Class Dec 21 & 22

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

We started a Short Story Unit that includes reading five short stories and completing an assignment for each.

State Core Walkaway: Compare plot structures in works of literature (e.g., plot within a plot, multiple points of view, stream of consciousness).

Today we read/listened to audio of "SantaLand Diaries" by David Sedaris (short audio version from NPR) and did an assignment that illustrates why this story is an example of "stream of consciousness."

Class Dec 17 & 18

BELLWORK: Guess the Comma Rule 

CRUCIBLE COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER (last day!)
Comma spotlight--

• comma song
• comma PowerPoint
• comma quiz 

Writing Lab--revise paper for punctuation, print, and staple to the top of peer reviews from last time.This is the last day we're working on the paper in class, but you can work on it at home until next time. If I don't get your paper in before Christmas break, it will be late.

Class Dec 15 & 16

YOUR WRITER'S NOTEBOOK: If you were absent, get a pink "Writer's Notebook Evaluation" form, fill it out, put it inside your Writer's Notebook, and put it in the "Absent" basket so I can give you your points.

THE CRUCIBLE COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER:

• Peer Reviews
• Revision in the Writing Lab
  

Class Dec 11 & 14

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS--today was the last day to present. Students turned in Words, Words, Words!!! and Lyrics Presentations Log (20 points).

THE CRUCIBLE COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER--

How do you cite sources in MLA Style? This "MLA Style Information" handout should remind you.

Writing Lab--print 2 copies (before bell rings) for peer reviews next time.

Book chats--10% of your grade

You are required to read 500 pages this term on your own--reading of your choice. When you finish a book, see me before/after school or during Advisory for a five-minute "book chat," and then I'll give you your points for reading this term. Please finish this up as soon as possible. The last week of the term is the week after Christmas break.

Crucible Compare/Contrast Paper Schedule

PAPER SCHEDULE

Dec 9 (A-day) & 10 (B-day) (Wed and Thurs)
Continue drafting paper.

Dec 11 &14 (Fri and Mon)
Finish drafting paper; print two (2) copies for peer reviews next time.

Dec 15 & 16 (Tues and Wed)
Peer reviews in classroom; revision in Writing Lab.

Dec 17 & 18 (Thurs and Fri)
Editing skills in classroom; revision in Writing Lab; print final draft for grade.

Class Dec 9 & 10

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS

CRUCIBLE COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER

We reviewed the Grading Rubric I will use to grade this paper, and then worked in the Writing Lab on the paper.

Class Dec 7 & 8

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS

If you have not yet presented, you must ready any day the rest of the term. If I call on you and you're not ready, you'll receive a 0. If you still want to present for late points, there may or may not be time at the end of the term--no guarantees!

CRUCIBLE COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER

I continue to be amazed at how often the tragedy of The Crucible replays itself out in other times and situations. In class, I showed the trailer to the recent movie The Stoning of Soraya M. The movie is based on a true story about a woman who was stoned by her village in 1990 in Iran for being an adulteress. However, her accusers only had a shred of evidence and based their accusations on lies--she was actually innocent. Once Saraya was accused, just like in The Crucible, the men in the village had a hysterical mob-like reaction and anxiously came together to stone her. Here is the link to the trailer. I don't recommend that you watch the entire movie because it's very gory and is rated R, and besides you can get a feel for the situation in the trailer.

For most of the class period, students continued working on their papers in the Writing Lab. Students printed at the end of the hour for participation points (10 points possible).

Class Dec 3 & 4

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS

WRITING SKILLS: CRUCIBLE COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER handouts (hand-drawn handouts that aren't linked here--get them from me).

• "Smartie" New Moon sample paper organization.
  
• "Smartie" Paper--your paper can be organized like a "Smartie" candy. The twists at the top and bottom represent the introduction and conclusion. The candy in the middle represents the "body" of the paper. The body of the Crucible paper is just two paragraphs in which you compare two things--the Crucible and whatever you've chosen to compare it to. For ideas, check blog post below.
• Hamburger paragraph--each body paragraph should be organized like a double cheeseburger. Start with a topic sentence (bun); add lettuce to introduce your first example/specific detail; the first burger is your first example/specific detail; follow with cheese which is commentary that explains your example to the reader; transition (middle bun) to next example; add lettuce, burger, cheese again ; finish with a bottom bun--concluding sentence. Use your colored pencils to color this hamburger.
  

