Ms. K's Website

What Do You Need to be Happy?

  Our recent class discussion led to some pretty big questions.

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The New York Times article to which I refered in class was "The Futile Pursuit of Happiness" by Jon Gertner. It focuses on Harvard research.

Alexa Mergen : Poetry Workshop

    ________I was so proud to see you all taking risks in sharing your original work with the class during the poetry workshop that Alexa Mergen presented. Let's take time to reflect upon what we learned. In the comments at this posting, write a message to Alexa that addresses the following questions:

What was your experience? What specific things did you learn about yourself and the process of writing and performing poetry? What exercises were helpful to you?

If I Were....

If I were a car, I would be a lime green volkswagen coming home after a trans-continental journey.

What car are YOU?

Look below the fold for today's journal activity "If I Were". It's due Wednesday, typed, at the beginning of class. Don't forget to answer the questions on "The Stranger" and to study the tips on writing about poetry.

"The Journey" by Mary Oliver: a sample literary analysis

  "One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice...

...a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

...kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper into the world..."

-from Mary Oliver's "The Journey"

Look below the fold for the poem in its entirety, an accompanying literary analysis by Ms. K, and guidelines for your literary analysis papers.

Video Poem "Forgetfulness" by Billy Collins

US Poet Laureate Billy Collins reads his poem "Forgetfulness". It's perfect for download to video iPod. This is one of the coolest video poems I've seen. See poetry in an entirely new and incredible way. Check it out, kids! :-) (It's worth the wait as it buffers. Push "play", then do something else for 20 minutes or so, and when you return, it will be buffered! You know the drill. :-) If you like this one, you might also like another animated poem by Billy Collins called "The Dead". You can access it here.

Video Poetry

Video poetry mixes words, images and sound into a unified work of art. If the image dominates, the captions or voice-over enhances the course of the moving image, reinforces it, and gives it “punch”. The music, of course, corresponds with the tone of the piece. Festivals in Chicago and San Francisco feature video poetry as a major element.  There are some great resources and links at San Diego State University. Read below the fold for some useful tips in making your video poem.

"The Poetry Portfolio" The Structure

"The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail."   —William Faulkner

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A poetry portfolio is a collection of poems, biographies, and reflections. This portfolio is also includes a visual response: a way of portraying the tone or "mood" of a poem using imagery. The following is an outline of what is expected. Add to it, if you like! :-)

Poetry Portfolio

Other poets:

• Three poems written by two or three poets from your country of origin, along with a sentence or two bio of each. The poems must be submitted in the original language and translated into English, either by you or someone else. Each poem must include a one-paragraph analysis. MM students should check out this site.
• A poem of your choice accompanied by an analysis.
• Five of your favorite poems from the poems we study in class. At least one needs to be illustrated.

Featured Poet

• Three poems by your featured poet
• A two-three page literary analysis on two-three poems on your featured poet.
• A one-page biography, including the poet’s importance in his/her historical time period

Poems as a “response to art”:

• Three “poems as response to art” by other poets. Include a copy of the piece of art.
• One-two “art poem" (a poem as response to art) by you.

Sharing your knowledge:

• A list of 10 poetic terms discussed in class, accompanied by an example of each from the poems we read in class

Original Poetry by you:

• Five-seven additional original poems written by you; three must include graphics/drawings/images/photos that accentuate the tone and or subject of your piece. You could create videos to show to the class

Presentation: Ways to showcase your poetry portfolio:

• Create your own poetry blog which could include original podcasts of your audio.
• Create a hardcopy poetry portfolio in a beautifully-designed binder.
• Create an e-portfolio. (Click on link, then see me for details!)
• Create a website that showcases the elements of your poetry portfolio.
• Suggest another way!

 

Poetry Portfolio Preliminary Research

Today is an “information gathering day”; you will browse, nibble, and graze, deciding what poets peak your interest, what poems speak to you, and what “poems about images” you find compelling. Today you will to gather information about poets and their work.

Using the poetry links in the right-hand sidebar, use the class time to do preliminary research for your Poetry Portfolio. The poetry websites have a large database of information on the biographical background and the poetic work of writers.

By the end of the day, each of you will have created a file in your class folder entitled “[Your Name] Poetry Portfolio”. In it, you will have created files of the following:

1. Biographical info on at least four poets (The information should be compiled from at least three credible sources.)
2. Fifteen poems you find provocative.
3. 5 “poems about images” that you find moving. (found at the "poetry and painting" link)

(image by Ms. K)

If you have time, you could then find images that move you: images you’d like to write about, and then write about them.

I will check the class files upon my return, checking to see if you have completed your work.

Your homework is this: keep researching. Collect poems you like. Maybe even download audio files of poets you like.

Have fun, and leave a comment if you have any questions. See on Monday, and have a great break!

Act I: Reflections

This week each of you produced a series of five freeze-frames from Act I of The Crucible to create the sense of tension and rivalry within Salem and to clearly show the power/status relationships among the town citizens. You also worked in groups to recreate the scene where Abigail is persuading Tituba to conjure spirits and the scene in the forest which Rev. Parris witnesses.

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Your assignment is to answer ONE of the four questions below. It would be great if everyone didn't answer the same question!

1. What were you trying to show with your frames? What atmosphere were you trying to create? What did you reveal about the characters and setting? How did you do this? Why did you choose the quotations you did?
2. What did your improvisation on the dancing in the woods add to our understanding of the characters, atmosphere, and setting? Why do you think that Miller chose not to begin the play like this?
3. Which other groups succeeded in adding to your understanding and appreciation of the play through their work? How and why?
4. What is the value, do you think, of doing drama work like this when studying a play or a novel or poetry? How does it help you personally, if it does? Is there anything you’d like to do in its place?

Creating the "Hook"

Dear Ms. K,

When I'm writing an essay, I always struggle with creating an interesting "hook" to pull in my reader. Do you have any suggestions on how I can begin my essay in a more interesting way?

Dear Student:

There isn't a magic formula for introductory paragraph hooks. However, I do have a few suggestions to help you in your writing. Here are a few methods:

1. Make a provocative statement of your own.
2. Begin with a quotation from the play and explain it.
3. Describe the situation.
4. Create an atmosphere.
5. Ask a question

Can you think of any others?

You are going to create a mini-essay on Act I of The Crucible. First, however, you are going to write an introductory paragraph for each of the essay prompts, using a different method for starting each paragraph.

Here are the essay prompts. Make sure you write one introductory paragraph for each essay prompt.

1. What prompts Tituba and the girls to claim they've seen the devil at the end of the act?
2. What conflicts are present in the community of Salem at the beginning of the play and what are the causes of them?
3. What kind of character is Abigail? Explain her behavior in this act.
4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere of Salem in the first act of The Crucible?
5. How has the balance of power shifted by the end of Act I? Why does this happen?

So, now it's your turn! Each of you should post one sample introductory paragraph from today's homework. It needs to be posted by 11:00 pm Monday, March 19th. Your digital copy of five intro paragraphs should be in the class folder by 4:00 pm on Monday, and hardcopy printout put under my door. See you Tuesday!

(p.s. We miss you, M. from Japan. And, to "fatandconfused" at MUN in China, I hope you're doing well. BTW, this assignment is for you, too!)