Dante trip to Cloisters

I hope you all enjoyed our trip to the Cloisters today.  While our guide was not a Dante expert (as you are becoming), he did highlight some key concepts about medieval art that have relevance to our reading of the Divine Comedy.  Specifically, his references to the cult of Mary, symbolism in art and architecture, and Biblical stories should resonate with our own discussions about Purgatory, saints, and multiple readings of Biblical allusion.  Please come to class on Friday ready to share your reactions and questions about of the trip.  We will also spend some time looking at depictions of Mary, female saints, and repentants.

Here is a picture from the gardens – thanks to Emily for lending her camera!

Cloisters photo

Public Speaking – Week 8

In class: Guest speaker, Ruth Jurgensen, will speak about her experiences and techniques for public speaking.

HW: Read the Public Speaking Final Speech handout.  Choose a style and topic for your speech.  Complete a detailed speech plan and submit to Julia at next week’s class.  If you plan to use AV/Tech or other visual aids, please note these on the speech plan so that necessary arrangements can be made.

FINAL SPEECH PRESENTATIONS ON FRIDAY, JUNE 4 at 9:00 AM.

Eng 10C – HW 5/17-5/24

Monday 5/17 – WJ #20 due.  Discussion: Share WJ#20.  Writing workshop #1: What is your critique of the American Dream? What evidence/texts will you use to persuade your reader? Looking at texts of the course: “How is this text a critique of the American Dream?  What evidence could I use from this text for my own critique?”

HW: Continue work from today, looking at each text as a possible critique.  Finalize the two texts you will use as a lens to critique the notion of the American Dream.  Find 3-5 pieces of evidence from each text and analyze those pieces of evidence, keeping in mind your critique. This is WJ#21.  2 pages typed, minimum, due Wednesday.

Tuesday 5/18 – NO CLASS

Wednesday 5/19 – WJ #21 due.  Discussion:  Writing workshop #2: Evidence and analysis, organization of argument, body paragraphs. How might your analysis inform the structure of your argument?  How do the topic sentences provide a “map” for the reader?

HW: Formulate topic sentences for your body paragraphs. Using the analysis from WJ#21, write at least one body paragraph.  1 page typed, minimum, due Thursday.

Thursday 5/20 – Discussion: Writing workshop #3: Evidence and analysis, body paragraphs, continued.  Generating thesis statements and intro.

HW: Generate 5-7 sentences for your introduction and include a specific working thesis statement.  Due Friday.

Friday 5/21 – Writing workshop #4:  Introduction and thesis statement. Peer editing or work period.

Assignment: Finish the first draft of your essay.  Revise intro, thesis, topic sentences, analysis, and citations. Add more evidence as needed, deepen analysis for each body paragraph. First draft due Monday, May 24.  (4 pages, typed, minimum).

Monday 5/24 – FIRST DRAFT DUE. In class conferences.

HW:  Continue revising your essay.

Dante – HW 5/12-5/21

Tuesday (5/11) Discuss Inferno cantos 33-34: Ugolino, cannibalism as treachery, Satan, Judas, and transition back to the wood.
HW: Introduction to Mandelbaum Purgatorio (your book, pp. viii-xxx).

Wednesday (5/12) Introduction to Purgatorio. Discuss geography of purgatory, philosophy (redemption vs. reincarnation), and language/form of the poem.  Begin reading Canto 1 aloud in class.
HW: Read and annotate Purgatorio background materials (packet) and cantos 1-2.

Thursday (5/13) NO CLASS

Friday  (5/14) Discuss Purgatorio cantos 1-2.
HW: Read and annotate Purgatorio cantos 3-5.  OPTIONAL: Read and annotate John Freccero’s article “Manfred’s Wounds and the Poetics of Purgatorio” (handout).

Monday (5/17) Discuss Purgatorio cantos 3-5.
HW:  Read and annotate Purgatorio cantos 7, 9, 10.

Tuesday   (5/18) Discuss Purgatorio cantos 7-10.  Character analysis of Sordello; significance of dreams, gate and the P’s (allegory).
HW: Read and annotate Purgatorio cantos 13, 16, 17.
Remember to bring the following for the Cloisters field trip tomorrow: bag lunch, notebook, pencil, and Metrocard (if you will be travelling home alone).

Wednesday (5/19) QUIZ: Cantos 1-17.  Discussion: Purgatorio cantos 13-17.
Field Trip to the Cloisters: Depart school 10:45 am for 1:00 tour.    Dismissal from the museum by 2:30 pm.
HW: Read and annotate Purgatorio cantos 21-22 and 28-29.

Thursday (5/20) NO CLASS

Friday (5/21) Discussion: Art of the Commedia.  Debrief Cloisters trip; compare artistic representations of Hell and Purgatory; consider visual representations of women (Leah, Rachel, Mary, Matilda, Beatrice); description of the pageant (canto 29).
HW: Read and annotate Purgatorio cantos 30, 31, 33.  Optional reading: Twayne’s Author Series, Chapter 6, Part III “The Earthly Paradise.” Available through LREI library website or at this link.

Eng 10C – HW 5/10-5/17

Wednesday   (5/12) Discussion:  Introduce final essay assignment. Circle back to discussions of American literature, great American novel, canons, what’s unveiled/not unveiled, American dream vs. reality, portrait of America, images of beauty, media clips (cultural icons, videos, etc.).  Begin WJ#19 in class.
HW: Finish WJ#19. 3 pages typed, minimum, due Thursday.

