History was pretty light this week, with all of our focus on Edgar Allan Poe's works, the movie posters, themes, and our own Faux Poes. But, if you missed class today or want a refresher on the Lousiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson's "unconstitutional" move to expand the U.S., and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, you can find those topics on the Crash Course video I posted yesterday. As far as homework for this week, I'll make your list. :)
1. Finish your Faux Poe poem and type it up. Bring in a copy to class next week. We are going to put these with our movie posters for our Parent's Night in November.
2. Finish your Movie Poster, if you didn't finish it in class. Be sure to bring it into class next week. We are going to "frame" it and attach your poems. (See above)
3. Write a 1-2 page paper on the THEME of one of Poe's works we have read in class. Remember, themes are not generic fortune-cookie responses. No "What comes around goes around" cliches. Dig deeper. What is Poe's message to us? Good themes are provable. Remember the annotations we did in class. What quotes or scenes support the theme you've chosen? I will have some more information on this paper to follow.
4. Read Nathaniel Hawthorne “The Wives of the Dead” pp. 60- 66 in American Short Stories. This story is short, so read deeply. Be prepared to discuss the theme, any symbols, metaphors, allusions, etc.
5. For history: The Embargo Act of 1807, Factors leading to War of 1812 (British Impressment of Americans, British Alliance with Native Americans, British refusal to give up forts, competition over North American fur trade); Monroe Doctrine, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson’s political rivalry. Pick two and research them. Wikipedia is fine. We will fill in gaps in class. You do not need to write academic paragraphs here, but you do need to show me your work. So, take notes as you read.
6. Edgar Allan Poe Scavenger Hunt worksheet. Complete this and turn it in next week.
We will have a visitor coming into class on October 17th. Forressa Harrison is a Spoken Word poet that often performs pieces on social justice, racism, and other issues. Now, you may not agree with her position. But that's not the point. I want you exposed to many positions. I want you to see Spoken Word performed live. I will likely have many poets come in from time to time and I ask that you honor each person's voice with kindness and respect. Feel free to ask her questions about her position. I believe in dialogue and discussion. I think we can all learn from each other. But make sure you are at all times respectful and kind. I have seen her perform and I think she is pretty amazing. Her poetry comes from her own experiences and I believe that words can change the world. She will show us how she tries to do just that with her words. We can learn a lot from poets. They can argue their position in some of the most eloquent ways. What allusions is she making? Is she using free verse or rhymes? What metaphors can you note? What is her message (theme)? Does she give you something new to think about?
Now for your paper:
You will need to start with some kind of introduction. Introduce the writer with one or two sentences. For example, "Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer best known for his short stories and poetry. Most of his work is dark, mysterious, and full of horror."
After you introduce the writer, introduce the poem or short story you want to write on. You can easily transition from your introduction above with a simple move like: "One of his most horrific stories is "The Black Cat." Notice I used quotations here. Short things are in quotations, long are in italics. We aren't writing on novels, so let's make sure that all of our responses follow the quotation rule. Poems and short stories are in quotations. Also, follow the capitalization rules used in the story. If "black" is capitalized by Poe, then you also capitalize it.
After introducing your piece, you want to give me a couple of sentences summarizing the basic story. Then move into your claim. This is also called a "Thesis statement." For this particular assignment, you are looking at the theme. What is the theme of the piece you have chosen? What is Poe's message? How are you going to prove it?
Your next paragraph will begin with a topic sentence (or claim) and then you will follow this with supporting sentences that prove your point. This is where the RENNSQQ and academic paragraph model will help you. By that third sentence, you should be moving into textual evidence. In fact, any literary analysis that does not use textual evidence will be returned for you to redo. You cannot discuss and prove your position without using the text as solid evidence.
Any subsequent paragraph will do the same thing as above, using more evidence to prove your position.
Finally, add a conclusion. This paragraph might only be a few sentences long.
