Overview from 9/29 and Assignment due 10/6

Today we discussed "The Story of an Hour" and reviewed the text dependent questions that followed. Students who missed should plan to turn that in at our next meeting (if they didn't already get it to me somehow).

We started to compare the two texts we have read before in terms of what they are trying to say about women (is the function of these texts to celebrate women or paint them negatively?). I told the students to always consider the gender of the author when making claims about the gender of characters..sometimes that is very eye opening or can add a different perspective.

FOR NEXT WEEK:
Students are to read "Trifles," a one act play. Here is the link for students who were not present:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r5OFoIPKul5nTXZ20tM7-CjLvmJl7sgD/view?usp=sharing

The students were to read this play this week and focus/annotate what the text is saying about women AND men. The text is painting both to be a certain way. Of course, additional annotations (reactions, questions, etc.) are encouraged. Also: remember that when you underline anything in the text, you should have an explanation in the margin.

I understand that students who were not present do not have a paper copy of the text. Please print it if you are able so you can annotate more easily...however, if you are unable to print, you are welcome to write down your annotations and bring them to class.....however you must find a way to document where in the text you are responding...i.e. paragraph number, page number, writing the line and the reaction, etc.

Please message me with questions. 

Overview from 9/22 and Assignment due 9/29

Today I check student annotations and questions for "Lamb to the Slaughter" before discussing the story and those questions.

HOMEWORK:
Read and annotate "The Story of an Hour" and answer the questions that follow. Students should also come to class with at LEAST ONE discussion question for the story. I told them their discussion question can revolve around literary elements/devices at play or be about character motives, how the work can mirror an aspect of society, etc. Their question should be something that can be debated with evidence by the whole class and not just a right vs. wrong or yes vs. no type of response.

Overview from 9/15 and Assignment due 9/22

Today as a class we looked at the first part of "Lamb to the Slaughter". I had students stop at different parts of the text to think about characterization, predictions, etc., and we had a spirited discussion with excellent inferences students were making. I was trying to explain to them that a lot of what there were saying in discussions would make wonderful/well developed journal entries (whereas some of them have written brief journals in the past). There is no journal due for this story, but in the future we will dive back into that.

For next week, students are to finish reading AND ANNOTATING "Lamb to the Slaughter" and answer all of the questions that follow the story. They are welcome to do this on another piece of paper if needed.

In short: at the start of next week I will be checking annotations and questions. Not having either will be unacceptable and result in a zero for that assignment.

Fall 2018 Overview

This Fall we will focus on controversial women in literature through the following:

1) Short stories
2) Dramas/Plays (one being a Shakespeare play)
3) Scenes from adapted film versions of the works (where appropriate)

Using these texts/clips, students will complete the following:

1) Annotations/interactions with the texts
2) Class discussions
3) Analytical Writing
4) Text-Dependent questions
5) Understanding of how Literary elements construct each work
6) Compare/contrast different adaptations of the same work and discuss the effectiveness of each format.

Feel free to reach out to me with questions at:
fameacademy.literacy@famefund.org

Important information for 7/25 and 7/26

7/25:

ALL Students will be presenting monologues to myself and Mrs. Green this morning between 8:40-11:40am. While they do this, we are grading their content and figuring out which questions we will be putting on the parent scavenger hunt. They will have to find a time to come to us within the time frame.

STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO MEMORIZE THEIR MONOLOGUE.

7/26:

In the morning students will be given their place to stand for the exhibit in the library. We will also give them a run down of how Friday will work in terms of getting dressed and what happens before and after the event.

Overview from 7/24 and Assignment due 7/25

Today we worked on our monologues in our Critical Literacy and History classes. The goal is for students to have their monologues finish by the end of study hours tonight (where myself and Mrs. Green will be to help them) so that they can present their monologues tomorrow. Students will be given a note card to write their monologue on when their monologue has been approved. The monologue should be written on the note card to help with tomorrow's presentation and help with memorization.

Below are questions we came up with that students are encouraged to answer in their monologue to help with their content:

If you are doing a book character:

1.       Title of book

2.       The Author

3.       Time period with brief description

4.       How old is your character?

5.       What does your character teach “us” about History?

6.       What are two conflicts your character faces?

7.       What would your character think about today’s society?

8.       What does your character represent in Critical Theories (in list below)?

9.       What does your character represent in Literary Devices (in list below)?

10.   What is one word you would use to describe your character?

Marxist

Critical Race

Feminist
Historicism

Psychoanalytical

Point of View

Characterization (Direct and Indirect/STEAL)

Irony

Mood/Tone

Types of Conflict

Plot triangle/exposition, climax, and resolution

Symbolism

Stages of Grief

Theme

                                                                       Foreshadowing

If you are doing a historical figure:

1.     Name

2.     Birthday and Death Day

3.     Birth Place

4.     Parents

5.     3 Contributions to society

6.     Time period with description

7.     What does your person teach us about history?

8.     What does your person represent historically?

9.     What are 3 things you learned from your historical figure through about their time period?

10.  In a minimum of 3 lines, tie your character into a book we read this summer.

Overview from 7/23 and Assignment due 7/24

For tonight, students should continue working on their monologues to make sure information on the history of the time period is present along with mentioning critical theories and literary devices along with the claims being made.

Today we talked about the rest of the book along with symbolism (when one thing represents another; ex. a heart represents love, a lion represents courage, a cross represents religion, etc.)

Today's discussion also focused on the Formalism Critical Theory we learned about last week.