Monday, April 29, 2013

Portfolio Details

You're submitting a second semester portfolio.

It should contain:

  • Your three NEW pieces
  • One piece from earlier in the year to demonstrate your growth as a writer
  • Again, ALL in the same document you can upload to Turnitin.
  • Again, include page numbers for reference.
  • Double-check that you have something in your portfolio that is evidence of your skill in each of the second semester portfolio criteria.

Your portfolio does NOT need ALL of your pieces from first semester.

Blog is Ready!

Okay, I got a bunch of random ideas for names for the blog, but I think we'll need to vote on it tomorrow.  For now, let's get you publishing.

First, check out the blog:  ihsspeaks.blogspot.com
Tweet it.  Link to it on Facebook.  Read an article already posted and share via the buttons at the bottom.

Want to publish your own piece?  Copy and paste your article into an email and send it to ms.kim.grissom.langpub@blogger.com.

It will save your text as a draft for me to publish.  I'll tag it with appropriate labels to categorize it in the right-hand column and publish it.  Include the title of your piece as the subject line of your email.  I will include the author's name for the vast majority of pieces.  However, sometimes your argument contains sensitive material.  Please talk to me if you wish to publish it without your name.  I will allow anonymity for arguments that warrant it.

That's it for now!


End-of-the-Year Journal Guidelines

It's almost that time!  Seniors...you're counting down.  Juniors...you're not too far behind them.  Now that you're all done with your reading for the class AND your portfolio, you should also be able to do your final reflection for the year and give up your journals for grading purposes.

Here's what I need from each of you as your last journal entry of the year

This should be a long journal entry.  Now that we're nearing the end of our course together, it's time for you to reflect on a number of aspects of the course.  You're doing this in your journal and therefore this is casual, informal, not graded on mechanics, and reflective in nature.  While I am part of your audience, I also hope that you will consider YOURSELF as your main audience.  I would like you to consider and write about the following aspects of the course and your learning in it:

Friday, April 26, 2013

Documentary Film Project


AP Lang
Documentary Film Analysis

Objectives:
·         Analyze a full-length documentary film and its argumentation
·         Apply all of the concepts of this course to evaluate and present the argument of a film
·         Work cooperatively in a group to present an analysis to the class

How it Will Work:
  1. I’ll model the analysis process using Food, Inc. in class.  I’ll show you the kinds of things to look for, the way these elements may look different in the medium of film, and give some examples of how you might present your film.
  2. You will choose your group and your film from the list provided, figure out Netflix/physical copy arrangements, and get the permission slip returned to me by Wednesday.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Publishing Online

All right, I think I've got this figured out now.  We're going to use Blogger because I think we can make it work.  I'm experimenting today with a few students to see the best way of going about this.  My plan is to have Featured Articles (the newest posts) and then links to Student Articles by title on the right-hand side.  Here's what I need from all of you:


  1. If you're willing to do some experimentation today or tomorrow, please let me know ASAP (email or drop in and see me is fine).  You would need to have your publication piece ready to go and have a little bit of time to try a couple of different ways of publishing.
  2. We need a name for our blog (or webzine, if you prefer).  Right now I've called it IHS Speaks but I feel like that's probably kind of dorky.  If you have a clever name, send it my way.  If we get several good ones, we'll put it to a vote.
  3. A bit of patience.  It's set up, but I don't think it's ready to go until we test drive a couple of things so just hold your horses.  I'm hoping by Monday you guys can be posting and sharing at will.
  4. When it IS all a go, what I REALLY need from all of you--even if you're not ready to publish your own piece--is to get on, see what it looks like, and share the link to the blog OR your favorite articles via Facebook and Twitter so we can blast it out there and get lots of readers.  I'll put the link in the Daily Announcements, the IHS Facebook page, and get it on the school website.  But to get your student readers, YOU will be the best way to share.  I've made it easy to share by including UpTweet and Share to Facebook gadgets right on the blog.


Let me know if you have questions or if you can help with a name or a piece to publish!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Beloved Lit Circles


Split into groups of 4 (two groups of 5 in 1st and 2nd).  

Your Journal:

  1. All group members will pay attention to symbols in the novel and make note of ideas regarding their significance.
  2. Each group member will be in charge of tracking ONE motif in their journal.

Motifs:  

  • Repressing the Past & Rememory
  • Dehumanization/Slavery vs. Freedom
  • Love/Family/Motherhood
  • Use of Magical Realism
  • Community vs. Alienation (only for groups of 5)

What You Should Note:

  • When you notice the motif or symbol--page number
  • How the author seems to be using that motif or symbol
  • What point does the author seem to be making at that point?

As a Group:

  1. Determine your reading schedule.  You have designated reading days and discussion days in class, but you can decide how you will “chunk” the novel for those discussion days.  
  2. Determine who will track each of the motifs.  Everyone is responsible for reading the whole book; you’re just focusing on your own motif rather than all of them.
  3. You should have a page in your journal for each of the motifs (even those you are not tracking).  This will give you a place to jot down your own thoughts on those subjects as you read and make note of your group discussions.

Discussion Items as a Large Group:

  • Each member will share out what is going on with the motifs--open up discussion to see what other members think or have noticed.  Also discuss the ways some of these motifs overlap.
  • Symbols and their Significance
  • Significance of the 3-Part Structure
  • Significance of the Title
  • Your ultimate goal is two-fold:  What is the theme of the novel?  How does Morrison’s writing help her achieve that argument?  You won’t know the answers to these questions until the end, but your discussion while you’re still reading should be leading toward answers to these questions.

Dates:
April 10 Hand out books; assign groups
April 11 Reading day
April 15 Group discussion day
April 17 Reading day
April 18 Group discussion day
April 22 Maybe some reading time
April 23 Book completed.  Group discussion
April 25 Quarter Exam