Shakespeare and Comedy

This is the second Midsummer post and is due before class starts on Thursday, March 25.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy, which is something that today's television viewers should know a little something about.According to Scholastic Scope magazine, Shakespeare wrote about three kinds of classic mix-ups: 1) mistaken identity, 2) love triangles, and 3) strange coincidences. Each of these classic mix-ups are staples on 21st Century sitcoms. The next time you watch your favorite sitcom or re-run, look for one of those classic mix-ups involving the characters.For your assignment, select one (1) of the classic mix-ups from above and find an example of it from a popular sitcom you watch. First, describe the mix-up from the sitcom, and then explain how the humor of the mixed-up situation helps increase your enjoyment and appreciation of the show. What makes it funny?

As with all of these assignments, it is a good practice to write your response in a word processing program like Microsoft Word so you can better edit and proofread your entry before submitting it. It also makes sense to save a copy of your response in case you have problems posting.

What was your favorite story we read

This is the third blog posting for the short story unit and is due before class starts on Friday, Oct. 2.

Now that we've read all the stories in the unit, we'd like to know which was your favorite and why. Select one of the stories we've read and explain what made it the favorite. Why did you like it? Make sure you point to specific examples from the story to support your reasons.

For your reference, here are the stories we've read: "The Moustache," "Through the Tunnel," "Initiation," "Marigolds," and "Rules of the Game."

Fools in love - Midsummer Posting #6

This is the 6th posting for A Midsummer Night's Dream and is due before the end of the day on Wednesday, April 22.

Throughout Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, we've seen a variety of characters acting in some foolish ways, mostly as a result of their emotions. Such behavior mirrors many of the same foolish behaviors you probably experience almost everyday. In an earlier post, you were asked to respond which character acted the most foolish. This response requires you to provide an example of some real-life love-inspired foolish behavior you've experienced.

What is an example of some real-life foolish behavior caused by love? How have people you know acted like a "fool" in love? What happened? How is the behavior you've seen typical of human behavior? How does it connect to A Midsummer Night's Dream? What is it that we can learn about human nature from such behavior?

To earn full credit, your response should fully answer the prompt questions and be relatively free of sloppy mechanical and grammatical errors. Proofread what you write before you post.

Lovers, madmen and poets - Midsummer posting #5

This is the 5th and final posting for A Midsummer Night's Dream and is due before the end of the day on Friday, April 10.

This will be a longer, more formal answer so make sure it's written with minimal errors and you fully answer all parts of the prompt.

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare presents us with an unusual and fantastic series of events as fairies and mortals mix in the mysterious woods just outside Athens. The four lovers and Nick Bottom each undergo their own experience with the fairy world. However, different characters provide varying takes on the night's strange happenings. Consider the following three reactions/explanations by different characters:

• Nick Bottom awakes from his dream, his "most rare vision," and offers one explanation at the end of Act IV, scene 1.
• At the beginning Act V, Duke Theseus explains to Hippolyta what he thinks of the situation in the woods.
• And finally, Puck re-appears with his own suggestion for the audience in the closing lines of Act V.

Of the three reactions/explanations, choose one that you believe the most significant or closest to how you might try to explain what happened in the woods. Whom do you believe the most? Bottom, Theseus, or Puck? What is it about their explanation that makes sense to you? Why? Point to specific lines from the play to help make your point.

The power of love - Midsummer post #4

This is the fourth Midsummer post and is due before class starts on Tuesday, April 7.

In the middle of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the four Athenian lovers have found themselves all mixed up due to the love spell two of them are under. As a result, they bicker, beg, fight, plead for love, and do many seemingly "crazy" things all in the name of their love. During the mayhem, Puck shouts "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" The lovers don't notice it, but for any outside observer - like the fairies who take on the role of an audience in this scene - the foolishness is readily apparent.

So far in the play, what do you think has been the most "foolish" thing one of the lovers has said or done? Now think about people you know in your life: is the Midsummer lover's "foolish" action realistic for someone under the spell of love? How is the lover's action like or not like people you know? What does Shakespeare seem to be saying about the power of love?

Reminder: Your responses need to be in complete sentences and relatively free of mechanical and spelling mistakes. Many of you have gotten pretty sloppy with your responses.

