Monday, November 16, 2009

What You Need to Know For Your POL

Satire

* SOAPSTONE "A Modest Proposal"
(Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker, Tone)
*What is Satire? Significance?
* How is satire different from comedy?
* Horatian vs Juvenalian Satire
* Unintended vs intended/real targets
* Hyperbole? Grotesque? How are these elements used in "A Modest Proposal?"
* Irony: situational, verbal, and dramatic?
* What is parody?
* Incongruence?
* Juxtaposition?
* Logos, pathos, ethos

Swift's agenda

Part I: The problem--what was it?
Part II: Swift's outrageous and absurd solution--what was it?
Part III: Swift rejects valid solutions--why?
"Let no man talk to me of other expedients..."
Part IV: Why does Swift deny self-advantage at the end of the piece?

Monday, October 5, 2009

Writing a Book Review

Students,

You will all be writing an original book review that will be posted online at a later date. First, here are a few things that you will need to consider before getting started.

Word count: 500-750
Due Date: Draft 1--10/7; draft 2--10/8
Must be typed.

Heading:

Book Title
Author
Reviewed by: Your Name Here

Here a are a few cool sites to get you started:

Write a Book Review

How to Write a Book Review
How to Write a Book Review

NOTE: I will collect draft 1 on Wednesday 10/7.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Tao Lin Speaks

Tao Lin speaks! Take a gander here.

Please comment here or at the Poetry Foundation if you wish.

P

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Read the following article and respond to the questions below:

1. What is the issue highlighted by this article?
2. What are the ethical implications? What was compromised?
3. Do you agree with the student--Wikipedia is not to blame, but the journalists who ran with the story are. Explain.
4. List anything else that may have struck you.

Due: 5/12, 3:40pm

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

It's Grammar Time!


















The Deal:

Groups of three will develop and write a lesson based on one of the following grammar topics:

1. Parts of Speech/Direct and Indirect Objects
2. Prepositional phrases
3. Appositives
4. Active vs. Passive voice
5. Subject/Verb Agreement
6. Sentence fragments and run-ons
7. Comma rules
8. Common homonym mistakes: There, their, they're,
etc. Be sure to choose at least three cases

This lesson must include the following

* a clearly stated title and objective
* a minimum of 5 slides
* a handout that will be submitted to your teacher (I will make copies for everyone)
Please note: This handout should be thorough, yet user-friendly.
* an activity that allows students to demonstrate understanding
* Duration: 10 minutes
* Presentation: Friday

Useful Sites:

The Owl at Purdue
University of Illinois Grammar Handbook
Big Dog's Grammar

Monday, March 23, 2009

Schindler's List: A Response

Each student will be responsible for posting a response to Schindler's List on her/his blog. In addition, students will need to comment on this blog, stating simply: "I posted." This will allow me to visit your blog and evaluate its contents.

Requirements:

1. 1 image minimum
2. A 1 paragraph plot summary with a minimum of 3 hyper links that may be related to characters, geographical areas, etc.
3. A response to the following questions:

a. What does the word power mean to you? What does it mean to Goethe? What does it mean to Schindler? Do these people misuse power?

b. Schindler went from being an "antihero" to a hero. What specific events did he experience and realizations did he have to create this transformation.

c. Did you think this film was effective? Why? Why not?


Your post is Due: Friday 3/27/09

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Poets Against the War

Here's an online chapbook at the Poets Against the War organization. Read a few poems and then choose one in which to react.

Here are a few questions to get you started:

What is the poem's subject? How does the author handle this subject? How would you describe the tone of the poem? Do you have a clear image of the speaker? What is your personal reaction to the poem?

Leave a comment on this blog to receive full credit.