Journal Topics (4/12-4/16)

**14 lines minimum this week!

Monday, April 12: How would you react if you won the lottery? What would you do?

Tuesday, April 13: Using one of the following character archetypes, write a short story or narrative:
a sailor, a wise old man or woman, a witch or enchantress, a prince or princess, a wicked stepmother or stepfather, a villain.

Wednesday, April 14: After reading John Updike's short story "A&P," do you think that this was an accurate portrayal of a typical teenage part-time job? Do you have a job? If so, describe it. If not, imagine what it would be like to work at wal-mart.

Thursday, April 15: What was your reaction to "Adventures of an Indian Princess?" What do you think is the primary theme/idea of the short story? Did you like it? Why/why not?

Friday, April 16: If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why?

Journal Topics (4/6-4/9)

**12 lines minimum this week!

Tuesday, April 6:
Give a stylized account of something that you did over spring break.

Wednesday, April 7:
Is war ever justified? Do you know anyone (friend, family member) who has served in the military? How might that change your (or someone else's) opinion on the subject?

Thursday, April 8:
Have you ever had an experience that you could not easily describe to another person?

Friday, April 9:
If you were going on an extended trip (with a military platoon, joining the peace corps, stranded on an island), what three items would you carry with you? You may assume that you will be provided with food, water, weather-appropriate clothing, and camping/survival equipment.

NEW Extra Credit Possibilities!

As always, I'm constantly trying to find ways to allow you all to show me what you can do AND offer extra credit for those of you who may be interested. Here are a few extra credit ideas that you can take advantage of in the next two weeks. These offers expire when Mrs. Calder-Green returns to teach your class. Ms. Disher's last day is Friday, April 16.

* Write a rap, song, or poem about an experience you've had or a topic you're passionate about. It should be at least half a page long and use 2 literary devices that we've studied.

* Create a pictoral, musical, or other creative form of a memoir (a picture collage, powerpoint, website, cd, poster, etc). You may also write another memoir piece using a different memory, or write a "sequel" for your memoir explaining what happened next or how that event affected you in the long run.

* Create a wordle or write a 1-2 page narrative from the perspective of one of the characters from the novel The Bluest Eye or one of the poems you encountered in our poetry unit (for example, the speaker from "The Raven," or Annabel in "Annabel Lee").

Journal Topics (3/22-26)

Here are your journal topics for the past week:

Monday, 3/22:

Tuesday, 3/23: Write about an experience in your childhood or adolescence that had an impression (positive or negative) on you.

Wednesday, 3/24: Write about at least two school memories, using Sherman Alexie's story "Indian Education" as a model. Link the two memories with a common theme or idea.

Thursday, 3/25: Write a fictional interview or conversation with someone you respect or admire.

Friday, 3/26: How would your best friend describe you? A parent or guardian (or any adult)? A stranger? An enemy?

Nonfiction Unit

Now that we've finished our Poetry unit (with the test on Tuesday, March 16), we're moving on to Nonfiction.

Here's a list of the genres that we'll be studying:
Autobiography
Biography
Letters, journals/diaries (primary documents)
Essays
Speeches
Documentary films

Here's a link to a great explanation of the different genres of nonfiction and what nonfiction attempts to do: Barrington Middle

I'll post materials as they are applicable for the class. Today (Friday, March 19), we'll be watching Good Night and Good Luck, a biographical film based on the life of CBS broadcaster Edward R. Murrow. I will post the study questions below for your reference.

Poetry! Yeah!

Today, Thursday, March 4, we start our unit on POETRY! Get pumped!

At the end of this unit, we'll do a choose-your-own-assessment activity, so be prepared! You'll get to choose between a big unit test, an analytical paper, and a project (TBD), so you can play to your personal strengths as a student.

Here are a few resources to help you as we go through this unit. I'll post helpful links throughout the unit, so keep checking back.

Free Audiobooks, Recordings, Videos, and Podcasts:
http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video/Literature/Poetry

Naropa Poetics Audio Archive (mostly beat poets from 1940s-60s):
http://www.archive.org/details/naropa

Poetry Aloud! (Directory of poets and poetry):
http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~shale/humanities/composition/handouts/poetryaloud.html

SAT/ACT Prep

Beginning in early March, we will be working on some SAT and ACT prep activities on a regular basis in class (3-4 times per week). We'll discuss the differences between the two tests, compare grading in each, and help you decide which test may be better for you!

Here are a few excellent resources for SAT/ACT Prep at home:
Free SAT Practice Question of the Day:
http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-question-of-the-day

Free ACT Practice Question of the Day:
http://www.actstudent.org/qotd/

ACT Prep Resources (free resources are marked as such):
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html

Resources for The Bluest Eye Project

Here are a few good websites to help you in your research and thought processes!

