assignments

Step 3: Memorize and recite your passage [30 points]
            -You may do your recitation either in front of the class (3 extra credit points!) or in front of Ms. Hill.
            -Your recitation will be evaluated on the following criteria:
                  • completeness of memorization (15 points)
                  • fluency of speech (10 points)
                  • expression of voice (5 points)

p.8 Paraphrasing: Choose 3 significant passages (2 to 4 lines each) from Act 1 to paraphrase. Paraphrase the fourth passage that I chose for you.

If you were present for the activity, you should have the following:
-10 questions
-interview notes on those 10 questions
-3 possible "hooks"

Vocabulary list 7 - SAT words
73. alacrity (n) - cheerful willingness; eagerness
: she accepted the invitation with alacrity.
: I’m impressed by the alacrity with which many of you are approaching the I-Search project
: with an alacrity that surprised her parents
74. insular (adj.) – isolated or narrow-minded; ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience
: the exceedingly insular man lived a private life.
: she had an insular attitude toward foreigners
75. amenable (adj) - agreeable, open to suggestion
: are you amenable to my plans?
: I’d be more amenable to Indian food for dinner than Japanese
: the patients had cardiac failure not amenable to medical treatment.
76. staunch (adj) - firm or strong in belief
: a staunch supporter of abortion rights
: a staunch Catholic
77. diatribe (n) - a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something
: a diatribe against those who use their phones while driving
: the political diatribes of Rush Limbaugh against liberals
78. amalgamation (n) - the action, process, or result of combining or uniting
: bronze is an amalgamation of tin and copper
: an amalgamation of two separate companies
: Acme’s amalgamation with Chemco resulted in a super company
79. obfuscate (v) - to intentionally confuse or cover up; to mislead.
: deliberately obfuscating the issue
: it is more likely to obfuscate people than enlighten them.
80. impugn (v) - to challenge or attack as false; to call into question
: impugn a political opponent's record.
: impugn a witness’s statement
: to impugn the wisdom of a decision
: Not being able to impugn her beauty, they attacked her costume.
impugnable (adj)
impugnment (n)
81. cantankerous (adj) - bad-tempered and argumentative
: a crusty, cantankerous old man
: her cantankerous tone irked her teacher
82. loquacious (adj) – excessively talkative
: a loquacious man never seemed to tire of hearing his own voice
: the normally loquacious woman said little
83. nebulous (adj) unclear, vague, or ill-defined
: nebulous reasons for not showing up to the meeting
: the nebulous figure in the fog
84. dubious (adj) marked by or causing doubt
: he looked dubious, but complied nonetheless
: extremely dubious assumptions
: his dubious sales methods

NB#11-final LF discussion questions
For homework:
-Once you’ve finished reading the novel, think deeply about each of the questions below.
-In your notebook [NB# ], respond to each question thoroughly and specifically. (Your responses may be in note form. You will use these notes during our discussion.)
Next class:
-At the beginning of class, I will check your notes for thoroughness. I expect at least a full page of notes.
-You will then meet in small groups and discuss your responses to the questions.
-Finally, we will meet as a whole class to discuss some of these questions and anything else that came up in your small group discussions.
1. Who do you think is bravest - Simon, Piggy or Ralph? Defend your answer with examples.
2. a)Who is the most violent character? Defend with examples. b)Who is the most evil? (Are they the same person?)
3. When the boys are finally rescued, two of the main characters have survived and two have died. How are the characteristics and actions of the survivors different from those who don’t survive?
4. What is the book’s message about human nature? Do you agree with Golding’s views? Why or why not?
5. At the end of the story Ralph wept for “the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.” Describe in your own words what Ralph is weeping for.
6. What do you think of the end of the book? Is it expected? satisfying?
7. a) Would the story have been different if it were about a group of girls? How would it be similar/different?
b) What about if it were boys AND girls together on the island? How would it be similar/different?
8. Evaluate the book based on the following criteria: a) character development, b) writing style, c) interest/suspense, d) overall.

