Thursday, December 18, 2014

Due Early in January ...

Find three quotes in The Grapes of Wrath that might help you answer the question "What, if anything, is society's obligation to the poor?"

For each quotation, include the page number and enough context to help you establish the source effectively.

Typed. Of course.

While I'm at it, here are the texts we will most likely be reading in January. Other than "The Communist Manifesto," they're all in The Language of Composition. Feel free - but not obligated - to read ahead.

"The Communist Manifesto" (excerpt) - Handout
"A Modest Proposal," by Jonathan Swift
"The Roots of Honor," by John Ruskin
"On Dumpster Diving," by Lars Eighner
"Serving in Florida," by Barbara Ehrenreich
"In the Strawberry Fields," by Eric Schlosser
"How to Restore the American Dream," by Fareed Zakaria

Agenda, December 18

Due Tuesday, January 6: Excerpt from "The Communist Manifesto." It's from 100 Great Essays. Add it to your Bibliography.  
Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience. 
  1. 6's v. 8's
  2. "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?"
  3. How juxtaposition works
  4. "A Christmas Carol" (no, not that one)
  5. Argument o' the Week

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Agenda, December 17

Due Tuesday, January 6: Excerpt from "The Communist Manifesto." It's from 100 Great Essays. Add it to your Bibliography.  
Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience. 
  1. The Test of Wrath

Agenda, December 16

Coming Wednesday: In-class timed write for students who will be present on Wednesday.  
Due Tuesday, January 6: Excerpt from "The Communist Manifesto." It's from 100 Great Essays. Add it to your Bibliography.  
Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience.
  1. SAT Question of the Day.
  2. Take the test ... OR
  3. ... talk about the test

Monday, December 15, 2014

Agenda, December 15

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 1-30  Due Now: Peruse the news / internets for information that will help you define contemporary attitudes towards immigration. You don't need quotations or citations, but you do need examples.     
Coming Tuesday: In-class timed write for students who will be absent on Wednesday.
Coming Wednesday: In-class timed write for students who will be present on Wednesday.
Due Tuesday, January 6: Excerpt from "The Communist Manifesto." It's from 100 Great Essays. Add it to your Bibliography.
Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience.
  1. SAT Question of the Day.
  2. Pick a question.
  3. Pick another question.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Possible Essay Prompts

Enjoy!


1.     Compare the treatment of the migrant “Okies” in the novel to the treatment of modern immigrant workers. What can modern readers learn from the similarities and the differences of these situations?

2.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that The Grapes of Wrath is anti-religious.

3.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that The Grapes of Wrath is a patriotic novel.

4.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that The Grapes of Wrath is a pessimistic novel.

5.     In this novel, “bad things happen to good people.” What, specifically, causes bad things to happen to good people? What can good people do about it?

6.     Consider how Steinbeck’s writing style is a reaction to, rejection of, or embracement of each of the following styles of American Literature: The Age of Faith, The Age of Reason, Romanticism, Gothic Literature, Transcendentalism, Realism, and Naturalism. (This question requires you to prepare for seven different questions.)

7.     How would Steinbeck define justice? Point to three examples of justice or injustice to support your answer. Does his definition agree with or contradict with yours?

8.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that Casy becomes a “better” man after he renounces his faith. Be certain to define what “better” means.

9.     Defend, qualify, or challenge the claim that one of the following is the purpose of Steinbeck’s novel:

a.     Steinbeck wants the reader to understand that to succeed in life, as people, and as a country everyone needs to work together and help one another equally.
b.     Steinbeck wants us to stop letting money keep us from living as if all people are part of one big soul.
c.     Steinbeck’s purpose is to show that bad things happen to good people and there isn’t anything you can do about it.
d.     Steinbeck’s purpose is to illustrate that men aren’t the problem: the things they build are.
e.     Steinbeck wants to prove that the greatest aspect of mankind is that we are willing to suffer and even die to further an idea or concept.

Agenda, December 12

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 1-30 
Due Monday: Peruse the news / internets for information that will help you define contemporary attitudes towards immigration. You don't need quotations or citations, but you do need examples.    Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience.
  1. Congratulations! Now write Steinbeck's purpose (beware of "and").
  2. Have a ball!
  3. You talk until you run out of things to say.
  4. Ruthie and Winfield
  5. American Literature Timeline
  6. Final Prompts

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Agenda, December 11

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 27-28     Due Tomorrow: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 1-30   
Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience.
  1. Urgent Questions
  2. Divide and Conquer the Multiple Choice Test
  3. How to attack Questions 3, 4, and 7

