Senior Portfolio

Your Senior Portfolio is due Wednesday 5/23.
All together, the components of your Portfolio are worth 100 points as a Major Assessment for 4th Quarter.  Also, remember that your final exam will be a formal presentation of the work in your portfolio, so the better your portfolio, the stronger your presentation is likely to be. 

See links to the assignment and all rubrics on the right --->

Gender in Film Essay Assignment

Click the link below for details on your paper assignment for the Gender in Film unit.
Papers must be submitted as Google Documents before class on Tuesday 5/15.

Gender in Film Essay Assignment

Homework due 5/8

Gender Roles in Dystopian Film: Checking In

Now that we have watched two of our three films, you have a sense of how different stories in different films portray women and gender roles.  This weekend, take time to review Children of Men and Surrogates according to Feminist Critical Theory.  

Answer the following questions for each film (yes, that means you must do this twice):

Be specific in your responses and use specific examples from the films as much as possible.

1. How is the relationship between men and women portrayed?
2. What are the power relationships between men and women (or characters assuming male/female roles)?
3. How are male and female roles defined?
4. What constitutes masculinity and femininity? How do characters embody these traits?
5. Do characters take on traits from opposite genders? How so? How does this change others’ reactions to them?
6. What does the work reveal about the operations (economically, politically, socially, or psychologically) of patriarchy?
7. What does the work imply about the possibilities of sisterhood as a mode of resisting patriarchy?

Final Unit: Gender Roles in Dystopian Film

All three of the core texts we have read this year – 1984, Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World – were written by men and all three focus on male protagonists.  In these works, women play important yet peripheral roles.  And so, for our final unit this year, we will shift our focus to less male-dominated stories and explore gender roles and the portrayal of women in works about the future – this time, films. 

We will watch three films as a class.  You will be expected to watch carefully and analytically, taking careful notes, responding to questions and participating in discussions.  The final assessment for the unit will be an essay in which you compare and contrast the films’ portrayals of women and takes on gender roles in general. 

We will begin with a brief introduction to Feminist Criticism – a literary criticism theory that focuses on “the ways in which literature (and other cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women.”  Through reviewing the typical questions raised by Feminist Criticism, you will have a sense of what kinds of things to look out for in our films.

Step-by-Step Requirements:

1)    While watching the films in class, take two-column “I See / It Means” notes.  In the left column, write details from the film; in the right, explain how these details relate to our questions about gender.  I will check notes periodically and will collect them at the end of the unit.

2)    After each film, we will have a graded Socratic Seminar.  You will need to answer questions about the film and participate actively in the discussion.

3)    Finally, you will synthesize your thoughts on all three films into a 2-3 page paper about the portrayal of women and gender roles in dystopian film, as represented by our three examples.  Just as with a traditional literary analysis paper, you will must use specific evidence to support your thesis.  All the more reason to take careful notes, show up each day, and participate in discussions!

This unit, combined with your Senior Portfolio (more information coming soon!) will make up the totality of your Fourth Quarter grade.

1984 Project

1984 Creative Project

Socratic Seminar

Our seminar on 1984 is on Wednesday 4/4. Prepare by preparing responses to the discussion questions and by writing at least one original question.

Here are the questions:

1984 Seminar Questions

Final Draft Update

The due date for the final draft of your research paper has been extended to Friday 2/23.
Please take the time to ensure you have the proper in-text citations.
Presentations will still be due on Monday 3/26.

Weekly Agenda 3/12 - 3/16

Monday 3/12 - Late Entry (6, 7, 1, 2)

Tuesday 3/13 - Day 7
- Review 1984 Part 2, Chapter 9
- D.J.
Homework: Read Chapter X and complete a D.J.
Prepare for a quiz on Part 2.
(Note: the due date for Research Paper Rough Draft has been moved to Friday 3/16)

Wednesday 3/14 - Day 6
no class

Thursday 3/15 - Day 5
- 1984 Part 2 Quiz
Homework: Rough Draft of Research Paper is due tomorrow. It must be saved as a Google Document in the appropriate folder of your "Binder."

Friday 3/16 - Day 4
- Peer Editing
Homework: Final Draft of Research Paper due Wednesday 3/21

Weekly Agenda: 2/27 - 3/2

Monday 2/27 - Early Release (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

- Evaluating Sources for Research Paper

Homework: Annotated Bibliography due Wednesday

Tuesday 2/28 - Day 2

- 1984, section III

- Dialectical Journal

Homework: Annotated Bibliography due tomorrow! This means it must be saved in your Google Doc Collection under "Annotated Bibliography" by the beginning of class.