HIGHLIGHTING ACTIVITY
Highlight sample paragraphs. On the back of this handout, practice finding the parts of a double cheeseburger paragraph by coloring sentences in the same colors you used to color the hamburger above.

PREWRITING
Use blank "Smartie" to outline how you'll write the body paragraphs in your own paper.

WRITING LAB
Write one of the body paragraphs for your Crucible paper, print, staple to the highlighted paragraphs, and turn in (10 points).

Class Dec 1& 2

BELLWORK: The Crucible Act 4 reading quiz

THE CRUCIBLE COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER:

• McCarthy and the Red Scare (movie trailer--Good Night and Good Luck)
• Paper topic
• Paper organization
• Writing Lab
• choose topic and research (if needed)
• create a Word doc--outline organization
• write a thesis statement
• start writing body paragraphs
  

Class Nov 24 & 30

BELLWORK: The Crucible, Act 3, reading quiz.

CAUSE\EFFECT NOTES (POWERPOINT): Add to the list of reasons for why a religious community would hang nineteen people and two dogs for witchcraft.

THE CRUCIBLE DVD: We watched the final act, Act 4, of The Crucible.

COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER TOPICS: see post below that lists the connections we discussed.

HOMEWORK:

• Read The Crucible, Act 4.
• Continue Reading Log reading (500 pages individual reading required this term).
  

Class Nov 20 & 23

BELLWORK: Paragraph puzzle. Arrange the 7 sentence strips so they create a cohesive paragraph. If you're doing this at home, write the sentence numbers on a piece of paper, bring it to me, and I'll tell you if you got the correct order. This activity is a follow-up to our work last time about writing strong paragraphs--a good body paragraph starts with a topic sentence and ends with a concluding sentence. In between, use "commentary" to introduce examples and quotes and use "commentary" again to explain the examples and quotes.

IRONY ACTIVITY: Study the four examples in this activity. Write your answer on an index card and give it to me.

CRUCIBLE READING QUIZ (23 points): Answer multiple choice and fill in the blank questions about Acts 1 & 2.

CRUCIBLE DVD: We watched to the end of Act 3. Next time we'll finish.

HOMEWORK:

• Read The Crucible, Act 3. Every student should have his/her own copy of the play checked out from the Writing Lab. Reading quiz next time.
  
• Reading Log reading.
  

New Moon midnight showing

The midnight showing of New Moon took in more money than any previous movie. Read the story.

Crucible paper: ideas for compare/contrast

1. "Churches denounce child witches"
2. On Thursday, November 19, in Provo, a University of New Mexico soccer player gets violent against BYU. ESPN commentators wonder why her teammates and her coach didn't react.
3. Rules of women under the Taliban.
4. Pat Tillman, former Arizona Cardinals player, left the NFL after 9/11 to fight in Afghanistan. Shortly afterwards, he was killed by friendly fire.
5. Senator McCarthy and the Red Scare: in the early 1950s, some Americans feared that Communists might take over the world and were beginning to infiltrate the United States.
   
6. Current DNA evidence sometimes exonerates innocent people who were in prison.You could examine the case of Jamie Bain who was recently released after spending 35 years in prison for a 1974 rape he didn't commit.
   
7. Cleveland riots in reaction to LeBron James "taking his talents" to the Miami Heat.
8. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114308726 "Number of Arrests Growing in California Gang Rape"

Class Nov 18 & 19

BELLWORK: Identify main parts of paragraph. On the back of "The Crucible Comparison/Contrast Paper"  you'll find a sample paper written by a student last year. The paper is titled "The Crucible and Me." Use three colors to highlight the sentences in paragraphs 2 & 3 of "The Crucible and Me."  These are the parts of the paragraph I want you to identify (use whatever 3 colors you want):

• pink = topic sentence and concluding sentence
• brown = concrete evidence (a quote or an example)
• green = commentary (comments)

GROUP/CLASS ACTIVITY: On a piece of binder paper, write "What are the causes of the trouble in Salem?" at the top. Then make two columns: label the left one "Causes" and the right one "Effects." In the "Effects" column, write--Nineteen people and two dogs are hanged for witchcraft. Now try to complete the left column by thinking of "causes" or reasons for this tragedy.