mini-lesson: CLARITY
Examples of sentences that are NOT clear...
1. My goal is an America where something or anything that is done to or for anyone is done neither because of nor in spite of any difference between them, racially, religiously or ethnic-origin-wise.        -Ronald Reagan
2. woman: There’s a man waiting outside to see you with a black mustache.
     man: Tell him I’ve already got one.          -from the 1929 Marx Brothers’ movie Coconuts
3. Waving farewell, the plane began to roll down the runway. A. 3 strategies for writing clear sentences.
1. Make your word choice specific
     a) avoid vague words and phrases (i.e. “empty” words)
     b) avoid cliches - overused words & phrases
      c) consider the connotations of your words
That primitive cabin set miles from the reach of developers has been allowed to stand undisturbed for centuries.
That rickety shack in the middle of nowhere hasn't been cared for in ages. 2. Keep your sentences simple (not as in “easy or dull” - as in “clear & coherent”)
     a) avoid packing too much information into 1 sentence
     b) avoid jargon and pretentious language
-a government memo during WWII: Such preparations shall be made as will completely obscure all Federal buildings and non-Federal buildings occupied by the Federal government during an air raid for any period of time from visibility by reason of internal or external illumination.
-President Franklin Roosevelt’s revision of the memo: Tell them that in buildings where they have to keep the work going to put something across the windows.

3. Pay attention to word order
     a) avoid misplaced modifiers
     b) avoid dangling modifiers
          misplaced: Because she is now housebroken, Sarah can take her dog almost anywhere she goes.
          revised: Because she is now housebroken, Sarah’s dog can accompany her almost anywhere.

• Reflection (20 points) Due on the class following the day of the trial.
Write a one page reflection on the trial. Some questions you might consider:
-Do you agree with the jury's decision? Why or why not?
-What were some of the most effective moments for each attorney team?
-Did the witnesses stay true to their characters?
-What went well? What didn't go well?
-How do you feel about your contribution/participation in the project?
-Is this assignment a valid assessment activity? (i.e. Did it "test" your knowledge of the novel?)

Vignette revision
Revision Goals for second draft
1) Cut unnecessary words/phrases/sentences
2) Follow MLA format
3) Use precise / vivid words & phrases

Vocabulary list 3
25. corroborate (v) – to establish or strengthen with (new) evidence or facts
: can you corroborate your claim with facts?
: it corroborated her suspicions…
: the witnesses corroborated the victim’s account
26. debunk (v) - to expose the falseness of
: debunk a supposed miracle drug
: commonly held myths are debunked by the book
27. assuage (v) – to make less intense; to satisfy (an appetite or desire)
: the letter assuaged the fears of most members
: an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge
: we alleviate our hunger by nibbling hors d'oeuvres, but a huge dinner assuages our appetite
28. abate (v) tobecome progressively less intense or widespread
: the storm suddenly abated
: her fever was abating
29. garish (adj.) - unpleasantly bright or showy; gaudy
: garish shirts in all sorts of colors
: the garish city lights
: her garish beads and glittering trinkets were inappropriate at the funeral
30. tawdry (adj.) - showy but cheap and of poor quality; shameful or indecent
: tawdry jewelry
: the tawdry business of politics
: tawdry secrets
31. acerbic (adj) - sharp or biting; bitter (esp. of a comment or style of speaking)
: his acerbic wit
: the playwright allows an acerbic tone to pierce through otherwise arid or flowery prose
32. shrewd (adj) - having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute
shrewd implies both practicality and cleverness, but with an undercurrent of self-interest
: she was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture
: a shrewd career move
: a shrewd salesperson
33. paragon (n) – a perfect example of a particular quality (a person or thing)
: a paragon of efficiency
: the very paragon of stupidity
: but this paragon has one fault
: your cook is a paragon
34. paramour (n) - a lover, esp. the illicit partner of a married person
: his secret paramour
: the senator’s alleged paramour
: luxury is her favorite paramour
35. felicity (n) - intense happiness; an appropriate expression or style
: domestic felicity : nothing could interrupt our felicity
: the speech was praised for its accuracy, felicity, and fluency
: the felicity of the actor’s diction and tone
36. facility (n) skillful performance or ability without difficulty; space or equipment needed for doing something (: the cooking facilities; facilities included two swimming pools)
: the pianist played with great facility
: he had a facility for languages
: his facility as an archer

Diction/character analysis chart
Click here to download the assignment sheet.

NB#6 - George & Lennie t-chart
As you read chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men, take notes on what you learn about each character in a t-chart. Write down facts, inferences, quotes, and descriptions. Consider their physical and mental attributes, personality quirks, values, dreams, etc. Make your chart show that you've studied these characters carefully.