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Agenda, December 9

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 23-25    
Due Wednesday: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 26      Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience.    
Due Thursday before the end of second period: Please review this blog post about plagiarism and Bibliographies. If you offered or received help beyond the help listed here, please send me an e-mail explaining exactly what you did and why. Thanks.
  1. Practice Multiple Choice Test
  2. Debrief

Monday, December 8, 2014

Agenda, December 8

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 23-25   Due Wednesday: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 6     
Due Now: Focused revision of MLK Synthesis.
Due Tuesday, January 6, 2015: Consider the following quotation: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” –Malala Yousafzai, age 17, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Write an argumentative, expository, or narrative essay that answers the question "What do you see as the role of education in creating a more just and peaceful world?" MLA format. 700-800 word limit. Include your word count in the header on your first page. Your teacher is not your audience.  
Due Thursday before the end of second period: Please review this blog post about plagiarism and Bibliographies. If you offered or received help beyond the help listed here, please send me an e-mail explaining exactly what you did and why. Thanks.
  1. Back up your google drive. Investigate google takeout.
  2. Take the Student Survey
  3. SAT Question of the Day
  4. Chapters 23-25: Three things I need to say
  5. Chapters 1-25: Three things we should have talked about but overlooked.
  6. So, about that title ...

Friday, December 5, 2014

Agenda, December 5

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 21-22   
Due Monday: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 23-25     Due on Monday, December 8: Focused revision of MLK Synthesis: pick two specific areas to revise (you could focus on an entire section, such as organization, OR you can focus on a single bullet point, but you need to pick two areas of focus). Highlight your changes. Highlight the sections you chose to revise on the score sheet. Clip revised draft on top of previous draft.
  1. Back up your google drive. Investigate google takeout.
  2. Take the Student Survey
  3. SAT Question of the Day
  4. Argument o' the Week
  5. Chapters 21-22: Three things I need to say
  6. Chapters 1-22: Three things we should have talked about but overlooked.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Agenda, December 4

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 19-20  Due Friday: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 21-22    
Due Now: Complete Bibliography, including "Politics and the English Language" and The Grapes of Wrath. You may turn this in early, if you like. This assignment isn't revisable.      
Due on Monday, December 8: Focused revision of MLK Synthesis: pick two specific areas to revise (you could focus on an entire section, such as organization, OR you can focus on a single bullet point, but you need to pick two areas of focus). Highlight your changes. Highlight the sections you chose to revise on the score sheet. Clip revised draft on top of previous draft.
For tomorrow: Read this article to prep for tomorrow's argument of the week. You don't need to analyze it, but you do need to know what the article is about.
  1. Back up your google drive. Investigate google takeout.
  2. SAT Question of the Day 
  3. Take the Student Survey
  4. First Tri Final Do-over 

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Agenda, December 3

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 19-20 
Due Friday: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 21-22   Due Tomorrow: Complete Bibliography, including "Politics and the English Language" and The Grapes of Wrath. You may turn this in early, if you like. This assignment isn't revisable.    
Due on Monday, December 8: Focused revision of MLK Synthesis: pick two specific areas to revise (you could focus on an entire section, such as organization, OR you can focus on a single bullet point, but you need to pick two areas of focus). Highlight your changes. Highlight the sections you chose to revise on the score sheet. Clip revised draft on top of previous draft.
  1. Back up your google drive. Investigate google takeout.
  2. SAT Question of the Day
  3. Chapters 19 and 20: Three things I need to say
  4. Search and Destroy Continued 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Agenda, December 2

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 14-18  
Due Wednesday: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 19-20    
Due Thursday: Complete Bibliography, including "Politics and the English Language" and The Grapes of Wrath. You may turn this in early, if you like. This assignment isn't revisable.    
Due on Monday, December 8: Focused revision of MLK Synthesis: pick two specific areas to revise (you could focus on an entire section, such as organization, OR you can focus on a single bullet point, but you need to pick two areas of focus). Highlight your changes. Clip revised draft on top of previous draft.
  1. SAT Question of the Day
  2. While I was reading, I noticed ... (What's developing? What have we left behind? What's new?)
  3. Open disco
  4. Search and Destroy 14, 15, 17 

Monday, December 1, 2014

Agenda, December 1

Due Now: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 14-18
Due Wednesday: The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 19-20  
Due Thursday: Complete Bibliography, including "Politics and the English Language" and The Grapes of Wrath. You may turn this in early, if you like. This assignment isn't revisable.  
Due on Monday, December 8: Focused revision of MLK Synthesis: pick two specific areas to revise (you could focus on an entire section, such as organization, OR you can focus on a single bullet point, but you need to pick two areas of focus). Highlight your changes. Clip revised draft on top of previous draft.
  1. What's happening? Chapters 13, 16, 18
  2. Who were these people? Who are they now?
  3. What's developing? What have we left behind? What's new?