We will be reading Of Mice and Men for the next week.
Background info was introduced.

There will only be one assignment for this book--and we will center our class discussions around these topics. Here is the assignment and the topics:

TOPICS - OF MICE AND MEN

• Pick ONE topic only, and answer the question using details, facts, and examples from the story!
• Yes - three points, five paragraphs. 1-1/2 to 2 pages, double spaced, MLA format.

1.) Setting - Discuss the setting of this novel. Why is the time setting crucial to your understanding of George and Lennie's lifestyle?

2.) Troublemakers - Discuss Curley and his wife as trouble makers in the story. In what ways did they generally cause trouble and in what ways did they cause trouble for George and Lennie?

3.) Prosecuting Attorney - George is on trial. Your job is to prove that George is guilty of murder and that no circumstances justify the killing of Lennie. What evidence did the witnesses to the story (including George himself) give to support the prosecution? Prepare your closing statement - the speech you will give to the jury summarizing your case.

4.) Defense Attorney - George is on trial. Your job is to prove that George is NOT guilty of murder. You need to help the jury to believe that special circumstances justified the killing of Lennie Small. What are the circumstances? What evidence did the witnesses to the story give to lead to an acquittal? Prepare your closing statement - the speech you will give to the jury summarizing your case.

5.) The Theme of the American Dream - Everyone has a dream to strive for. The poor ranch hands wish to be their own bosses and actually have stability. What circumstances in the story prevent them from realizing their dreams?

6.) The Theme of Loneliness - Throughout this novel, a main quality of most of the characters was loneliness. Novels set in the West often feature the kind of character known as a "loner." Is it the same? Do the characters in Of Mice and Men enjoy being alone? How do they seek to overcome their loneliness? Consider especially Crooks, Candy, and Curley's wife.

7.) Friendship as a Theme - Everyone needs someone to make them feel special. A basic human requirement is the need to belong to someone and belong somewhere. How is this shown in the novel?

8.) Dreams -The term "dreamer" is often used as a word of mockery or condemnation, yet dreams are a necessary part of life. What are the dreams of the various characters in the novel - Lennie, George, Curley's wife, Crooks, and the others - and how do these dreams help or hinder them in their daily lives?

9.) Foreshadowing - Foreshadowing - having early events or descriptions in the story give hints about what will happen later - is used a great deal in Of Mice and Men. Discuss the many instances of foreshadowing in this novel. How effective is the use of foreshadowing in this story? Is it overused?

10.) Lennie and Animals - Throughout the story, Lennie is compared to or associated with animals. Discuss these comparisons and associations, and draw a conclusion as to why Steinbeck used them.

*^*L:K.dat

Quizzes were passed back and discussed.

We finished reading "Frenriere" aloud and connected the story to the 5 elements of American Gothic fiction.

Some ideas for stories were presented (click here for a list) and we covered the "first lines" of 10 gothic short stories to illustrate how a short story must have a "hook" to draw the reader in. Finally, we discussed the grading rubric for the short stories.

Gothic short stories are due MAY 28. All students are expected to create a rough draft this week.
Your final draft gothic story will have the following:
· Include at least three elements of Gothic (from the definitions in your notes) in the story
· have 2-4 characters
· one major conflict
· and an "ironic twist" or surprise ending.

Don’t have an idea? Use your writing from the descriptive writing assignments (especially #3, 4 or 5) as a starting point.


The paper will be typed, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, 3-5 pages, and generally free from spelling errors.

Quiz over elements of Gothic and American influences (first part of class).

Descriptive writing prompt #5:
Write a one page description of a Gothic character. In other words, create a character sketch that helps me 'see' the dark, quirky, obsessive or suppressed personality of a bitter or frightened main character.
DON'T just tell me about the character: "My character has red hair and kohl-lined eyes. She is angry and depressed." Instead show me the character: "You could tell from the slump of her shoulders and her downcast, shadowed eyes that life had not treated her well. Hiding behind her straight, shaggy red hair, her face was a mystery to me. I wanted to know the story behind that curtain of hair."

THE DESCRIPTIVE PROMPTS (all 5) WILL BE COLLECTED ON MONDAY!

We read "Frenriere" (an excerpt from Interview with a Vampire, by Anne Rice) to get a feel for the Southern Gothic as it has morphed in the last 50 years. We did not finish this story, and will compete it on Monday.