I will find an example essay, although it might be a little longer than you need to write. For this assignment, 1-2 pages, double-spaced, TYPED, and proper MLA headings and citations are required. If you would like to write longer, you are welcome to. If you have questions, please ask. But please don't wait until Monday evening to write your paper. I'm in class Monday evenings and I won't be able to help you then.
1. Finish your Faux Poe poem and type it up. Bring in a copy to class next week. We are going to put these with our movie posters for our Parent's Night in November.
2. Finish your Movie Poster, if you didn't finish it in class. Be sure to bring it into class next week. We are going to "frame" it and attach your poems. (See above)
3. Write a 1-2 page paper on the THEME of one of Poe's works we have read in class. Remember, themes are not generic fortune-cookie responses. No "What comes around goes around" cliches. Dig deeper. What is Poe's message to us? Good themes are provable. Remember the annotations we did in class. What quotes or scenes support the theme you've chosen? I will have some more information on this paper to follow.
4. Read Nathaniel Hawthorne “The Wives of the Dead” pp. 60- 66 in American Short Stories. This story is short, so read deeply. Be prepared to discuss the theme, any symbols, metaphors, allusions, etc.
5. For history: The Embargo Act of 1807, Factors leading to War of 1812 (British Impressment of Americans, British Alliance with Native Americans, British refusal to give up forts, competition over North American fur trade); Monroe Doctrine, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson’s political rivalry. Pick two and research them. Wikipedia is fine. We will fill in gaps in class. You do not need to write academic paragraphs here, but you do need to show me your work. So, take notes as you read.
6. Edgar Allan Poe Scavenger Hunt worksheet. Complete this and turn it in next week.
We will have a visitor coming into class on October 17th. Forressa Harrison is a Spoken Word poet that often performs pieces on social justice, racism, and other issues. Now, you may not agree with her position. But that's not the point. I want you exposed to many positions. I want you to see Spoken Word performed live. I will likely have many poets come in from time to time and I ask that you honor each person's voice with kindness and respect. Feel free to ask her questions about her position. I believe in dialogue and discussion. I think we can all learn from each other. But make sure you are at all times respectful and kind. I have seen her perform and I think she is pretty amazing. Her poetry comes from her own experiences and I believe that words can change the world. She will show us how she tries to do just that with her words. We can learn a lot from poets. They can argue their position in some of the most eloquent ways. What allusions is she making? Is she using free verse or rhymes? What metaphors can you note? What is her message (theme)? Does she give you something new to think about?
Now for your paper:
You will need to start with some kind of introduction. Introduce the writer with one or two sentences. For example, "Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer best known for his short stories and poetry. Most of his work is dark, mysterious, and full of horror."
After you introduce the writer, introduce the poem or short story you want to write on. You can easily transition from your introduction above with a simple move like: "One of his most horrific stories is "The Black Cat." Notice I used quotations here. Short things are in quotations, long are in italics. We aren't writing on novels, so let's make sure that all of our responses follow the quotation rule. Poems and short stories are in quotations. Also, follow the capitalization rules used in the story. If "black" is capitalized by Poe, then you also capitalize it.
After introducing your piece, you want to give me a couple of sentences summarizing the basic story. Then move into your claim. This is also called a "Thesis statement." For this particular assignment, you are looking at the theme. What is the theme of the piece you have chosen? What is Poe's message? How are you going to prove it?
Your next paragraph will begin with a topic sentence (or claim) and then you will follow this with supporting sentences that prove your point. This is where the RENNSQQ and academic paragraph model will help you. By that third sentence, you should be moving into textual evidence. In fact, any literary analysis that does not use textual evidence will be returned for you to redo. You cannot discuss and prove your position without using the text as solid evidence.
Any subsequent paragraph will do the same thing as above, using more evidence to prove your position.
Finally, add a conclusion. This paragraph might only be a few sentences long.
I will find an example essay, although it might be a little longer than you need to write. For this assignment, 1-2 pages, double-spaced, TYPED, and proper MLA headings and citations are required. If you would like to write longer, you are welcome to. If you have questions, please ask. But please don't wait until Monday evening to write your paper. I'm in class Monday evenings and I won't be able to help you then.
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