Who made a tougher decision?

This response is due before class starts Friday, Sept. 26

We've read about Jerry's swim through the tunnel, Millicent's personal initiation, and Michael's moustache.

The question for today is this: Which of the three characters do you respect the most for what they did? Select one of the characters and explain your decision using references to specific events in the short story.

Blog assignment: Update your wiki page

The assignment described below is due before class starts on Tuesday, Sept. 23

We have begun creating short story resource pages on the class wiki site, which is at http://millersenglish.pbwiki.com.

So far, you've begun posting information about the story "Through the Tunnel." To satisfy the homework requirements for this blog posting, you must complete your entry on "Through the Tunnel." That means you must have the following on your individual page:

• Title and author of the story
• An insightful passage from the story
• A several sentence response written by you about why you chose the passage you did
• A picture or image related to a theme or idea in the story
• A several sentence response written by you about why you chose the picture you did

Reminder: Go the main wiki page here. Once at the main page, find your individual page in the folder titled 'short story pages.' The folders are listed to the right on the main page. Open the folder and find your page. Remember, you need your username and password to edit the page.

Jerry, his swim through the tunnel, and us...

This response is due before class starts on Sept. 17, 2008

In the short story "Through the Tunnel," Jerry makes a treacherous swim through an underwater tunnel. It was not an easy accomplishment, but at the end of the story, Jerry is changed by his experiences. Although he is 11 years old in the story, we all can share in his ordeal.

In what way can you relate to Jerry? How are his experiences like some that you've had? What is it that makes Jerry similar to you or to typical teenagers?

Look to go beyond the purely literal in your answer. Don't just view his swim through the tunnel on a literal level. Think about what it can represent as a part of his growing up process.

photo credit: boy swimming in the big blue ocean by NanakofiAcquah on Flickr

This weak and idle theme - Midsummer Post #5

This is the 5th and final posting for A Midsummer Night's Dream and is due before class starts on Friday, May 23.

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare presents us with an unusual and fantastic series of events as fairies and mortals mix in the mysterious woods just outside Athens. The four lovers and the mechanicals each undergo their own experience with the fairy world. However, different characters provide varying takes on the night's strange happenings. Consider the following three reactions/explanations by different characters:

• Nick Bottom awakes from his dream, his "most rare vision," and offers one explanation at the end of Act IV, scene 1.
• At the beginning Act V, Duke Theseus explains to Hippolyta what he thinks of the situation in the woods.
• And finally, Puck re-appears with his own suggestion for the audience in the closing lines of Act V.

Of the three reactions/explanations, choose one that you believe the most significant or closest to how you might try to explain what happened in the woods. Whom do you believe the most? Bottom, Theseus, or Puck? Why? Point to specific lines from the play to help make your point.

What are these people like? - Midsummer post #4

This is the fourth Midsummer post and is due before class starts on Thursday, May 15.

Shakespeare created numerous memorable characters, who exhibit the human traits that people still have today. A Midsummer Night's Dream is no different. In this play, there are both human characters (mortals) and fairies, and all of them are unique.

Choose one of the characters we've met so far and describe what makes them unique. As part of your answer, choose a line or two of dialogue that the character speaks and use it to help explain that character's personality. Think of descriptive words and phrases to help illustrate just what kind of personality traits your chosen character has. Choose some lines of dialogue that accurately and clearly illustrate his or her personality.

Remember, when you cite dialoge from the play, follow this format: "Full of vexation come I, with complaint/Against my child, my daughter Hermia." (Act I, sc.1, lines 22- 23)

Good luck...

Shakespeare and comedy - Midsummer post #2

This is the second Midsummer post and is due before class starts on Tuesday, May 6.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy, which is something that today's television viewers should know a little something about.According to Scholastic Scope magazine, Shakespeare wrote about three kinds of classic mix-ups: 1) mistaken identity, 2) love triangles, and 3) strange coincidences. Each of these classic mix-ups are staples on 21st Century sitcoms. The next time you watch your favorite sitcom or re-run, look for one of those classic mix-ups involving the characters.For your assignment, select one (1) of the classic mix-ups from above and find an example of it from a popular sitcom you watch. First, describe the mix-up from the sitcom, and then explain how the humor of the mixed-up situation helps increase your enjoyment and appreciation of the show. What makes it funny?