Vocabulary list 2
13. desecrate (v) - to violate the sacredness of
     : more than 300 graves were desecrated
     : do not desecrate the ancient traditions
14. defunct (adj.) - no longer existing or functioning
     : a defunct political organization
     : growing list of defunct banks
15. tenacious (adj.) holding firmly to something; stubborn or persistent
     : a tenacious grip
     : they held to their beliefs tenaciously
     : if you're tenacious you can get at the truth
16. ephemeral (adj.) – lasting only for a short time
     : the ephemeral joys of childhood
     : transparent and ephemeral bubbles
17. concur (v) – to be of the same opinion; to occur at the same time
     : we concur fully
     : concurred on the issue of fighting crime
     : icy sleet that concurred with a forceful wind
18. plethora (n) - a superabundance; an excess
     : this plethora of sights and sounds and smells is too much!
     : a plethora of questions
     : a plethora of books to choose from
19. denote (v) – to signify directly or literally
     : a flashing yellow light denotes caution
     : “mother” denotes a woman who is a parent
     : “river” denotes a moving body of water
20. connote (v) – to signify indirectly, suggest or imply
     : “mother” connotes qualities such as 'protection' and 'affection'
     : “river” connotes such things as the relentlessness of time and the changing nature of life
21. contrite (adj.) - feeling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses
     : a broken and contrite heart
     : his contrite expression
22. incorrigible (adj) - incapable of being corrected or reformed
     : she's an incorrigible flirt
     : an incorrigible, spoiled child
     : you're an incorrigible young scoundrel

NB#5 - writing mini-lesson: tips for avoiding "telling" writing
1. Avoid using “to be” verb excessively [am, are, was, were, is, being, have been]
Sally is the type who thinks she's right. [Sally thinks she's right.]
It was an exaggeration. [Sally exaggerated.]
2. Use VERBS that show instead of ADJECTIVES that tell.
        Telling:                     Showing:
a loud man     the man roared
old paint            paint peeled
sad woman     the woman wept
3. Use specific descriptive words
Instead of he’s tall, say he's 6 foot 7
Instead of flower, say daffodil
Instead of walk, say shuffle or amble or lope or walk
4. Name things…
street           Main Street         Broadway
restaurant     Chez Panisse      McDonalds
shoes        flip-flops     stilettos      cowboy boots
store      JJ’s Liquors     Home Depot     Nordstrom
5) avoid clichés
Practice makes perfect.
Work like a dog.
Too good to be true.
6) avoid overusing adverbs (make your verbs do most of the description work)
• Adverbs are usually, completely, totally, unneeded.
6a) adverbs are often unnecessary
• The new mother stroked her baby’s face gently.
• The horse galloped swiftly.
6b) strong verbs carry more impact than adverbs
• Instead of, “he shouted angrily,” try, “he bellowed” or “he ranted.”
6c) “very”-not a very good descriptive word
• It was a hot day.
• It was a very hot day.
• Better: It was a blistering day.
• Better yet: Flowers wilted and dogs panted in the shade.

NB#4 - "Sun & Shadow" response ?s
In your notebook: a) paste or staple this sheet into your notebook and b) answer these questions.
1. METAPHOR/SIMILE Find 3 metaphors and/or similes in the story. Write the line, then interpret its meaning.
2. TONE The author never directly tells us what he thinks of the characters in this story, and yet we get a sense of his attitude toward them. For example, he refers to the model as “the lazy woman” which gives the impression that Bradbury considers models to be passive and bored, props for the photographer to manipulate.
    a) Find (and list) three examples (a detail, behavior, quote) that illustrate the author’s attitude toward Ricardo
    b) Based on the examples you found, describe the author’s attitude toward Ricardo.
    c) Find (and list) three examples that illustrate the author’s attitude toward the photographer
    d) Based on the examples you found, describe the author’s attitude toward the photographer.
3. INTERPRETATION Why does Ricardo drop his pants? What is his purpose for doing so?
4. INTERPRETATION Ricardo says he performs a “necessary task” that without him the world would be chaos. What does he mean?

Vignette Writing Unit
A vignette is a "slice of life" or a short descriptive sketch. It is not a "story" in the traditional sense, so you do not need a plot or conflict or background information or even people in the scene. The purpose of these assignments is
to practice conveying experience with precise language and vivid imagery.
Guidelines for ALL rough drafts
• Do some prewriting before you start drafting (list, cluster, outline, notes)
• Rough draft length: about one page, no longer than two
• I'd prefer that you type (and double space) your rough draft.