WRITING LAB: Check out your own copy of The Crucible. You will be reading Acts 2, 3, and 4 at home.

HOMEWORK:

• Read The Crucible, Act 2. Reading quiz next time.
• Reading Log reading--500 pages total this term. When you finish a book, see me for a "book chat." This assignment is 10% of your final grade.

THE CRUCIBLE DVD: continued watching; we are in Act 2.

Internet sites about The Crucible

The Crucible is based on a historical event, and the playwright Arthur Miller used actual court documents to write the play. This site has links to actual documents (like arrest warrants) and transcripts of what was actually said in court.

This is an attractive interactive National Geographic site. Students enter the world of The Crucible and make choices similar to the choices the characters in the play make.

This site has information about The American Colonial Period, McCarthyism, and Puritanism and includes links to various historical information--good for research.

This site called Which Witch if Real? allows you to enter the lives of characters such as Rebecca Nurse. You can see a photograph of her house (which is still standing today in Salem).

Class Nov 16 & 17

BELLWORK: Writer's Notebook entry--choose a topic from the Acts 2 & 3 writing prompts and write a page.

BOOK REPORT BOOK: I sent around a sign-up list. I want to know what you're reading for your "book chat" with me. This Friday is mid-term. If you don't have a book yet, GET ONE and START READING!

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS

THE CRUCIBLE:

• turn in homework--"Churches denounce child witches" article
• turn in Act 1 questions
• watch DVD to one hour point
  

Class Nov 12 & 13

BELLWORK: Choose one of the Act 1 topics listed on "The Crucible Comparison Paper" (last page in The Crucible  packet) and write a page about it in your Writer's Notebook.

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS

HOMEWORK: Read Associated Press article "Churches denounce African children as 'witches'" and answer 8 questions.

CRUCIBLE ACT 1 READING QUIZ: Identify speaker of 4 quotes and draw inferences about the meaning of the quotes. If you missed this quiz, see me during Advisory or before/after school.

CRUCIBLE DVD: We watched about 30 minutes and will continue next time.

"Agitated BYU football fans get personal"

Class Nov 10 & 11

BELLWORK

• Choose a piece of colored paper that you feel represents your personality.
• Cut it into a shape that you feel represents your personality.
• On one side, write your name and why you chose the shape you did.
• On the other side, use your "Sample Character Traits" handout to choose character traits you think you have and write them down.
• Staple to the top of "Geometrically Shaped Characters."

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS

THE CRUCIBLE

Finish Act 1.

• Complete "Geometrically Shaped Characters" by listing character traits along with a personality shape and color  for each of the 8 characters. Turn in.
  
•  Answer "Questions for Act 1 of The Crucible" (it's on the back of the front cover the The Crucible packet. You don't have to answer Q 7 yet). Turn in.
  

Class Nov 6 & 9

BELLWORK

Bananagrams. Students wrote one of the words they created on an index card. Then students searched the word's origin in the dictionary. I want students to list ALL the origins. For example, the word "cheese" is listed first as ME (Middle English), but before that it was OE (Old English), and before that Grm (Germanic), and before that IE (Indo-European), and, finally, before that L (Latin). All of these origins are listed in the dictionary.

LYRICS PRESENTATIONS

THE CRUCIBLE

• Main characters--I drew a chart on the board that showed how all the main characters are connected to each other, and students took notes. If you weren't in class, get these notes from someone in the class or see me.
• Act 1--read to the part where Reverend Hale enters. If you need to catch up, please check out a copy of The Crucible from Mrs. Palmer in the Writing Lab.

HOMEWORK

• Reading Log reading of your choice. As soon as you finish a book, see me before or after school for a book chat.
• Prepare your Lyrics Presentation.
  

Class Nov 4 & 5

BELLWORK (no A-day bellwork due to assembly schedule): write a Writer's Notebook response to this prompt--How would you feel if you came home and your house had burned in a fire? What would you miss most?

