Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Contemporary Short Stories

As we end the year, we will wrap up with some literature circles. In groups of FOUR, choose THREE contemporary (post 1975) short stories and create a binder that features your discussion and work related to the stories.

Each story gets its own section, highlighting the following (each task is assigned to a different group member—No one should have the same role twice, meaning for each story you take on a different role--see handout for details): 
  • Setting/Plot
  • Characters
  • Line Illuminator
  • Discussion Points
Each story should be from a different decade. We will spend time in the library to find short stories (here's a guide you can use). Once you have found your stories, find a teacher or a librarian to help you photocopy--there is a fast and efficient way to do it.

On our assigned discussion days (see schedule), follow the protocol:
The person assigned to “discussion points” will act as facilitator
  1. Go around the circle, each person sharing their assigned work, without any comment from other members. If you have a response to what someone says, write it down.
  2. After everyone has shared their initial thoughts, any member can comment further on what has been stated.
  3. After that has played out, facilitator shares their first “discussion point.” Once again, go around the circle to get everyone’s initial thoughts.
  4. Then free-form discussion.
  5. Second “discussion point.” Repeat steps 3 & 4.
  6. Third “discussion point.” Repeat steps 3 & 4.
  7. Final thoughts

Friday, May 4, 2018

Tell Your "True War Story"


Image result for true war story
A true war story is not about the “happening truth” but the “emotional truth.” Sometimes fiction can actually feel more true to life than an account of the simple facts. Consider a strong emotion that you have felt about something in your life. Write a fictionalized personal narrative essay using a powerful image or event that possibly never happened, but represents or expresses the emotions you felt in the real moment. In some ways, this is like a tall tale, where you exaggerate or alter the truth to help your reader understand what it really felt like, since they weren’t there and can’t understand the truth. The assignment:

Monday, April 30, 2018

Vietnam: Music and Protests

Image result for vietnam protest songs

Choose a song from this website

Your presentation should include:
  • The background of the song (what is the context of the song? Who is the songwriter? Why did he/she write the song? Was there any specific event that caused them to write the song?)
  • Analysis of the lyrics (what is the meaning of the words/phrases? What is/are the message(s) of the song?)
  • What is most effective about this song? (words, phrases, music)
  • A Google Slide presentation with effective images (at least 7-10 images); add the song to the presentation. Play this slide show during the presentation.
  • Once you create your presentation, you can add images at Image Quest (SHS Library)
  • Use key words such as “Vietnam War”, “Vietam Protest” to search
  • Choose images and download them to your Google Drive
  • The citation is under the image and can be copy and pasted into your Works Cited page (can be a document or a slide)
  • You can also access images from Wikimedia Commons and Creative Commons
  • Be creative: use animation techniques that will enhance the presentation
  • When you have completed the presentation, publish it to the Web (under the File tab) so that you can have the slide show present automatically (you can choose how many seconds between images).
  • Use the links to Youtube(website above) to play the song in the background.
Song Analysis Directions
Protest Speech Directions

Hey! Here are some MODERN protest songs (bet you didn't think Kendrick Lamar and Pink were making socially-relevant comments about society). HERE are some more.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Things They Carried


"How to Tell a True War Story"
  • Have you ever tried to tell the story of a meaningful experience but have been unable to fully capture the "it" of the experience? What do you do when the facts of the experience are not enough?
  • What is the difference between reporting an experience and telling a story?
  • Does there exist experiences for which you really do have to be there? Give an example.
  • What role does truth have in stories?

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Post-War America -- Death of a Salesman (2.3, 2.4, Requiem)

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman
in Death of a Salesman (2012)

For WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28th (A) and THURSDAY, MARCH 29th (B):

HOMEWORK FOR FRIDAY (A) / MONDAY (B):