Vignette #1 - a moment
Every experience you have is a potential writing subject. Just being alive gives you a wealth of information and sensory experience from which to draw. For this assignment, write a vignette that conveys a focused, particular experience or moment in time. This moment may be based on an actual OR imagined experience. (Some ideas: seeing a shooting star, diving into an icy river, losing a video game, looking for a friend in a crowd, opening your first paycheck) It does not need to be a meaningful or exciting moment. In fact, it could be an utterly mundane moment. The point is to bring the experience of the moment to life with language. Be creative. Experiment. Vignette 2 - a person
For this vignette I want you to bring a person (real or imagined) to life by simply describing his or her appearance. The details of our appearance (how we wear our hair, our body language, the colors we wear, the condition of our fingernails, the way our eyes move around a room, etc.....) say so much about us.
As with the other vignettes this is not a "story" in the traditional sense, so do not concern yourself with
plot or conflict. Try to make your description of the person’s appearance tell his or her story. Be
deliberate about where you place this person. Will you describe him/her in action or will he/she be a
“still life” portrait?
Real people are made up of contradictions and mysteries. Try to describe this person’s unique and
complicated attributes, going beyond his/her typical and obvious characteristics.

Vignette 3 - choose a topic
Write one more vignette about a topic of your choice. You may choose to write a description of an
experience, person, or setting. Or perhaps you have some other style or approach that you’d like to
experiment with! The only requirements are that it be short, focused, and descriptive.

Short story analysis questions
Click here to download a pdf of this assignment sheet.

NB#3 - Showing vs.Telling
Choose three of the following “telling” sentences & write a “showing” paragraph for each. Make each paragraph six to 10 sentences in length.
•The heat was intense.
•This headache is unbearable.
•Her voice was obnoxious.
•The weather is beautiful.
•The pizza looks delicious.
•She is clumsy.

Vocabulary list 1
1. dour (adj.) relentlessly stern or gloomy in manner or appearance
     : a hard, dour expression
     : a dour November sky
2. exculpate (v) to clear of guilt or blame
     : the article exculpated the mayor
     : work to exculpate yourself from the charge
3. reproach (v) to express disapproval or disappointment (n) the expression of disapproval or disappointment
     (v): critics reproached the president for his failure to… : “You know that isn't true,” he reproached her
     (n): a look of reproach: his reproach stung bitterly
4. laud (v) to praise highly, esp. in a public context
     : the obituary lauded Kennedy as a great humanitarian
     : the award lauds exceptional poets
5. incendiary (adj.) - designed to stir up conflict; inflammatory
     : incendiary grenade
     : an incendiary speech
6. torrid (adj.) – intensely hot; passionate
     : a torrid love scene
     : the torrid summer sun
7. desiccated (adj.) – thoroughly dried out; lacking energy or interest
     : a desiccated coconut
     : a desiccated campaign with no new ideas
8. sodden (adj.) - saturated with liquid, esp. water; soaked through
     : his clothes were sodden
     : the whiskey-sodden drunk
9. beguile (v) – to charm or enchant (sometimes in a deceptive way)
     : beguiled into donating money
     : (adj) a beguiling smile
10. veracity (n) – accuracy; truthfulness
     : questioned the veracity of the story
     : concern about his veracity and character
11. piety (n) - the quality of being religious or reverent
     : acts of piety and charity :a look of piety and devotion
     : filial piety is showing reverence for one’s parents
12. impertinent (adj.) - not showing proper respect; rude
     : an impertinent question
     : it is impertinent of a child to lecture a grownup

Reading Strategies & Literary Terms Handbook - Definitions
1. genre - a type of literary work [For example, short stories and poetry are literary genres.]
2. plot - the sequence of events in a story

a. exposition - background information; sets the scene
b. climax - the turning point in the story; the highest point of action
c. resolution - the outcome of the climax; when the conflict is resolved

3. characterization - the methods a writer uses to present characters (direct or indirect)

a. protagonist - the main character
b. antagonist - the character or force in conflict with the protagonist

4. setting - the time and place of action
5. point of view - the perspective from which a story is told

a. first person - story told by a person in the story
b. third person - story told by a narrator not involved in the action of the story

1. omniscient - able to see into the minds of all characters
2. limited - narration confined to a single character’s perceptions

