Week of September 8-September 12, 2014

This week you will be learning about and discussing a few of the literary terms we will be using throughout the year.  The short story "Marriage is a Private Affair" and questions pertaining to the short story will be used in the discussion of literary terms. The homework questions will be assigned in class and a due date will be given.  A zero will be placed in the gradebook if the assignment is not competed by the due date.

Here is the link to "Marriage is a Private Affair" --
http://peopleandstories.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/marriage-is-a-private-affair.pdf

Please study for the following quiz --

Thursday, September 11:  Literary Term Quiz (based off of PowerPoint presented in class on 9/8)

September 2014

Unit 1 of 9 Academic World Literature:  Below is a brief synopsis of what we will be doing during the first few weeks of school.

As 9^th grade English students, you will be exposed to many different cultures this year through films, literary works, and nonfiction.  What can we learn from reading articles and stories and from viewing films about different cultures?   Why is it so important for young students in today’s society to be exposed to these different cultures?  

All of the tools you will need to be a successful high school English student will be given to you during the first marking period. The following are the items we will be working on over the next marking period:

·         Quote Analysis

·         Critical Thinking Skills

·         Writing Skills (Thesis Statements, Paragraph Organization, MLA format, Citations, Works Cited Page, etc.)

To learn and strengthen these skills we will use the following for our discussions:

• “Marriage is a Private Affair” (http://peopleandstories.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/marriage-is-a-private-affair.pdf) and other selections from World Literature: An Anthology of Great Short Stories, Drama, and Poetry
• ·  Osama
•   Real Time  
•   2014 summer and fall current event articles from around the world

EXAM REVIEW

Part I:  Literary Terms, Poetic Devices, and Dramatic Conventions

vignette, round character, flat character, dynamic character, static character, stock character, Assonance, alliteration, consonance, simile, metaphor, protagonist, antagonist, foil, couplet, sonnet, iambic pentameter, situational irony, dramatic irony, soliloquy, concealment, blank verse, prose, diction, syntax, hyperbole, symbol, imagery, allusion, synesthesia, oxymoron, malapropism, onomatopoeia, and aside…

Reviewing notes, PowerPoint presentations, and tests will help you be successful on this section of the exam. 

Section II:  Authors/Directors/Playwrights

Be able to identify the author, director, or playwright to each of the following works:

A Doll’s House

Oedipus

Romeo and Juliet

Whale Rider

Minority Report

The House on Mango Street

Section III:  Quote Identification

Know the significant themes/events of the above works and the important characters within each work in order to be successful on the quote identification section of the exam.

Section IV:  Open-ended Response

In a well-developed response you will be responding to a question having to deal with a particular character within a work.  Reviewing the main characters of each work and their behavior, traits, and experiences will help you be successful when responding to this writing prompt.

Section V:  Essay Section

This section will include all of the works listed above.  Know the characters, plots, themes, etc. of the works listed above.

The House on Mango Street

UPDATE AS OF 5/30/14:
DO NOT FORGET:  I WILL BE CHECKING YOUR FIRST THREE VIGNETTES (ROUGH DRAFTS) ON MONDAY, JUNE 2! 


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The House on Mango Street Assignments --


The Vignette Writing Project: 

• The completed booklet must be turned in by Monday, June 9, 2014 (This is the last grade of the marking period...worth 50 points)
• Individual due dates for rough drafts of each vignette will provided in class
• The vignettes we will be reading for the vignette project include the following:
• "The House on Mango Street" - page 3
• "My Name" - page 10
• "Hairs" - page 6
• "Those Who Don't" and other neighborhood vignettes - page 28
• "A House of my Own" - page 108

Reading Assignment: 

• Throughout the next two weeks we will also read the following vignettes dealing with the women on Mango Street:
• "A Smart Cookie" - page 90
• "Sally" - page 81
• "What Sally Said" - page 92
• "Linoleum Roses" - page 101
• "Marin" - page 26
• "There was an Old Woman..." - page 29
• "Alicia Who Sees Mice" - page 31
• "No Speak English" - page 76
• "Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice..." - page 79
• "Minerva Writes Poems" - page 84

Whale Rider --


We will be viewing The Whale Rider the week of June 9.  Our discussion will connect this film to The House on Mango Street.


Exam --


I will be providing you with an exam review sheet during the week of June 2. 

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 22 -- End Test for Ibsen's A Doll's House.  Don't forget to review the Ibsen PowerPoint!


The Weeks of May 26  and June 2-- We will read a selection of vignettes from The House on Mango Street.   Reading and writing due dates for individual vignettes will be discussed in class.


The Week of June 9th -- Whale Rider


* I will be providing each class with a review sheet during the first week of June. 

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

Over the next two weeks we will be reading and analyzing Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.  The assignments and due dates for this work will be provided in class as we are reading the play.  Keep in mind that you will have an essay and a final test on this play. 

Romeo and Juliet Unit

Wednesday, April 30:  End Test  for Shakespeare, Elizabethan Theater, and Romeo and Juliet

• Review the PowerPoint I provided prior to studying Romeo and Juliet
• Review the webquest you completed in class on Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Theater
• Review your notes from the How William Became Shakespeare CD
• Review all handouts and notes provided before, during, and after the reading of Romeo and Juliet
• Review the entire play of Romeo and Juliet

Online text:
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/

Study guide:
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/romeoscenes.html

Romeo and Juliet Skits: 
Upon our return from the break, you will begin preparing a modern version of Romeo and Juliet.  The assignment and due dates will be provided in class on Wednesday, April 23.