READ PURITAN POEM by Anne Bradstreet (textbook pp. 69-70): refer to the yellow "Character Traits" handout you should have in your binder. Based on your reading of this poem, make a list of character traits Bradstreet seems to have.

ASSIGNMENT--NOTES (on binder paper): I showed a PowerPoint presentation called "Puritan Characteristics." Students took notes. If you missed class, do some research on the internet about Puritans. Make notes about their religion, Calvinism, their domestic life, their work and industry, how they disciplined their children, etc.

EXTERNAL TEXT FEATURES: look at The Crucible in our textbook, pages 825-887. On the other side of your binder paper notes about Puritans, list at least 5 external text features before we start reading the play. Examples: picture of a dirty man and woman, bold font to highlight the character names in the dialogue of the play, captions, graphic boxes with information about the setting, etc.

TURN IN the binder paper notes and list (5 points).

THE CRUCIBLE: we viewed the first 8 minutes of the play on DVD and then listened to an audio of the first few pages of Act 1. If you missed class, you can check out a copy of The Crucible from the Writing Lab and read the first three pages of Act 1.

Class Nov 2 & 3

BELLWORK: "What do you think?" Get this assignment from me. Consider which statements you agree with.

CLASS DISCUSSION of "What do you think?"

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS packet: we graded the last two pages together and turned them in: "Reading Comprehension: New Words" (13 points).


PURITAN CULTURE: Read a paragraph from Jonathan Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God" and complete "Jonathan Edwards: Puritan Preacher" (5 points). You need the textbook to do this assignment.

We're starting The Crucible this week

The same year that Fahrenehit 451 was published (1953), playwright Arthur Miller wrote his play The Crucible. The Crucible tells the story of the Salem Witch Trials that actually took place in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. Go to this link to see pictures and learn more about this historical event.

Class Oct 27 & 28 and Class Oct 29 & 30

"WORDS, WORDS, WORDS!!!" Packet (find links below)

On these days in class, we worked on a short unit meant to practice these State Core objectives:

1. Evaluate how words from various origins impact text.
2. Determine word meaning through contextual inference.

BELLWORK: Choose one of the "ABCs of Life" on the front cover of the packet and write for five minutes about it in your Writer's Notebook.

CLASS ACTIVITY: Take notes on "Song Lyrics and Cultural Origins."

Latin-based word: an English word based on a word that was originally Latin.
 Examples: cheese, mile, street, tile, cup, hymn, priest, bishop
Greek-based word: an English word based on a word that was originally Greek.
Examples: hypothesis, crisis, technical, colon
Street slang: words made up on the street that have meaning to those who use them.
Examples: bro, dawg, hobo, cool beans, 
Dialect: words understood by people in a particular geographic area or people of a particular ethnicity.
chips, pram, sluff, heck, top o' the mornin', cracker
Ethnic term--words that originally come from foreign countries but that we've adopted in English.
Examples: burrito, crepe, kindergarten, laissez-faire

LYRICS PRESENTATION: if you missed the sign-up dates for this presentation, see me. Here is the log that you'll need to record information during the presentations.

INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGES genealogy:
1. Find English and trace its ancestry up to the top with a highlighter.
2. Add this definition at the top of the sheet: "language family that was spoken starting around 1000 BC in Europe and parts of SW and S Asia.

ORIGIN OF "resurge": highlight the word, highlight the L, look inside the front or back covers of the dictionary to see what L means. Answer questions.

FOLLOW PACKET DIRECTIONS TO COMPLETE Practice 1, 2, and 3. Get copies of the two articles from me; I don't have a link to them yet.

HOMEWORK:

1. Find a new book to read.
2. Work on Lyrics presentation.
3. Finish "Words" packet--due Nov 2/3.

UEA in Nashville

Class Oct 23 & 26

END OF TERM 1

FAHRENHEIT 451:

• Watched selected scenes from the Francois Truffaut (director) 1966 film version.
• Turned in "Motto and Seal"

TEACHER CONFERENCES:

• Reviewed grade and Term 1 assignments.
  

Class Oct 21 & 22

BELLWORK: Writer's Notebook response--

List the wars you've been aware of during your lifetime. Then list other wars you've learned about. Write your impressions about which of these wars were/are worth fighting.

