all "Freshman 5" writing guidelines:

1. No first/second-person pronouns.
2. Use correct tense (literature = present; history = past)
3. Use correct citations. 
4. No casual language, contractions, or slang
5. Use commas correctly.

HONORS - Political Institutions and the People

In her essay "On Violence," described by the publisher as "an analysis of the nature, causes, and significance of violence in the second half of the twentieth century," the German philosopher Hannah Arendt wrote this:

All political institutions are manifestations of power; they petrify and decay as soon as the living power of the people ceases to uphold them.

Citing examples from current events and/or world history, argue either for or against the truth of this statement. Please consider how it applies to Lord of the Flies. You should begin your blog post with a "thesis statement" that reveals your position.

This blog post will be graded as a 20-point quiz. 

Responding to Fear

In a blog entry of approximately two paragraphs, please do the following:

• Identify something that makes you experience fear (please remember you are publishing this!)
• Describe the feeling of fear that this gives you
• When you are faced with this situation, what is your reaction--fight or flight? ("Fight" means you confront the situation; "Flight" means you run away from the situation.)
• Is one of these responses better than the other? Why?

CP - Lord of the Flies, Chapter 5: Whose Side Are You On?

You are one of the boys on the island. At the assembly, you are going to decide whether to side with Ralph or Jack. Who do you choose and why?

Use your understanding of the novel so far (Chapters 1-5) to help you think through your response.

Honors - Character Journal

On your blog, please post your first character journal. Click here to view the assignment description.

DUE: Friday, March 1

CP - Alliance?

If you were on the island with the characters from Lord of the Flies, who would you ally yourself with and why? In your response, consider personality, leadership style, and anything else you think would be relevant.

DUE: Next class meeting (Feb. 28)

ALTERNATIVE TOPIC:  Explain what Jack means by saying "we're not savages" in the following quotation from the novel: “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English and the English are the best at everything. So we’ve got to do the right things” (Golding 42). What does it mean to be "savage"--how would a savage behave? Why might Jack make a point of saying this to the other boys?

HONORS - Lord of the Flies, Chapter 2: Savagery

In chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies, William Golding twice foreshadows events that will take place later in the novel:

Jack Merridew: “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English and the English are the best at everything. So we’ve got to do the right things.” (Golding 42)

"Beneath the capering boys a quarter of a mile square of forest was savage with smoke and flame... Startled, Ralph realized that the boys were falling still and silent, feeling the beginnings of awe at the power set free below them. The knowledge and the awe made him savage." (Golding 44)


In a thoughtful post of at least two paragraphs, please explore some or all of the following questions:

• How would you define "savage"?
• What does Jack mean by saying that the boys are not "savages"?
• Why is Ralph "savage" as a result of power?
• Does power make people savage?
• What do you think Golding is foreshadowing, and why?

How you organize your thoughts is up to you. But take this as an opportunity to reflect on your reading thus far and to look into some of the important issues of the novel.

DUE: Tuesday, February 26

Reflection on Island Simulation Game

In a blog post of at least one paragraph, please reflect on today's cooperation vs competition simulation game. Some questions you might consider: How realistic is this game? How is it like real life decisions? How is it different? What lessons can this game teach you about: sharing responsibility? Forming a society?

Honors - Responding to Coral Island

Please read the following paragraph from Chapter XXI of The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne (1858) and answer the following questions:

What do you think Ballantyne is trying to show in this paragraph? What does it reveal about Great Britain in the period of British Empire in which Ballantyne lived?


Life is a strange compound.  Peterkin used to say of it, that it beat a druggist’s shop all to sticks; for, whereas the first is a compound of good and bad, the otheris a horrible compound of all that is utterly detestable.  And indeed the more I consider it the more I am struck with the strange mixture of good and evil that exists not only in the material earth but in our own natures.  In our own Coral Island we had experienced every variety of good that a bountiful Creator could heap on us.  Yet on the night of the storm we had seen how almost, in our case,—and altogether, no doubt, in the case of others less fortunate—all this good might be swept away for ever.  We had seen the rich fruit-trees waving in the soft air, the tender herbs shooting upwards under the benign influence of the bright sun; and, the next day, we had seen these good and beautiful trees and plants uprooted by the hurricane, crushed and hurled to the ground in destructive devastation.  We had lived for many months in a clime for the most part so beautiful, that we had often wondered whether Adam and Eve had found Eden more sweet; and we had seen the quiet solitudes of our paradise suddenly broken in upon by ferocious savages, and the white sands stained with blood and strewed with lifeless forms; yet, among these cannibals, we had seen many symptoms of a kindly nature.  I pondered these things much, and, while I considered them, there recurred to my memory those words which I had read in my Bible,—the works of God are wonderful, and his ways past finding out.

DUE: Next class meeting (Feb. 5)

Honors - Researching Expert Organizations

Browse the websites of the Expanded Learning Initiative (http://www.mass2020.org/node/3) and National Center on Time & Learning (http://www.timeandlearning.org/). 

Blog about your findings: 

-What are these organizations? 

-What are they trying to do? 

-Will they be successful--why/why not? 

-Are they likely to be successful in one state or region but not another? Why/why not?

CP - School Scheduling

"Hopkinton HS should:

a) keep its current schedule; 

b) adopt one of the alternative schedules from the article; or 

c) make some other change." 

Choose a, b, OR c, and write a blog post of at least two paragraphs in response. Be sure to consider how the school's schedule affects teachers, administrators (principals), students, and families.

CP - Censorship in Schools

Before vacation, we finished reading The Chocolate War, a novel that is repeatedly at the top of censorship lists in American schools. Please blog a response of at least one paragraph to the following question: Is it ever acceptable to censor books? In your answer, you should consider the content that is being censored and the grade level of the students who would be affected.