6. tone - the author’s attitude toward his or her subject matter and toward the reader
7. mood - the overall atmosphere or prevailing feeling of a work
8. diction - a writer’s or speaker’s word choice (formal, informal)
9. imagery - the representation in language of sense experience; word pictures
10. symbol - an object, person, place or event that stands for something abstract
11. allusion - a reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of art
12. conflict - a struggle against opposing forces [It may be external, where the character struggles against an outside force, or internal, where the struggle takes place within the character’s mind.]
13. theme - the main idea or message of a literary work (can be directly stated or implied)
14. criteria - standards by which something can be judged
15. objective - without bias or prejudice (An objective judgment is based on predetermined criteria.)
16. subjective - biased (A subjective judgment is an opinion not based on criteria.)
17. metaphor-a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else (eg: “death is a long sleep”)
18. simile - a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared using "like" or "as" (eg: “shoulders falling down like teardrops”)

19. foreshadowing - a hint given to the reader of what is to come
20. suspense - a growing tension or excitement felt by the reader
21. irony - a contrast between what appears to be and what really is

a. situational - an occurrence that is contrary to what is expected
b. verbal - the intended meaning of a statement is different from what the statement says
c. dramatic - when events or facts not known to a character are known to the audience

22. monologue - a long passage presenting the words or thoughts of one character
23. dialogue - conversation between characters
24. satire -a literary work in which vices, follies, stupidities, etc. are held up to ridicule and contempt in a humorous way
25. parody - a work that imitates the characteristic style of some other work or artist in a humorous way
26. personification - giving human qualities to animals or objects (“the moon was smiling” “the tree branches reached for the sky")
26. personification - giving human qualities to animals or objects (“the moon was smiling” “the tree branches reached for the sky")

NB#2 - Response Questions to “The Wife’s Story” by Ursula LeGuin
In your notebook, answer these questions IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.
Reading the Lines
1. What is the trick that the writer plays on the reader?
2. Read through the story a second time. On your copy of the story, highlight words & phrases that you now see are clues that this is about a wolf family. List 3 phrases or lines that you interpret differently after knowing the writer’s “trick.”
3. What event is the climax of the story? Explain why this event is the climax.
Reading Between the Lines
4. The “child” acts “crazy scared of her own dad.” What might the author be implying about children in this scene?
5. How are the moon and sun significant to the story? In other words, what do they show the reader?
6. What do you think the writer wants the reader to realize or think about after reading this story? Come up with two possibilities.
Reading Beyond the Lines
7. How would the story have been different if it were written from a different point of view?
a) ...from the “husband’s” point of view? b) ...from third person point of view?
8. Explain why the author is able to trick us into thinking this is a werewolf story.

NB#1 - first impressions
Write about your first impressions and observations of PHS. Reflect on your first day of high school in a chronological narrative. You will, of course, leave some things out and rearrange things, but try to be true to the experience of your first day.
Some ideas….
-How did you feel on your way to school? In your first class? At lunch? After school?
-What were your impressions/thoughts about:
oo-the campus, particular classrooms
oo-your teachers, administrators
oo-your classmates, the upper-classmen
oo-the food, the desks, the smells, the sounds, the clothes…..
-What surprised you? Annoyed you? Made you laugh?

Letter to Ms. Hill
Content
Write me a letter in which you tell me about ALL of the following:
a) general information about you
For example: your hobbies, interests, family info, where you’ve lived, what you did this summer, etc.
b) your reading habits & preferences
For example: genres you prefer, favorite/least favorite authors, an estimate of your skill level, magazines or other materials you read for pleasure, titles of books you’ve read recently, etc.
c) your writing strengths & weaknesses
For example: types of writing you enjoy/hate, strengths/weaknesses, etc.
d) End your letter with two “top 5” lists that tell me something about you.
For example: Top 5… things (not people) that you couldn’t live without; things you want to accomplish before you die; things you hate to hear a teacher say; things that most people don’t know about you; places you’ve been; pet peeves; people you admire; words &/or expressions that annoy you; bands; TV shows; recent movies; books; etc. You’re welcome to make up your own topic(s).
Format
Your letter should be:
-one to two pages
-in personal letter format (Dear Ms. Hill.....Sincerely......)
-written in casual, conversation-like language (This is not an essay!)
Grading
This is a credit/no-credit assignment worth 10 points.