As with all of these assignments, it is a good practice to write your response in a word processing program like Microsoft Word so you can better edit and proofread your entry before submitting it. It also makes sense to save a copy of your response in case you have problems posting.

Lord, what fools these mortals be! - Midsummer Post #1

This post is due before class starts Friday, May 2

Welcome back to Millers English 10 Blog. We are starting A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is a complex, fanciful play that lays bare the humor and foibles of young love.

To get us started, we tackled the twisted, complex plot. You have been given a basic summary of the storyline of the play, (titled "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"), which covers the play up to the end of Act III. For your reference, there is a version of the summary here.

Your assignment now is to take this mixed-up love mess and bring it to a conclusion with a happy ending. As it stands right now, everything is messed up and needs resolution. Assume the role of a narrator and finish the story. This is your chance to predict how this all turns out in the real play.

A couple things to remember before completing your posting: 1) your story must have a happy ending, just like a Shakespearean comedy would. 2) you must come up with a way to solve the problems of a majority of the characters. 3) your creative ending must be in the form of a story, continuing the storyline you've been given. Try to be creative and come up with an original, even outrageous, way to wrap up this storyline.

As with all entries, you might consider writing on a word processing program first so you can proofread, edit, and continuously save before your final posting. Saving it in a word processing program will also cover you in case there's a problem posting.

photocredit: Shakespeare by johopo on Flickr.

Getting ready for the CAPT

For the last several weeks, the state's mandated CAPT for all 10th graders has been at the forefront of our classroom work and discussion. We've read a variety of literature and non-fiction, prepared for the different assessments that face you, and discussed numerous different strategies to read and write.

You have also written to plenty of prompts, not just in the last few weeks, but throughout the year. I hope that what we've done will prepare you for what's ahead.

But before we officially send you off into hours of standardized testing, let's look back on two of the major reading and writing tasks that you will face - the Response to Literature and Interdisciplinary Letter tests. We are using the two slideshows below in class as part of learning activity to provide an overview of the two tests and review the writing done in class up to this point.

View Upload your own

View Upload your own

The Future is Now? - blog posting #1

This blog posting is due before class starts on Tuesday, Jan. 8 - click here for the calendar of due dates

By now, you should be started on the first part of 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. If you remember from the introductory PowerPoint presentation, we discussed the four perspectives from which we are going to look at the novels.

• Threats to individual privacy
• Dangers of governmental power
• The power of information, propaganda, and language distortion
• The potential for mindless entertainment to stifle individual thinking

For your first blog response on these novels, I'd like you to go back to the first few pages of your novel. Select a telling quote and write a response that discusses how one or more of those four perspectives is revealed through the quote and why it may be important to larger ideas in the novel. What is the author trying to show?

In addition to your response, record the quote in proper MLA format with book title and page number, like this: "...text of quote, blah, blah, blah" (Fahrenheit 451, 13)

What kind of friend would Gene or Finny make?

This writing assignment is due Monday Oct. 22 before class starts.

Throughout the first several chapters of A Separate Peace, Gene struggles with his relationship to Finny. Finny, athletic and outgoing, is quite a contrast to Gene's moody and introverted personality. Author John Knowles spends a considerable portion of his novel exploring the friendship between the two teens.

If you were classmates with Gene and Finny at the Devon school in the 1940s, who would you be friends with? Knowing what you know of Finny and Gene so far, which of the two do you think would make a better friend for you? Point to specific incidents from the novel to make your decision. Your response should be 150 or so words long and should focus on evidence from the novel to answer the central question.

The first chapter of A Separate Peace

This assignment is due Monday, Oct. 15 before class starts.

With the opening pages of A Separate Peace, John Knowles sets the scene for the rest of the story. The novel opens with Gene Forrester returning to his high school - the exclusive private boarding school Devon - and recalling the events of the summer 15 years earlier.

