Using the FCAs, students were asked to proofread and make any corrections to the annotated bibliographies and to hand in the pieces with the printed FCAs on the front for a grade.
Afterwards, we examined a short video concerning the Transcendentalists--Emerson (in folder)
I discussed the idea of what it means to "transcend"
Students were given a handout to help them grapple with the material of Thoreau's piece
We then read the essay by Dr. King, "The Ways of Meeting Oppression"
I discussed the lingering thread of civil disobedience and the Occupy Movement from last year that is a reverburation of that American thread of thought
Friday, December 7th:
Students were given time to read Gatsby--Chapter 6
They were also given time to complete the Romantic test study guide
Romanticism and Transcendentalism Unit Test: Wednesday, December 12th
Students were introduced to Emily Dickinson and the "Bridge Writers," which begin our next unit on Naturalism and Realism
I read "Because I could not stop for Death"
Students were given a handout to fill out to grapple with the material.
Each group recieved one of Dickinson's poems
"I heard a fly buzz"
"There's a certain slant of light,"
"The Soul selects her own Society"
"The Brain is wider than the sky"
"There is a solitude of space"
Task 1: What is the central theme or message of the poem?
Task 2: Choose one expression/idea that seems foreign, easy to misunderstand, or very abstract and attempt to explain it.
Task 3: Give the reaction/response to the group of the ideas within the poem.
Groups will read the poem aloud and present findings as a short presentation.
Tuesday, December 11th:
We finished the Dickinson poem presentations from each group.
Afterwards, we read "I Hear America Singing" by Whitman
Then, we read some reactionary poetry by Langston Hughes: "I Too" pg. 449 and "To Walt Whitman" by Angela de Hoyos, pg. 451
Once I had a chance to discuss the contrast between the poems, students were given time to exchange notes and ask questions for the test tomorrow concerning Romaticism and Transcendentalism.
Wedensday, December 12th:
Romaticism and Transcendentalism Test
Thursday, December 13th:
Gatsby Questions Due Chapter 6; report due the 19th
3 Posts due by 17th
Students were given note sheets for A Nation Divides
I discussed that the real shift from Romaticism and Transcendentalism happened with the onset of the Civil War, the 2nd industrial revolution and other cultural happenings. (pgs. 462 - 471)
We watched a short video Frederick Douglas's story (on file)
We read "from My Bondage and My Freedom" by Frederick Douglas
As a ticket out, I asked for a response on paper to a question I asked them to consider prior to the reading.
Friday, December 14th:
We read the contrasting accounts of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and Letter to His Son from Robert E. Lee.
Show a clip of images, students were to rank the animals from lowest to higher order or coginitive intellegence. (using a flipchart: of "Smartest Animals" from Animal Planet
We began reading "The Lowest Animal"
I discussed the idea of satire and the manner of Twain's writing
Tuesday, December 18th:
Using chart paper, students came up with and posted a "historical myth" or misconception that were shared with the rest of the class.
I then read from a piece that was written as a guide to being a good housewife from Housekeeping Monthly
We watched a video concerning Women's Rights (Safari Montage)
We read "Story of An Hour"
Why would this story be shocking during the time period?
Students were given an Upfront Magazine article about the Women's Rights Movement to read
Wednesday, December 19th:
Chapter 6 Report Due
Chapter 7 Questions Due (Answers by 1/2)
Chapter 7 Report due by 1/4
We watched a short video (on file) about naturalism.
- We read "from Self-Reliance" by Emerson
- Then we watched a video on Thoreau (also in folder)
- Then, we spent the time reading the excerpt from Walden
Excerpt Saying of Thoreau:http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=henry+david+thoreau&view=detail&mid=6EF8B50535E50BC30F806EF8B50535E50BC30F80&first=0
- Students were introduced to Emily Dickinson and the "Bridge Writers," which begin our next unit on Naturalism and Realism
- I read "Because I could not stop for Death"
- Students were given a handout to fill out to grapple with the material.
- Each group recieved one of Dickinson's poems
- "I heard a fly buzz"
- "There's a certain slant of light,"
- "The Soul selects her own Society"
- "The Brain is wider than the sky"
- "There is a solitude of space"
Task 1: What is the central theme or message of the poem?Task 2: Choose one expression/idea that seems foreign, easy to misunderstand, or very abstract and attempt to explain it.
Task 3: Give the reaction/response to the group of the ideas within the poem.
Groups will read the poem aloud and present findings as a short presentation.
Read Gatsby
after civil war lecture