The Modern Age!

Dusting off the cobwebs - I had no idea it had been so long since I had updated this! Tsk tsk.

I'll be updating this page with new material when I can. Please remember to work hard on your narratives, and try to master the material on the study guide by Monday; I'll be taking questions in class, and it will be more efficient if you know your questions ahead of time.

Here's the study guide - it's very similar to what I wrote on the board, but I think this format (and the suggested questions) will help focus your studying efforts.

On Mrs. HasBrouck's advice, I'll wait until tomorrow to show you how to sign up for the research database. Please e-mail me if you have any questions.

You can download the PowerPoints here and here.

The thematic web answers are here.

Finally, if you have any questions, ask them here! (If you know the answer to a question, post it - particularly insightful answers may earn extra credit.)

Here are the instructions the school provides for new users; if you've already registered, you only need the class ID and enrollment password from step 4. If you were in my class last semester and successfully submitted something to turnitin.com, the class ID and password are the same!

1. Go to Turnitin.com.

2. Select the New User link at the top right side of the homepage.

3. Select student as the user type.

4. Enter the class ID number, which is 2089162. Also, enter the class enrollment password, which is J27J27. Then click "Next."

5. Enter your e-mail address (one that you use and check regularly).

6. Enter and confirm a password. This is a personal password, not one given to you by the class. It should be 6-12 characters long and include at least one letter and one number. Click "Next" when you have finished.

7. Select a secret question and type in the answer. This will be used to identify you if you lose your password, so choose wisely - don't choose a question with an answer that can change!

8. Create a user profile by entering your first and last names.

9. Select "I agree" after reading the terms and conditions for site use.

10. Read the directions for submitting the paper.

11. Click "end wizard and log in."

Remember, you may only submit your essay once to turnitin.com! Make sure you don't make the same mistake a couple of seniors made by accidentally submitting your rough draft!

Also, make sure you upload all essays in .doc format - use Microsoft Word! If you're using Word 2007, remember to save your final draft in .doc format instead of the default, which is the .docx format, so I can read them. DO NOT UPLOAD A FILE IN ANY OTHER FORMAT - AND DO NOT COPY AND PASTE THE TEXT INTO THE TURNITIN.COM FIELD!

Please sign up for one of the following:

Tuesday, April 15th
Wednesday, April 16th

I will see students who need help with their essays this week. Please sign up for only one date, and specify what needs to be worked on when you sign up. Additionally, please be advised that these sessions will probably run longer than usual because the seniors' research papers are also due this week.

Thanks for understanding, and I hope to see you there!

Please sign up for one of the following:

Tuesday, April 1st
Wednesday, April 2nd
Thursday, April 3rd

For this week, I would prefer to see students who need help before quarter grades go out - and those of you who do know who you are. Please specify what needs to be worked on when you sign up.

There won't be a terms test tomorrow - I forgot to remind people about it after the essay, and it doesn't seem fair to throw a test at people who weren't reminded to prepare. We'll do the test as a "quarter final" - I wasn't planning on having a formal one, but at least the timeframe fits! Therefore, the new test will be on Wednesday.

Also, I won't collect the notebooks until Monday. All you need to finish tonight is the sixth chapter of the book.

Hope this helps!

Bring your books to class on Tuesday and Wednesday!

We're finishing the Harlem Renaissance/Robert Frost unit next Thursday with "A Raisin in the Sun," so I wanted to give you something of a "heads-up" for the schedule over the next two weeks.

Tuesday: Introduce Literary Terms / Robert Frost Intro / Class Discussion

Wednesday: BTSA Day - Robert Frost In-Class Work

Thursday: Soldier Presentation and Discussion

Friday: American Dream Essay Introduction / Harlem Renaissance - Final Presentation

Monday: "A Raisin in the Sun"

Tuesday: "A Raisin in the Sun"

Wednesday: "A Raisin in the Sun" / Class Discussion

Thursday: Literary Terms Jeopardy

Friday: Literary Terms Quiz / Grammar Review

Homework Due Wednesday - read this carefully! If you don't feel like starting tonight, do the reading so you'll be prepared for tomorrow.

+ Read Robert Frost's author biography on page 558 and "Frost on Frost's Diction" on page 559 (aspiring writers should pay close attention to the latter!)

