Assignments for the Week of October 20

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week will be dedicated to watching the film Stranger than Fiction. You will focus on the following items while viewing the film: the work involved in creating and developing a character, the research involved in writing a piece of fiction, the importance in creating an intriguing, yet believable plot, and the difficulty on formulating a creative, yet strong, meaningful ending. Enjoy the film!

Thursday and Friday will be dedicated to the memoir. You will be doing the pre-writing activities on Thursday. On Friday, you will meet me in computer lab #438 to begin typing the rough draft of your memoir (worth 20 points). Bring your flashdrives to the computer lab to save what you have completed. The rough draft will be due on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Assignments for the Weeks of October 6 and October 13

The Catcher in the Rye

Monday, Oct. 6 --

Due today: Chapters 8-15 of The Catcher in the Rye

Continue reading the novel -- Chapters 16-20 are due on Friday.

Tuesday, Oct. 7 --

Due today: 100 point college essay (please have the rough draft stapled to the final copy)

Today I will assign the color/object essay. The rough draft will be due on Thursday.

Wednesday, Oct. 8 --

Today we will discuss Holden's encounters in New York.

Thursday, Oct. 9 --

Due today: color/object essay (rough draft)

Today you will do peer evaluations on your rough drafts.

Friday, Oct. 10 --

Due today: Chapters 16-20 of The Catcher in the Rye

Today we will discuss what Holden values in life and what upsets him in life.

Tuesday, Oct. 14 --

Due today: The entire novel should be completed for today.

Today we will be discussing the signs of Holden's mental breakdown.

Wednesday, Oct. 15 --

Today we will discuss the importance of the novel's title.

Thursday, Oct. 16 --

End Test for The Catcher in the Rye.

Friday, Oct. 17 --

"Once More to the Lake" by E.B. White

Assignments for the Week of September 29

The Catcher in the Rye

This week we will be discussing The Catcher in the Rye. This is part of the Narration and Description Unit. Therefore, we will discuss the author's writing style, the development and description of his characters, and how he uses satire as a device for characterization.

I will also be giving you the handout for the 100 point college essay final draft. This final draft will be due Tuesday, Oct. 7. All rough drafts must accompany your final draft.

Reading assignments for The Catcher in the Rye:

Due Tuesday, Sept. 30 -- Chapter 1-7

Due Monday, Oct. 6 -- Chapters 8-15

Assignments for the Week of September 22

We will spend time this week discussing the college essay and writing a rough draft on one of the topics. You should take some time this weekend to look at college websites and print out at least two college essay topics. I will provide the essay topics for the 2008-2009 Common Application Form. Although we will be brainstorming, free-writing, and discussing many topics, you will only be writing a rough draft on one of the topics. The rough draft will be due on Friday, September 26. You will spend Friday doing peer evaluations and having individual conferences with me. The final draft on college essay # 1 will be due on Tuesday, September 30. This will be a developed, revised, and edited typed copy (20 points). We will revisit the college essay again in mid-October. This is when we will write college essay # 2.

This should be an exciting time of the year for you. However, it can also be very stressful. Therefore, we are starting the process early in the fall to take away some of the stress you may feel in November and December when the college applications are due. This also enables you to revisit your college essays to improve them before you send them in with your college applications. I wish you the best of luck in your search for the college that is right for you!

Assignments for the Week of Sept. 15

Monday, Sept. 15 --
Due Today:
1. "The Man I Killed," "Ambush," and "Good Form" (starting pages for each story: 124, 131, 179)
2. Please have Friday's writing activity completed for today -- "Friends" & "Enemies" (Prompt # 1) & "How to Tell a True War Story" (Prompt # 2). Many of you finished it and handed it in on Friday.
Tuesday, Sept. 16 --
Due Today:
1. War Protest Music and Lyrics from 1990-the present
2. Choices or Being Tested Essay (Rough Draft)
Option # 1:
Choices aren’t always easily made. Indeed, sometimes it is hard to know which choice is right and which is wrong. The narrator of The Things They Carried faces a difficult choice on the Rainy River. He is undecided about whether to follow his moral convictions courageously and run to Canada or whether to do the cowardly thing and go to war because he doesn’t want to be embarrassed. Write about a time when you were ambivalent and made a hard choice. How has that choice affected who you are?
Option # 2:
Characters in The Things They Carried are tested – physically, emotionally, and ethically. The draft notice tests the narrator, for instance. Jimmy Cross is tested when he must carry the lives of his men. Norman Bowker, you will read, is tested when he returns to the states after the war. Have you ever faced a test of character? What did you learn about yourself? About others? What influence has that test had on who you are now?
Wednesday, September 17--
Due Today:
1. The following chapters must be read by today: "Speaking of Courage, " Notes," "In the Field," and "Field Trip."
2. You must prepare your Socratic Seminar questions for today's Socratic Seminar on the above chapters.
Thursday, September 18 --
Due Today:
The following chapter must be read for today: "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong."
We will read "The Lives of the Dead" in class today.
Friday, September 19 --
Today will be your in-class writing on the novel. This will connect all we have learned about Tim O'Brien, Happening Truth vs. Story Truth, and the importance of writing. You will be able to use your notes, handouts, and the novel for this writing assignment. Your response must be completed by the end of the class period.
Monday, September 20 --
Due Today:
Think about where you may want to attend college. Research at least two of the schools you are thinking about by viewing the websites. Come to class on Monday with at least two college essay topics. You may print them out or simply write them down. This is the week where we will dedicate the class period to the College Essay.

Assignments for the Week of September 8th

The Things They Carried

This week we will be discussing the beginning chapters of The Things They Carried. Below is a list of all of the assignments for the week and the due dates. Please keep on top of the reading assignments. Our class discussions will be so much more enjoyable if everyone reads and participates.

I hope you all have a great week!

Monday, Sept. 8 --

Due Today: "The Things They Carried" and character monologue and backpack assignment (10 points)

Tuesday, Sept. 9 --

Due Today: "Love" and "Spin"

Wednesday, Sept. 10 --

Due Today: "On the Rainy River"

Thursday, Sept. 11 --

Due Today: "The Things They Carried" Poem/Essay (20 Points)

Friday, Sept. 12 --

Due Today: "Enemies," "Friends," "How to Tell a True War Story," and "Dentist"

Monday, Sept. 15 --

Due Today: "The Man I Killed," "Ambush," and "Good Form" ( starting pages for each story: 124, 131, 179)

The First Week of Senior Year!

Wed., Sept.3 --

Today you will receive a handout explaining my class rules and requirements. You will also receive a questionnaire having to do with reading and writing. This will be completed and discussed in class. At the end of class, we will reflect on quotes about writing by famous authors.

Thurs., Sept. 4 --

Today we will continue the discussion on why reading and writing are important in our lives. We will be reading the following articles: "I am Writing Blindly" and "Why I Write."

Assignment:

You will be asked to begin an informal letter to me reflecting your own experiences as a reader and writer by using the questionnaire from yesterday. The purpose of the letter is to help me learn about what role reading and writing plays in your life. This informal, handwritten letter will be due tomorrow.

Fri., Sept. 5 --

Due Today: Reading and Writing Letter (10 points)
We will spend today doing pre-reading activities in order to make the reading of The Things They Carried a meaningful experience.

Assignment:

Today you will receive your first novel -- The Things They Carried. Please read the first chapter for Monday. The chapter is called "The Things They Carried" -- pages 1-26. You will also be assigned a character to follow throughout this chapter. The handout for the character assignment will also be due on Monday.