We read an excerpt from the Cambridge Companion to Gothic (from the introduction) and defined European Gothic for our notes.

On the overhead we compared and contrasted American Gothic and European Gothic elements.
Essential difference: European Gothic tends to focus on exterior setting and dark, abandoned spaces with secrets while American Gothic tends to focus on the interior landscape--our psychological issues, fears and our potential for evil or good.

We read Stephen King's "Why we crave horror movies" and discussed it as a class.

Descriptive writing prompt #4: Write a one page description of the place of your personal nightmares—the most fearsome, spooky setting you imagine (a place you would never willingly go). This setting can be urban and modern (like a dark alley in Portland), from the past (like a graveyard during the Plague years in Europe), or the imagined future (think of the movies The Matrix or The Island).

THE DESCRIPTIVE PROMPTS (all 5) WILL BE COLLECTED ON MONDAY!

Finish the activity we began on Thursday:

I have provided 3 gothic short stories (10 copies of each story). The stories are: “Lungewater” (a more classic gothic story), “Martin Roehmar’s Boys” (a Halloween story with a twist), and “Watch and Wake” (an alternate worldview gothic story). Be sure all copies make it back to the piles!

Pick two of the short stories and read them aloud in your group

After you have read the two short stories, complete a Venn diagram (two overlapping circles) that compares and contrasts the stories on a single sheet of paper for each group.

On the BACK, list examples of how one of the stories you read demonstrates at least three of the five characteristics of American gothic.
REMINDER:
American gothic characteristics: 1) image of the swamp (or deserted, barren spaces), 2) fascination with the occult or supernatural, 3) need for physical or moral guidance (America as a ship of state), 4) the abuse of reason and/or science, 5) the “senti-mentalization” of death (obsessive).
Be sure ALL group members’ names are on the paper before you turn it in.

QUIZ over Gothic unit on Thursday!!
Short story assignments were handed out (due May 28th)
Your final draft gothic story will have the following:
· Include at least three elements of Gothic (from the definitions in your notes) in the story
· have 2-4 characters
· one major conflict
· and an "ironic twist" or surprise ending.

Don’t have an idea? Use your writing from the descriptive writing assignments (especially #3, 4 or 5) as a starting point.

The paper will be typed, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, 3-5 pages, and generally free from spelling errors.

1) Read the “New Gothic” article excerpt aloud as a class (student readers, taking turns). After you have read the article, the teacher may re-emphasize some passages. Discuss the article. This information may be on next week’s quiz.

2) I have provided 3 gothic short stories (10 copies of each story). The stories are: “Lungewater” (a more classic gothic story), “Martin Roehmar’s Boys” (a Halloween story with a twist), and “Watch and Wake” (an alternate worldview gothic story). Be sure all copies make it back to the piles!

3) In groups of 2 or 3 (no more!) pick two of the short stories and read them aloud in your group (three groups can go in the hall—teacher’s choice).

4) After you have read the two short stories, complete a Venn diagram (two overlapping circles) that compares and contrasts the stories on a single sheet of paper for each group.

5) On the BACK, list examples of how one of the stories you read demonstrates at least three of the five characteristics of American gothic.

American gothic characteristics: 1) image of the swamp (or deserted, barren spaces), 2) fascination with the occult or supernatural, 3) need for physical or moral guidance (America as a ship of state), 4) the abuse of reason and/or science, 5) the “senti-mentalization” of death (obsessive).

Be sure ALL group members’ names are on the paper before you turn it in.

REMINDER: ALL late work from the second six weeks is due on Monday, May 11th!!!

Students read Poe stories--"The Black Cat," "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Cask of Amontilado," or "The Masque of the Red Death" and compared them to the 5 elements of American gothic.

Then we watched a Poe powerpoint and took notes.

Additional info TBA--need to scan a document to complete this day's blog.



REMINDER: All late work from the second six weeks is due Monday, May 11th!

Check back for info on Wednesday, 5-13

Today we covered grade updates and dealt with any papers that needed to be passed back. Just FOUR more weeks until grades will be finalized. Late work from the first 10 weeks will no longer be accepted at this point.

Students were able to use the rest of the period to complete the Gothic short story comparison that we began on Thursday.

Don't remember it? Click HERE.

If you were absent, you need to get copies of the stories from Mrs. Evans at school.

Check back on Wednesday, 5-13 for an update.

Check back on Wednesday, 5-13 for an update.

Check back on Wednesday, 5-13 for an update.