Wednesday 2/29 - Day 1 (Leap Day!)
- Outline information & example.

Homework: Begin working on outline. Complete outline due Monday.

Thursday 3/1 - Day 7

- 1984, section IV

- Dialectical Journal

Homework: Completed outline due Monday. Don't forget your weekly progress report!

Friday 3/2 - Day 6

- no class

This Week

On Thursday 2/16 and Friday 2/17 our class will meet in the Computer Lab H206 to work on research. Ms. Musilli will be there to introduce you to some helpful databases and to help you find information.

I will not be in school on Thursday or Friday. Ms. Musilli is covering class. Do not go to study. Meet in H206 as planned.

Weekly Agenda 2/6 - 2/10

Monday 2/6 - Late Entry (5, 6, 7, 1)

- 1984 Part One Quiz

Homework: 2 page essay (typed, double-spaced): "How is language used to shape reality and to control people's thoughts and behaviors?"

You must include a clear thesis in which you make an assertion about the power of language to shape reality and control thoughts and behavior. Your essay must also include examples to support your points. As much as possible, these examples must be based on fact. Think about the world today as well as historical examples.

This essay will be graded as an Open Response (not a major assessment). I’m looking for thoughtfulness, insight and clarity as well as some actual examples of how language can shape our realities or control our thoughts and behaviors.

Due: Thursday 2/9

Getting the wheels turning...

It's time to start thinking about your Senior Research Project!

Click on the link below for some ideas:

Current Issues & "The Future"

Tuesday's Assignment

Today you will do some research to learn a bit more about George Orwell and the background to his most famous novel, 1984.

Use the links provided below to answer the following Who, What, When, Where, Why and How questions. Type your responses and hand them in. You will be graded on the thoroughness and thoughtfulness of your answers.

Links:
George Orwell Biography
The Literature Network
Levity.com
L-1.com Biography

1. Who was George Orwell? Include key information about his life and identity.
2. What personal beliefs were reflected in his writing?
3. When did he write 1984 and when was it published?
4. Where did he experience the things he wrote about?
5. Why did Orwell write 1984?
6. How did Orwell explain his topics and reasons for writing?

Monday's Assigment

Computer Lab assignment:

Read the following article and answer the questions below.

NY Times Article: Little Brother is Watching

1. What does Mr. Kirn mean when he says that the invasion of privacy has been “democratized”?
2. How are today’s communication technologies and communicators different from those Orwell imagined in “1984”?
3. Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Kirn that the actions of Tyler Clementi’s roommate are “more disturbing” than those of Orwell’s Big Brother?
4. In what way, according to Mr. Kirn, can the actions of “Little Brother” benefit society?
5. How has today’s technology blurred the lines between what’s public and what’s private?
6. What does Mr. Kirn mean when he says modern technology contributes to the fragmentation of society?

(Questions from The Learning Network: Teaching and Learning with The New York Times)

Weekly Agenda 1/9 - 1/13

Monday 1/9 - Late Entry (4, 5, 6 & 7)
- Finish Concentric Circle Posters
Homework: Read "Flowers for Algernon"
Progress reports 3/5 - 4/3

Tuesday 1/10 - Day 4
- Discuss "Flowers"
Homework: Finish "Flowers for Algernon"

Wednesday 1/11 - Day 3
- Discuss "Flowers"
Homework: TBA

Thursday 1/12 - Day 2
- Review for Midterm
Homework: Independent Reading blogs due tomorrow!
Prepare a brief "book talk" about your book for the class. Bring your book to share.

Friday 1/13 - Day 1
- Book Talks
Homework: Study for Midterms. Good luck on your exams!

Weekly Agenda: 1/2 - 1/6

Monday 1/2 - New Year's Day (Observed)

no school

Tuesday 1/4 - Day 1

- Octavia Butler's "Speech Sounds"

Homework: Read "Speech Sounds." Mark up the text. Complete two D.J.'s focused on the role communication plays in our humanity.

Wednesday 1/5 - Day 7

- Poetry Out Loud Period Finals!

Good luck, Stephen!

Thursday 1/6 - Day 6

no class

Friday 1/7 - Day 5

- Discuss "Speech Sounds"

Homework: TBA