Ms. K's Website

What Do You Need to be Happy?

  Our recent class discussion led to some pretty big questions.

(image via)

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.

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?