+ Read "Make the Connection" on page 560 before reading the poem "Design." (Take a look at the M.C. Escher drawing and the "Calvin and Hobbes" strip as well!)

+ After reading "Design," answer #s 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 10.

+ Read "Make the Connection," "Quickwrite," and "Background" on page 562. Do the Quickwrite at the top of your "Nothing Gold Can Stay" homework.

+ Read "Nothing Gold Can Stay" and "Trying to Name What Doesn't Change." Answer #s 2-6. Also, answer the last part of #8 - "Identify the central point you think each poet is trying to convey about change and loss."

This looks like a lot, but it really isn't - trust me. Frost is an old favorite, and this is a wonderful mini-unit!

See you in class tomorrow. Don't forget your book!

Some of you are clearly worried about due dates and the like. I would still like you to turn in your study guides on time, since my point in my reply to Nilom seems sensible. If you need another night to finish the GOs and the Rose for Emily work, bring me your work on Friday. Both copiers were broken when I left today, which makes it unlikely that I'll be able to give you the new LHW packet this week; turn in the old (Ch. 3) LHW packet on Monday.

Hope this helps! Tell those you know if they aren't likely to check the site.

Here is the Modernism review from today.

I'm heading home from AHS. It's 6:50 right now, which means I'll be checking in around 7:20 or 7:30. Leave your questions in the comments, and I'll reply to them as I read.

NOTE: I will stop checking this thread at 10pm. Please ask your questions before then!

Sorry for the delayed post - I guess I was logged in on two computers on campus, and I couldn't sign into Portal as a result. Now that I'm in L8, things seem to be normal...assuming this posts successfully.

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It is extremely important that you follow these instructions in order! Don't "skimp" on any of the steps - give this a solid, honest effort. Make sure you're earning full credit! I recommend opening a separate Word window and working there until your "final draft" of your post is complete, especially because a quick spell-check can eliminate some of the mistakes I found while reading the first thread.

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First, take out a sheet of paper. Brainstorm/”word vomit” words that you associate with the word “hero.” Anything that comes to mind – no matter what – should end up on the page. Do this for two full minutes. Don’t cut yourself off early.

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On the same sheet of paper, write a list of ten people you consider to be "heroes." They can be anyone - real or fictional, family or friend, even someone you've never met (like an athlete, statesman, or actor). Don't worry about the way the list looks - write as quickly and honestly as you can.

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When you’re done with both of the first steps, answer the following questions to yourself. (Don’t post your answers to the blog.)

What did you come up with during the "word vomit" stage? (Re-read your list if necessary.) What sort of terms did you end up with? Were they descriptive? Did they pertain to physical features, emotional qualities, personality characteristics, or external actions?

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Now, for all the marbles...try to answer the following questions on the blog. You do not need to answer every one.

+ What does the term “hero” mean to you? What about “heroism?”

+ Think about the types of people you labeled as "heroes" during the brainstorming section. What makes them seem heroic to you? In fact, have you ever had heroes who weren’t particularly or stereotypically heroic? (You may post your list if you like!)

+ Does one have to be "worthy of legend" to be considered a hero? (Why/why not, as always...if you have examples, share them!)

+ Finally, what is so appealing about heroism? Why do we "respect" heroes to begin with? (If you really want to go wild, try thinking about why anyone is worthy of your respect - as well as what individuals must do in order to earn it...)

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This post should be completed by Wednesday, February 20th, at 11:59pm. As usual, the minimum post length is two paragraphs long, with seven sentences per paragraph. You are encouraged to write more if you feel inspired to do so.

Again, please try to avoid the mistakes you know how to correct – capitalize the word “I,” place your commas and periods in the proper places, use apostrophes when necessary, avoid run-ons, etc. These writings are not as formal as essays, but I don’t want you to get lazy when you write; besides, everyone should know that “I” is capitalized by now. (If it’s too hard to capitalize “I” while typing, you should definitely do this in Word; one click of the spell-checker and one click of the “Change All” button will eliminate all of your lowercase “i’s” at once.)

Good luck!

First things first - welcome to the blog! If you're looking to comment on the blog, you're going to want to log in at the AUSD Portal. Once you log in, simply click "Blogs," hit Ctrl+F, type in modern, and click the link. When you're done reading and writing, click the "Comments" link at the end of this post and say your piece.