BUSINESS:

• Fahrenheit 451 Part 3 Study Guides (21 points) will not be late if turned in this week. If you need a book to finish the Study Guide, check one out from Mrs. Palmer in the Writing Lab.
  
• Book Report/Reading Log (10% of your T1 final grade)--these were due Oct 19 & 20. If you have not yet done this assignment or turned it in yet, please finish it and put it in the Late box.
• As per the syllabus, all late work turned in the last two weeks of each term is only worth 1/2 credit. Late Book Reports/Reading Logs, however, can receive as high as 75%.
• As per school policy, go to Attendance School if you have more than 4 tardies or more than 4 absences. See me or email me with any questions: pharline@alpine.k12.ut.us

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Consolidate and synthesize connections between texts, between texts and self, and between texts and different world connections.

FAHRENHEIT 451 THEME--war

PowerPoint presentation. A summary: basically, Bradbury wrote F451 in 1951 just after witnessing WWII and the start of the Korean War. A theme near the end of his book seems to be that we need to remember what we've learned from past wars in order to avoid future wars. My PowerPoint included black and white photographs from the WWII bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Korean War, and Vietnam. The PP ended with this quote from Granger to Montag at the end of the F451: "When [people] ask us what we're doing, you can say, 'We're remembering.' ...And someday we'll remember so much that we'll build the biggest steamshovel in history and dig the biggest grave of all time and shove war in and cover it up" (164).


Silent discussion. Students moved about the room writing answers on poster paper. If you do this at home, write answers to the following questions on a piece of paper:

• Why does Bradbury say that "remembering" would help us bury war? What does he mean?
• Explain your reasons for believing that the United States is mostly a peaceful nation OR mostly a warlike nation.
• Explain why you believe it would be possible OR impossible for the United States to bury (or stamp out) war.
• Explain why you think Montag did OR didn't do the right thing when he killed Beatty.
• At the end of F451, Montag and some professors are living in the country. If you could be the people in the country OR the people in town, which would you be and why?
• Could Montag be considered a hero? Why OR why not?

Motto and Seal. This activity is meant to help students synthesize ideas about war and connect them to F451. Here's the link to the assignment:
Motto and Seal assignment

Class Oct 19 & 20

BELLWORK: Writer's Notebook entry:

Respond to the following quote and/or prompt. Then trade your notebook twice and comment on your neighbors' entries.

• "Masquerading as a normal person day after day is exhausting."
  
• Explain what you wish you could be for Halloween if you could be anything (provide details).

TURN IN BOOK REPORT, PINK BR ASSIGNMENT PAPER, AND READING LOG--If you don't have one of these, wait to turn them all in at once. Don't forget that a parent/guardian is supposed to sign your Reading Log.

FAHRENHEIT 451: SSR time to finish reading the book and complete the Study Guide. If you don't finish by today, check out a copy of the book from Mrs. Palmer in the Writing Lab. If you turn in the Study Guide this week, it won't be late. The Study Guide is worth 21 points and counts toward your Term 1 grade.

Student utopias you should look at--

Techno Town
Pokemon Utopia
Cloud Nine Utopia
Fighting Pokemon Utopia
Stabtopia
A utopia where JoshHamni rules...
Greensville--living in harmony with our planet
Youtopia
Ecotopia--get away from our trash
If you'd like to live in a video-game world...
A Super Hero Utopia
Heavy Metal Society
Niwa--Garden Society
"Happy Town"
Obamaville
Garbagio
A Disciplined Sports World
An Island Paradise
Shytopia
Here's Hitler
Giessencis
Ecodystopia
Candyland 
Marvel DC
Liv-n-oasis
Assaultweaponsylvania

Book Report assignment

Have fun reading over the UEA holiday...BOOK REPORTS AND READING LOGS ARE DUE Oct. 19 (A-day) and Oct. 20 (B-day). These two assignments make up 10% of your grade. Also, if you read/record over 1000 pages in your Reading Log, you will receive 10 extra credit points. If you need a copy of the Book Report assignment, click on the link below.


