Ms. K's Website

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.

(image via)

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!)

Teeny-Weeny Grammar Lessons

Okay, guys.

I finished correcting ALL of your research papers. (Ms. K takes a bow while the entire class gives her a standing ovation and brings her offerings of expensive European chocolate in gratitude for correcting them all in less than a week.)

I'm quite impressed with some of your research, and I can't wait to listen to the class debates.

I noticed that some of you need a brush-up on your grammar, so to help you out, I'm introducing you to a virtual guest lecturer: Grammar Girl. Her podcasts are quite interesting to listen to, so I've downloaded them into the "temp file share" folder of your class folder. They are in MP3 format, so you can copy and save them onto your ipod or your MP3 player for later use. (Note: when downloading, it might helped to save it first to your desktop, and THEN copy to your ipod.) You can see the text version of her mini-lessons and other cool grammar links at her website.

Today we will be listening to one of her podcasts entitled "Wordiness and Idioms". The neat thing is this: some of you have specific needs in brushing up your grammar, and with Grammar Girl's podcasts, you can simply take five minutes on your own to listen to the podcast that fits your needs.

Now isn't that cool or am I the only one completely jazzed about this?

The Crucible

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, here it is: the book jacket of the play that we're going to be reading this quarter.

First published in 1953 by Arthur Miller, this play has been performed all over the world and has been translated into many languages. The description on the back cover of the play reads as follows: "The place is Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, an enclave of rigid piety huddled on the edge of a wilderness. Its inhabitants believe unquestioningly in their own sanctity. But in Arthur Miller’s edgy masterpiece, this very belief will have poisonous consequences when a vengeful teenager accuses a rival of witchcraft- and then when those accusations multiply to consume the entire village. First produced in 1953, at a time when America was convulsed by a new epidemic of witch-hunting, The Crucible brilliantly explores the threshold between individual guilt and a mass hysteria, personal spite and collective evil. It is a play that is not only relentlessly suspenseful and vastly moving but that compels reader to fathom their hearts and consciences."

Rules for the Road: Guidelines for Class Blog

In order to preserve your safety and maintain the integrity of your teacher and school, there are some rules you need to follow before you post or comment on this blog.

1. Do not give away your last name, e-mail address, IM, phone number, or any other personal information.  We know each other's screen name, so let's use them!
2. Do not link to your personal blog, MySpace, or other web site.  That invites anyone who reads this blog to visit it, and there may be things you don’t want just anybody to see.
3. Make sure the tone of discourse is civil.  If you wish to share your opinion or disagree, there are ways to do this that invite intelligent debate.  In that same vein, remember you are representing your school when you post here, and you may not criticize other groups, schools, or organizations in the name of your school.
4. Be sure to check your posts for grammar, mechanics, usage, and spelling.  It might be helpful to type it in a word processing program first.  Remember, too, that this is writing for school.  If you wouldn’t turn it in to your strictest teacher, don’t post it here.
5. Make sure you have permission before you write about others, even if it is praise.  People have differing levels of comfort with sharing information on the web.
6. Share your sources.  If you used other web sites or books to defend an argument, link to them so your readers can check them out, too.
7. Make sure the post is relevant to education.  Post your academic writing, but don’t share your weekend plans or goofy online quiz results.

(adapted from class blog rules from HuffEnglish)

Well, that's about all, folks! I look forward to reading your writing!