We went to the library for the whole class period to allow students to work at the tables or computers as they gathered information for their poster... OUTLINES for the character essay were due by the end of the period.

Requirements for the poster:

• a title that clearly indicates the TITLE of the book and the ALLUSION you are presenting
• at least 3 quotes that demonstrate how your research is related to the book's allusion(s)
• at least 3 quotes from your internet research (CITED SOURCES!!!) that explain the allusion
• at least 2 paragraphs that explain, in your own words, the connections between the historical event or literary reference and the book you are reading
• visuals that help clarify the information (again, don't forget to cite your sources)

Posters are due on MONDAY, April 27th.

We covered the information needed to complete the allusion posters (Due MONDAY, April 27th)
and reviewed the definition of an allusion (see requirements below).

Students signed up for poster topics, based on the historical or literary allusions in their book.
We then went to the library to allow students to work at the tables or computers as they gathered information for their poster and finalized their character analysis essay outlines (due Thursday, April 23!!)

Requirements for the poster:

• a title that clearly indicates the TITLE of the book and the ALLUSION you are presenting
• at least 3 quotes that demonstrate how your research is related to the book's allusion(s)
• at least 3 quotes from your internet research (CITED SOURCES!!!) that explain the allusion
• at least 2 paragraphs that explain, in your own words, the connections between the historical event or literary reference and the book you are reading
• visuals that help clarify the information (again, don't forget to cite your sources)
  

Individual work (A Lesson Before Dying and Cold Mountain):
reading, summaries, journalling, character lists and quote gathering.
Begin work on character essays.


Sm. group schedule: Thursday, 1st 40 min: Red Badge of Courage, 2nd 40 min: Slaughterhouse Five
Teacher led: Check questions, discuss questions & predictions, find/discuss quotes

THEME "ONE PAGERS" DUE THURS!!!

Individual work (Red Badge of Courage and Slaughterhouse Five):
reading, summaries, journalling, character lists and quote gathering.
Begin work on character essays.


Sm. group schedule: Thursday, 1st 40 min: A Lesson Before Dying, 2nd 40 min: Cold Mountain
Teacher led: Check questions, discuss questions & predictions, find/discuss quotes

THEME "ONE PAGERS" DUE THURS!!!

Group Lesson: Introduce theme one-pagers and have students take notes/create their theme statements (themes listed with character notes).

Themes, we decided as a class, are defined as the message the author intends the reader to understand.

Individually, students created theme statements, based on one of the themes listed for their book. After discussing some examples of theme statements as a class, students reconsidered or revised their statements. NOTE: They need to be able to VISUALLY represent their theme.

Mrs. Evans (re)introduced the idea of a theme "one pager"--a visual alternative to writing a thematic essay. Students were advised to collect pictures from magazines or the internet (must be properly cited!) and three quotes that DIRECTLY and CLEARLY support their theme statement.

This theme one-pager will be completed outside of class as an assessment of their understanding of theme and visualization--two concepts we have been working on throughout the year.
DUE THURSDAY, APRIL 16th at the beginning of class.

Sm. group/lit. circles schedule:
Tuesday, 1st 40 min: A Lesson Before Dying, 2nd 40 min: Cold Mountain
Thursday, 1st 40 min: Red Badge of Courage, 2nd 40 min: Slaughterhouse Five

For those students reading Red Badge of Courage or Slaughterhouse Five, this was a workday.
Individual work: reading, study questions, journalling, character lists and quote gathering.

LITERATURE CIRCLES
Student led: discuss questions & predictions, find/discuss quotes that show characterization or emerging themes.
Teacher led: act as moderator for discussion, collect study questions, hand out "active reading" strategies bookmark as a reminder/aide for journal entries and study guide questions.

Sm. group/lit. circles schedule:
Tuesday, 1st 40 min: A Lesson Before Dying, 2nd 40 min: Cold Mountain
Thursday, 1st 40 min: Red Badge of Courage, 2nd 40 min: Slaughterhouse Five

For those students reading Red Badge of Courage or Slaughterhouse Five, this was a workday.
Individual work: reading, study questions, journalling, character lists and quote gathering.

LITERATURE CIRCLES
Student led: discuss questions & predictions, find/discuss quotes that show characterization or emerging themes.
Teacher led: act as moderator for discussion, collect study questions, hand out "active reading" strategies bookmark as a reminder/aide for journal entries and study guide questions.