Book Report: Planning a Party for a Character

If you need another Reading Log, click on the link below.

 http://docs.google.com/View?docID=dmr756n_2f7k2bcg5&revision=_latest

Oct. 13 & 14

BELLWORK: ACT practice test questions 37-45.

BUSINESS:
1. If you checked out a Fahrenheit 451 book from me, please return it.
2. I collected Fahrenheit 451 party invitations.
3. Next time, I will again give you time to read Fahrenheit 451 on your own in class. If you will not finish by next time, please go to the Writing Lab and check out a copy of  the book from Mrs. Palmer so you can read outside of class. If you think you will finish (or you have already finished), I expect you to bring your own book to read during class next time.

HOMEWORK: BOOK REPORTS AND READING LOGS due next time. I gave out the Book Report assignment in class and explained it. If you don't have the assignment, you can get it at the link below.

http://docs.google.com/View?docID=dmr756n_0dbntkr2f&revision=_latest

If you need another Reading Log, there's a link to it on the post above this one.

SSR (Silent Sustained Reading): During the rest of class, students continued reading Fahrenheit 451 and completing "Fahrenheit 451: Part III Study Guide." Turn in the Study Guide as soon as you finish it. If you need this assignment, there's a link to it on this post: Class Oct. 7 & 8.

Extra Credit

Reading Log: If you read 1000+ pages, you'll receive 10 extra credit points.

Class 9 & 12

I will be gone Friday, Oct. 9, to travel to Seattle to see my daughter run. Be nice to the sub : )

BELLWORK: Read magazine/newspaper article (in class, I'm providing a choice of three articles; if you're absent, read a magazine/newspaper article of your choice). Complete "Magazine and Newspaper Comprehension" form.

GROUP ACTIVITY: Share your Fahrenheit 451 party invitations with all the people at your circle of tables. Explain why you made the choices you made when creating the party and invitation.

FAHRENHEIT 451 SSR READING TIME: You are on your own to complete the Study Guide and finish the book. If you finish, read your own book.

HOMEWORK:
1. Your-choice reading. Record the pages in your Reading Log. You should have 500 pages read by Oct. 19 (A-day) or Oct. 20 (B-day).
2. Next time, I'll be giving the Book Report assignment to do at home; it's due the same day as the Reading Log.

Class Oct 7 & 8

BELLWORK: ACT sample test questions 31-36.

BLOGTOPIAS DUE: complete white slip of paper that 1) gives me your URL so I can read your blog, and 2) has your evaluation of your own work and your partner's work.

THE CHARACTER TRAITS OF FAHRENHEIT CHARACTERS:
1. Complete "Character Traits" rubric.
2. Work with your group to complete "Planning a Party for Fahrenheit 451 Character" (link below).
3. HOMEWORK--make an invitation to the party you've planned.

Planning a Party for a Fahrenheit 451 Character

FAHRENHEIT 451 READING: complete Part III Study Guide while reading pages 113 to the end. If you need a copy of this assignment, click on the link below.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYsZSMpeAyutZG1yNzU2bl84aGs0YzRoYzk&hl=en

HOMEWORK
1. Party invitation
2. Reading Log reading (due Oct 19/20)
3. Bring SSR book to read (if you finish Fahrenheit 451)

An electronic mother

When my husband and I were in San Francisco a couple of weekends ago, we rode the air train at the airport. At each stop, a pleasant female voice would say, "Arriving at _______ stop. Please check around you for any personal belongings and watch your step." Although nothing is wrong with having an electronic reminder, I still thought of how Bradbury writes in Fahrenheit about his fear that technology would make our society more and more impersonal. Who was the voice? She seemed like she cared about the people on the train, but she wasn't real. It reminded me of the robot friend drawing I showed in class.

Mildred's friend's view of war vs. some realities

In Fahrenheit 451, Mildred's friend's husband is in the military, but she doesn't worry about him dying because, as she says, it's always somebody else who dies. Today while driving home from school, I heard this interesting radio interview about a man who keeps track daily of how many American casualties we have in Afghanistan and Iraq. He logs them on a website called icasualties.org His goal seems to be to make Americans think about each soldier we lose.   