Topics on The Bluest Eye (beauty, racism, food, abandonment), a Series of Quotes from the book:
http://www.az.com/~andrade/morrison/eye.html

American History in the 1940s (context for the novel):
http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade40.html

Reading and Discussion Questions (with a breakdown of the novel's structure):
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/lit209/BLUEYEQ.htm

Themes, Motifs, and Symbols from SparkNotes (fine for review, but not a good substitute for the book!):
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/bluesteye/themes.html

Music Lyrics Database (MLDb):
http://www.mldb.org/

Want Extra Credit?

I'll be offering several opportunities to get extra credit throughout the semester. This is a great opportunity for those of you who may not be happy with your current quiz grades, journal grades, or class participation to boost your overall grade! Here are the ones available so far:

* Volunteer to give a 5-8 minute presentation about your final unit project for The Bluest Eye. You must explain why you chose your topic, how you approached the text, what your main ideas were, and give a sample of your finished project (read from your writing, play a song and discuss it, etc.). Do this successfully and I will offer you 5 points of extra credit OR bump you up to the next letter grade, whichever option helps you more!

* Write a short 1-2 page essay comparing an element in the film Imitation of Life to The Bluest Eye. Here are some suggested elements to examine (but you may come up with your own!): mother/daughter relationships, how men are presented, racial stereotypes, racial identity, class issues (who has money and who doesn't), love and the lover (how people love and/or show their love). Due Thursday, March 4.

* For our poetry unit, compile a list of examples of figurative language (metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification) or other devices (irony, imagery, tone, mood) in music, a television show, a movie, or any other media outlet you like. Refer to the "Lil' Wayne" sheet and use that as a model. Due at the end of the poetry unit (March 16).

Journal Entries on The Bluest Eye, Week 2

2/22: Using the following video, compare how Malcolm (in the video) and Geraldine (from The Bluest Eye) view "acting white." What effect (positive or negative) does "acting" outside your race/ethnicity have on your identity?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg5OJs-Ahdo&feature=related

2/23: Did Cholly's reaction to Pauline's pregnancy surprise you? Why or why not? What does this say about Cholly as a man?

2/24: Which character in The Bluest Eye do you find most empathetic? If you don't relate to any of the characters, who do you find most pitiful?

* Empathy: the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another. Being able to put yourself "in someone else's shoes."

2/25: Soaphead Church is the most educated character in the novel, yet he still hates his race (as we see in his family's preference for "marrying up" to lighten their skin tone). What do you think Morrison is trying to say about the value of education and developing racial identity through this character?

2/26: What was your reaction to the novel's ending? Did it surprise you? Why? What do you think happens to Claudia afterward?

The Bluest Eye Unit Project

Here are the directions for your unit project for Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. Note the due dates, and keep in mind that we will have an in-class workday on Monday, March 1. The final project is due NO LATER THAN Wednesday, March 3 in class! This is a chance to show me what you've learned in a creative way, and I look forward to seeing what you all can do!

** You should have all of these sheets on pink paper for your reference. I'll be putting up helpful links and resources for you to consider (optional, but recommended) for the rest of the week (Monday, Feb. 22-Friday, Feb. 26).

The Bluest Eye Unit Project
In this assignment, drawing on one of the following themes from the novel, I want you to creatively express what you’ve learned and what you’ve seen as you read Toni Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye.

Major Themes:
Beauty
Racial Identity
Love and the Lover
Class Structure in Society

Choose one of the following projects to complete and hand in no later than Wednesday, March 3. We will have an in-class workday on Monday, March 1. During this time you may work on your project, get feedback from Ms. Disher, and brainstorm parts of the novel with classmates (but you are each expected to do your own work. This is NOT a group assignment).

Your Choices:
1. Using the text as your guide, create a soundtrack that you feel fits with the messages and events in the novel. You may use any genre of music you like, but you must censor any inappropriate language in the liner notes that you turn in for a grade. For each song, you must list the title, artist, a selection of the lyrics (2-3 lines that you think connect to the theme you are discussing), and a brief 1-2 paragraph explanation of how the song fits within your larger theme (love, beauty, racial identity, or class) in the novel. Your finished soundtrack should include 10-12 songs.

2. Be the casting director! As you know, The Bluest Eye has never been made into a movie. If you were to cast that film, which actors would you cast in these roles? Why? Provide a dream casting list (any actor from any period, living or dead) with the actors’ names, a brief 4-5 sentence explanation of why you chose that actor and how he/she would portray that character, and a selection of your dialogue from a particular scene you’d like to direct. You do not need to copy the dialogue from the text exactly as is! Be creative.