Thursday (5/13)  WJ #19 due.  Discussion: Share WJ#19 in class. Begin reading “Rethinking the American Dream” by David Kamp (Vanity Fair, April 2009).
HW: Finish reading Kamp article.  Select 3-5 moments in the article that you think connect to the texts and/or themes of this course. Be sure to bracket and annotate these moments, for discussion on Friday.

Friday (5/14) Discussion: Kamp article. What is a critique?
HW: Write WJ#20: In response to the Kamp article, answer these questions: How is the Kamp piece a critique of the American Dream? What evidence does Kamp use to persuade his reader of his critique?  To what extent do you agree/disagree with Kemp’s critique? 2 pages typed, minimum, due Monday.
Reminder: BRING ALL OF YOUR TEXTS TO CLASS  ON MONDAY (The Things They Carried, The Scarlet Letter, In the  Blood, “Song of Myself,” The Great Gatsby, and The Bluest Eye).

Monday (5/17) WJ #20 due.  Discussion: Share WJ#20.  Writing workshop #1: What is your critique of the American Dream? What evidence/texts will you use to persuade your reader?
HW: Continue work from today.  Finalize the two texts you will use as a lens to critique the notion of the American Dream.  Find 3-5 pieces of evidence from each text and analyze those pieces of evidence, keeping in mind your critique. This is WJ#21. 2 pages typed, minimum, due Wednesday.

Public Speaking – Week 7

In class: Finishing debates.  Explanation of final speech assignment.

For the final assignment, you must prepare a 5-minute speech on the topic of your choice.  Think back over the types of assignments we have done so far — introduction/personal, how-to, debate/persuasive — and consider one of these formats for the final speech.  Or, if you prefer, you could try out another format or style.  Your speech should be well prepared and memorized, though you may bring 1 or 2 notecards to help you along.  Visual aids are strongly encouraged, as appropriate to the content and style of your speech.

HW: For next week, please choose your speech topic.  In preparation for your teacher meeting, write an outline and/or first draft of your speech.  I will only meet with students who come to class with a typed outline or draft.

English 10C – In class essay Monday May 10

Here is the prompt with directions for the Bluest Eye Essay 2010 on Monday.

Preparation: In preparation for this in-class essay, please do a careful review of your textual annotations and notes from class. Complete the pre-writing handout with your notes for your introduction, thesis statement, evidence, conclusion.  If you wish to do a rough draft of your notes page, you can download and print the pre-writing handout here: In class essay worksheet.

Materials to bring to the in-class essay:

  • Your copy of The Bluest Eye
  • 1 page pre-writing handout
  • Pen
  • Lined paper or laptop will be provided

Public Speaking – Week 6

In class: Present debates, evaluation rubrics.

Note – if you are in the Monday section and did not present this week, you will present next Thursday, May 13, during your free 2nd period.

Homework: Choose a topic for your final speech.  This should be a topic of interest to you that can sustain 5 minutes of speaking/presentation.

Dante HW 5/3-5/10

Monday  (5/3) Discuss Inferno, cantos 26-28 (students teach cantos).
HW: Read and annotate Inferno, cantos 29-30.

Tuesday  (5/4) Close reading due. Discuss Inferno, cantos 28-30.
HW: Read and annotate Inferno, canto 31-32.

Wednesday  (5/5) Discuss Inferno, canto 31-32.
HW: Read and annotate cantos 33-34. Response #3: How does Dante’s description of the Devil resemble or differ from your own image or expectations of the Devil? (2 pages, typed, double-spaced, due Monday, May 10).  Extra Credit: Draw, paint, or build your own depiction of the Devil.  Submit illustration with response #3 on Monday.

Thursday (5/6) NO CLASS

Friday  (5/7) ARTS FESTIVAL – NO CLASS

Monday   (5/10)  Response #3 due. Share responses (pair-share or read aloud) and discuss.  How does Dante’s description of the Devil resemble or differ from your own image or expectations of the Devil?  How does the ending of Inferno compare to your expectations of this text?

HW: Night off – handouts to come on Tuesday.

English 10C – HW 5/3-5/10

Monday (5/3)          Discussion: The Bluest Eye pp. 187-206 — summer imagery; gossip and blame; connections to other texts.
HW: WJ #15 – What do Morrison’s comments in the “Afterword” and in the interview illuminate about the novel for you? How do you see the novel differently? 2 pages typed, due Wednesday, 5/5.

Tuesday (5/4) NO CLASS

Wednesday (5/5) Discussion: The Bluest Eye — Pecola’s breakdown; narrative shifts–who is the “we” of this section?  Who is to blame for Pecola’s tragedy? Discuss Afterword, framing texts, the Master Narrative, and Oprah interview.
HW: Prepare for in-class essay.  See handout for prompts.

Thursday (5/6) Discussion: Sharing of WJ’s and review of how to write a close reading/ in-class essay.
HW: Prepare for in-class essay.  See handout for prompts.

Friday (5/7) ARTS FESTIVAL – NO CLASS
HW: Prepare for in-class essay.

Monday (5/10) BLUEST EYE IN-CLASS ESSAY.