Mildred's friend also believed that if her husband were killed, she wouldn't cry but would just marry again. We know from reading Fahrenheit that the people living in their society don't like to feel real emotion because it might be painful.This NPR story explains the strains that the war puts on marines' marriages.

Blogtopia contest

When I get your blogspot URLs, I'm going to attach their links here so you can view them all. Under "Comments" I'd like you to "vote" for your favorite one.

Ray Bradbury did not like fantasy

Fahrenheit 451 is science fiction. Science fiction's domain is the possible; fantasy is the realm of the impossible.

Bradbury uses several metaphors to describe the difference between science fiction and fantasy:

1. "Science-fiction is the law-abiding citizen of imaginative literature, obeying the rules, be they physical, social, or psychological, keeping regular hours, eating punctual meals; predictable, certain, sure. Fantasy, on the other hand, is criminal. Each fantasy assaults and breaks a particular law; the crime being hidden by the author's felicitous thought and style which cover the body before blood is seen."
   
2. Science-fiction works hand-in-glove with the universe. Fantasy cracks it down the middle, turns it wrong-side-out, dissolves it to invisibility, walks men through its walls, and fetches incredible circuses to town with sea-serpent, medusa, and chimera displacing zebra, ape, and armadillo."
3. Science-fiction balances you on the cliff. Fantasy shoves you off.

The Mechanical Hound

Do you think the Mechanical Hound will return in Part III? What role do you think this robotic creature will play? Please comment.

Is this your idea of a utopia?

I like how relaxing this island looks. I think it would be fun to go rock climbing every morning after breakfast and then go for a swim. What do you think?

A character for your dystopia?

Arguing over the best utopia

Can you explain why this comic is IRONIC?

 

Class Oct 2 & 6

BELLWORK: listen to Judge Olly Neal's Story Corps audio and do a Writer's Notebook response to this question: Do you think reading is for everyone?

FAHRENHEIT 451: Read pages 101-110. Then add information to Venn Diagram--what have we read in Part II of the novel that describes a society similar to our own?

BLOGTOPIAS: Last day to work in Writing Lab on Blogtopias.

Blogtopias due

Students are almost done creating their own utopias (or dystopias) on blogspot.com. They have been working with a partner or small group to create 10 posts about their utopia on their blog. Click here to see the Grading Rubric. I'm looking forward to reading these creations!

Students, the day your blog is due, I will want three things from you. First, the Grading Rubric stapled to the back of your packet. Second, be prepared to give me your blog's URL: www.___________.blogspot.com. Third, I will ask you to evaluate how much work you did and how much work your partner(s) did.  I will give the blog a grade, and then I'll give individual students a grade based on how much work each did.

Due 10/8--A-day
Due 10/9--B-day

The objective of this assignment is for students to--

•  Consolidate and synthesize connections between the text we're reading (Fahrenheit 451) and themselves. Fahrenheit 451 is an example of a dystopia (a society that has gone awry). As we've discussed what the Fahrenheit society is like, the students have asked themselves, what do/don't I like about our society; what do I think the perfect society--or utopia--would be like?
  
•  Integrate facts, events, or ideas to create new ideas. Each Blogtopia is a likely an original creation, as students have considered what events and ideas they would adopt from our current culture/society to create a new one.
• Provide detailed examples to explain their utopias.
• Edit posts for correct spelling.
• Write complete sentences.

Fahrenheit 451: Part II

As we read Fahrenheit 451: Part II, students completed various assignments that would help them anticipate what they would be reading and evaluate it. Students, if you haven't done one of the Part II assignments, see me.

Fahrenheit 451: Part I

As we read Fahrenehit 451 together in class, students completed a four-page Study Guide that includes vocabulary and questions to answer. If you need a new copy of this, please see me.

Fahrenheit 451

We are reading Fahrenheit 451, a short novel that features a "dystopia" where American citizens in the future, by their own choice, don't read books or talk about ideas. In this society, their fire fighters burn books instead of put out fires because books contradict each other, the people in them aren't real, and the ideas and words in them might cause pain. Rather than read, citizens "[sit] by in a drug-induced and media-saturated indifference." One brave fire fighter, Montag, realizes he is unhappy and tries to change his life and society. Will he succeed?

National Endowment for the Arts "Big Read" Fahrenheit 451