As we have discussed in class, the narrator - Gene - is telling the story from the perspective as an adult. Most of the novel is told in a flashback, and chapter one is where the flashback begins on page 14. Authors often drop hints in the opening chapters about the larger thematic ideas of the novel. A Separate Peace is no different.

Your assignment is to record a significant passage from the first chapter and write a 100 to 150 word response to in the comment section of this blog posting. Post your passage - it should be at least a sentence and most likely a little more. Here are some possible ideas to help you write your response: Why did you choose it? What ideas may ti relate to in the book? How does the setting come into play so far? What hints is the author providing about significant character traits or events in the novel? Does it remind you of any other stories or works of literature?

Cite your passage with the page number like so - "Words and sentences from the first chapter, blah, blah, blah..." (12)

Commenting on each other's work

One powerful features of a blog is the ability to leave comments on postings written by someone else. We have done this for class assignments, when you submitted your answers via the comment section of the class blog. Now, I'd like you to read several of your classmates' blog postings and respond to their ideas. The purpose of this assignment is to promote conversation from your blogs which we can hopefully use as part of a class discussion Wednesday.

There is no one way to comment on a blog. For our class purposes, however, it is important that we make the most out of our reading and commenting. Our comments will be more effective if we follow several guidelines.

First, begin your comment by mentioning something interesting/powerful/positive from the blog posting you have just read. It may help to even repeat and quote from the posting. This way, the response is focused on the ideas in the posting.

Next, provide some transition from what the blog writer is saying and the ideas or points you'd like to make. This is where you could politely disagree or find a place to expand upon the thinking by making a connection.

Finally, end your comment with a strong idea, or clincher. It could be a question or a powerful restatement of the ideas raised in the blog. Think of these like questions or comments you might use during a discussion to keep the conversation going.

Some sentence starters to assist you could include:

• I agree with you when you say "blah, blah, blah..." and I think _____
• In your post you say "blah, blah, blah..." but I wonder if ______
• You write in your post "blah, blah, blah..." and that reminds me of _____
• In your post you mention from the book "blah, blah, blah..." and I'd like to add _____

Beginning a new venture to write online

As we begin our new unit with 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, we will also be undertaking a new venture to do more of our writing and responding to the texts online. In the past, we have used this blog as a way for me to post a prompt and for you to respond to it in the comment section. However, that method limited your ability to revise your writing and to comment on one another's ideas. That, to me, are two important components of an English classroom.

For this unit, you will create your own personal blog. You will be in charge of regularly posting ideas and thoughts related to the novels. This space - Miller's English 10 Homework blog - will become the area you will receive your assignments and information.

With a blog, you can post your thoughts and responses to the novels, allowing your classmates to read what you've written and to build on your ideas. Likewise, you will read the writing of your classmates and be able to connect to their thinking and ideas. On a more individual note, the blog will become the primary area where you will maintain a record of your thinking and writing. In a sense it will become an online notebook that will be graded, both for content and writing quality.

Like almost everything we've done this year, I ask you to keep an open mind. It may be foreign to you at first, but do not give up. One skill that's going to make you successful in this world is the ability to adapt and adjust to new situations. Maybe this is one of them.

To get started, click the "create blog" link in the upper right hand corner of this page. If you already have a Google log-in (for example if you have a g-mail account) use that to sign in and name your blog. If not, use your school e-mail address and create a free account. The name of your blog should be something you can remember and I can easily identify as yours.

Once you create your blog, cut and paste the address into the comment section of this post so I can begin compiling all the student blogs in one place. Good luck.

Pulling out a passage from the excerpts

This blog posting is due before class starts Monday, Jan. 8. Good luck...

We read three novel excerpts - Frankenstein, The Color of Water, & Black Boy - and you've been asked to highlight passages that made you stop and think, and those that raised questions, and those that provoked a strong reaction. If you're reading carefully and thoughtfully you should have no problem encountering such passages.

Here's your chance to share one of them with your classmates. Your assignment is to post your passage - it should be at least a sentence and most likely a little more. Write a 100-150 word response about why you chose it, what ideas it may raise about the book, how you may connect it to something significant outside the text... or other related thoughts about it.

Cite your passage with the title of the novel and page number like so - "Words and sentences from the book, blah, blah, blah..." (Book title, 12)