Honors Comprehensive American Studies

Monday, April 29, 2019

Vietnam

Protest Song Analysis Directions

Protest Speech Directions

Personal Narrative Directions

Personal Narrative Examples

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Civil Rights

MLK--March on Washington (speech video) and "I Have a Dream"

"I Have a Dream" analysis

Other ways of protest: Same goal, different approach--Black Panthers

Malcolm X and "The Ballot or the Bullet"

Comparing the speeches

Friday, March 8, 2019

Post-War America/Death of a Salesman

Amidst the "Post-War Optimism," there was a pervasive feeling of unease that was bubbling under the surface. Our next unit, where we study American life in the late 40s/early 50s, will explore these ideas; as well as thoughts on the "perfect American family," the "American Myth," and American consumerism. This will be done through reading Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, a play that ushered in a new era of theatre.

Class brainstorm concerning themes, concepts, and vocabulary of the play
Some Historical Context of the play
A biography of Arthur Miller
Analyzing the opening stage directions
Death of a Salesman questions
Track symbols in the play
SYMBOLS!
Assessment/Presentation

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Great Depression

Most of our learning about the Great Depression will come independently through the 1930s Project.

Part of this project includes some individual work, where you have to analyze a photo and write a vignette. A vignette is a short, well written sketch or descriptive scene. It does not have to necessarily have a plot which would make it a story, but it does reveal something about the elements in it. It may reveal character, or mood or tone. It may have a theme or idea of its own that it wants to convey. It is the description of the scene or character that is important. This is your chance to be very descriptive and creative! Paint the picture with your words. (Here's the assignment sheet)

A couple of examples of a vignette come from John Steinbeck (remember Of Mice and Men?). Two such pieces are "The Turtle" and "Breakfast." Both these come from a larger novel, The Grapes of Wrath, which has an interesting narrative structure...Read a summary here.

For "The Turtle," think about what the central metaphor is (in the context of the Depression)...
For "Breakfast," note the exquisite sensory images that reveal theme...