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I really liked the direction of the class discussion yesterday about “Soldier’s Home” and the issues it raises. Specifically, I really liked some of your insights about the ways in which society is beginning to change, as well as why it is changing.

Today, I’d like to ask you the same types of questions on an individual level. Please answer as many of the following questions as you like. The minimum post length is two ¶s that run at least seven legitimate sentences each; as long as your writing is strong, please feel free to write more.

Remember - this isn't about who can write the longest or the fastest. I want to see honest, interesting thoughts, and I'd like to see them expressed competently and compellingly.

Do not force yourself to answer a question you do not like; if you do, the end result will be a combination of bad writing and angry grading (as well as a frustrated student and teacher). Respond to the questions you enjoy; respond to the ones that make you want to share your opinions.

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+ How is our society’s reaction to war (and wartime conditions) different than it was in World War I? Are we more conflicted, or does war help bring us together? How do we feel, as a nation, about our soldiers, our interests, and our place in the world?

+ War was a daily reality for people living a century ago, and they responded in noticeable ways. Does our current situation affect your daily life? How/why/why not?

+ When Krebs comes home, he feels as though he cannot relate to the people or society that surrounds him. Do you feel that soldiers coming home from long battles feel the same way? What can we do to help people re-adjust to society?

+ When you experience hardship, who do you rely on for support? Do you withdraw and reflect, or do you seek connections with other people? What determines your choice of support (internal vs. external)?

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This post is due by 11:59pm on Thursday, February 14th.

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Here are some helpful guidelines for commenting:

1) When I read one of your comments, I grade it based on the following: Content, mechanics, and focus.

2) Write in Microsoft Word (or some comparable word processor) if you want to avoid "stupid" mistakes - the ones you already know how to avoid. Make sure you re-read your comment before posting, because the blog doesn't have an editing feature.

3) Don’t rush your comments, or submit “first drafts” of them; you don’t get more points for finishing earlier. I will always prefer to read a polished, coherent statement than something you dashed off in ten minutes.

4) It’s important for you to feel free to express your thoughts here, as this is one of the major ways I will assess your writing throughout the semester. If you are reluctant to post your thoughts in public – or just want to see how the whole thing works before giving it a shot – take a look at some of the posts that pop up here.

5) This thread at the old senior blog contains some great responses (as well as examples of what I am not looking for – see if you can tell the difference!). The “This is mine!” posts are examples of the extra-credit “tagging” routine I mentioned briefly a while ago, and we’ll go over it again in greater detail for a later post. For today, you don’t need to do anything but respond on your own, although you may reply to other people if you feel the urge to do so.

6) The prompts can vary wildly in length, and often contain commentary as well as questions. Once again, you don’t need to respond to everything in order to post; in fact, I don’t want you to force yourself to answer a question you don’t like. Think of the prompt questions like they’re items on a menu; you can choose the ones that suit you best.

7) Your comments should be semi-formal, but err toward formality instead of AIM language when in doubt,. You don't need to write stiltedly (that also goes for your essays!), but you should always be sensitive to your audience and setting. In other words, remember I’m reading these posts so I can get a sense of how well you understand the material, how your reading skills are developing, and who you are as a person!

8 ) Remember that writers strive for clarity, and that big words aren’t necessarily better words. If a short word works as an accurate descriptor, don’t arbitrarily substitute a longer word; if you can’t figure out what you’re writing about, neither will your readers.

A final note: Please write honestly and well at all times, and remember that this is an extension of the American Lit classroom. It's an opportunity to come together and share your thoughts openly, as well as to see what your classmates (even ones from other sections) think. We will sometimes discuss issues that you feel strongly about, and it's important to keep discussions civil, focused, and honest.

If you are worried that your writing may be controversial/offensive, please write to me and ask if your writing is appropriate before posting. I'm OK with potentially inflammatory writings, as long as they're informative and enlightening, but I have my limits, and I feel they are very reasonable. If you're just writing something because you want to make someone mad, I'll simply delete your comment. We didn't have any problems with this in the seniors' classes during the first semester, but someone did ask me about this earlier, and I figured it would be best to address it here.

Good luck!

This is to make sure the blog has emerged, safe and sound, from its creation phase.

Check in and say hello! We can weed out any potential access problems this way (especially those of the "I can't comment!" variety).