3. Similar to option #2, I’d like you to take a scene from The Bluest Eye and rewrite it in a different form (a stage play, video game, poem, ballad, etc.) or genre (horror, romance, science fiction, dystopic fiction, etc.). The options are wide open! You must clear this type of project with Ms. Disher before starting to ensure that you have proper guidelines, but you should plan to refer to your major theme (love, beauty, racial identity, or class) in your creation, be able to explain your choices and changes to the text, and stay somewhat true to the text (for example, you may rewrite Cholly and Mrs. Breedlove’s fight scene in a Street Fighter-esque series of dialogue and screen cues, but you can’t have Pecola kill every character at the beginning of the novel with no explanation).

4. Take it from another angle! In a creative, 2-3 page typed, double-spaced short story, take one of the scenes from The Bluest Eye and write it from the perspective of another character. For instance, rewriting the scene in which Frieda and Claudia spy on Mr. Henry with the prostitutes from Mr. Henry’s point of view. Be sure to address your chosen theme (love, beauty, racial identity, or class) as you think your character would think of it.


The Bluest Eye Unit Project: Proposal Sheet
**Note: You should turn this in to Ms. Disher NO LATER THAN Thursday, February 25. We will have conferences on an as-needed basis on Friday, February 26 and Monday, March 1.

Which OPTION have you chosen for your project?


List the KEY PARTS or REQUIREMENTS to be fulfilled in your project (look on the project directions sheet and address each question or point that you have to cover):


Which THEME are you going to cover?


Which scenes, characters, or subjects are you going to cover or reference from the novel?


Considering your chosen form (soundtrack, film casting, etc.), why do you think this project will improve or help your understanding of The Bluest Eye?


How is this project a LEARNING STRETCH for you? How does it push you beyond your comfort zone, or make you experience something new?


The Bluest Eye Unit Project: Planning Sheet
**Note: This sheet is to help you plan your project and keep your dates straight. Don’t put it all off until the last minute!

Thursday, Feb. 25: Proposal sheet due to Ms. Disher in class!

Monday, March 1: In-class workday with laptops (COME PREPARED!)

Wednesday, March 3 Final project due to Ms. Disher in class!

Reflection Paper:
In a one page reflection (either hand-written or double-spaced typed) paper, discuss what you learned from your project and why you think it is important to your understanding of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. You should turn this paper in stapled to the back of your finished project.

Possible Questions to Address:
1. How did this project change your ideas or perspective on a particular character?
2. How did this project help you understand Morrison’s intent for writing the novel?
3. How did it explain or show you a new perspective for a particular scene or event in the novel?
4. How did you think about the novel (characters, events, writing style) at the beginning of the unit, and how do you see it now? Has your viewpoint changed in any way?
5. Did it affect your personal beliefs on your chosen theme (love and the lover, beauty, racial identity, or class structure)? How?

**If you have any questions or concerns about the project, the proposal, or the reflection paper, leave them in a comment here (with your name) or see Ms. Disher after class!

Journal Entries on The Bluest Eye, Week 1

If you missed a journal entry, here are the topics you've missed!

2/15: Look at p. 117 in The Bluest Eye, focusing on the italicized section. This section is from the perspective of Polly Breedlove (Pecola's mother), written in dialect. What can you infer about Polly from this section? What kind of person is she? How does she see the world?

2/16: Review the "blurb" on the back of The Bluest Eye. Notice how it gives you hints of what the story is about and gives a few tantalizing details designed to draw in the reader. Using this as inspiration, write a blurb for your autobiography.

2/17: Similar to yesterday's prompt, using the blurb from The Bluest Eye as inspiration, write a blurb for a friend's biography. Be creative!

2/18: Morrison uses several pop culture references in the text to give the novel authenticity and interest the reader. She mentions Greta Garbo, Hedy Lamarr, Ginger Rogers, Mary Jane candies, Nu Hair Oil, and other cultural icons of the 1940s. Thinking ahead 30 years, what elements of pop culture do you think will survive? What will remind you of 2010?

2/19: Consider Frieda, Claudia, and Pecola's confrontation with Maureen Peal. If you met your version of Maureen Peal (someone with unearned privilege who taunts you), how would you react to that person?

The Bluest Eye Reading Schedule

Just FYI...

Remember, there will be a quiz after EVERY reading homework assignment. I will drop the lowest quiz grade, but the rest are up to you!

2/16: pp. 10-37
2/17: pp. 38-59
2/18: pp. 60-80
2/19: pp. 81-93
2/22: pp. 97-133
2/23: pp. 134-164
2/24: pp. 165-185
2/25: pp. 186-203

If you're missing a quiz, you must make it up during Plus Period on the following day.

If you return after an absence, you get a temporary one-day "pass" on the quiz to get caught up on your reading. The next day you are expected to take the quiz for that day AND be ready to make up the quiz you missed during plus period.