You may check in your textbook IN THE LIBRARY at any time! Please bring your book to the library and check it in just like a library book. Do it soon!
Read “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst (in your textbook on page 594) before you come to class on Monday, November 26. Bring in a copy of a passage from the story that you like (50-100 words).
These two questions (and the graphic organizer over “My Papa’s Waltz,” page 614) are homework for Monday.
- Find three quotations where the narrator is being sarcastic or ironic and identify what the narrator is mocking: Juan? The Censorship Division? The audience?
4. Find three places (less than 20 words each) where the narrator has a tone that is NOT sarcastic or ironic. Identify the tones in each passage.
We will also be discussing these questions:
2. Explain why Juan dies. Why is it ironic? Why does Valenzuela use irony in this story?
3. Develop a theme for the story. (Use your notes on how to find themes!)
ONLY major assignments (usually essays) and tests/quizzes will be accepted late.
You may turn in homework when you return from an absence (even if you don’t have English that day).
All major essays will be accepted late until the end of the semester but will suffer a 10 percent grade reduction per day late until the grade sinks below 50 percent. (No essay that is a complete effort will earn less than 50 percent. )
REMEMBER, pleeeeease, that rough drafts are COMPLETION GRADES. In other words, if you bring SOMETHING to class, regardless of how awful it is, you will earn ALL the points for that rough draft. Procrastinators! Perfectionists! I’m talking to YOU! Do something, even if it’s WRONG, and you will earn the rough draft points if it is submitted ON TIME!
I hope you are all having a restful, refreshing Labor Day Weekend!
I received this email from a student today*, and I’m posting it here because I’m sure that many students have the same question:
“I’m not sure what you mean by predict the future and make it universal. I have never written a conclusion like that before. Do i predict the future for both stories? And how do i make it universal?”
When I said “predict the future and make it universal,” I was reminding you of the technique we used to establish a theme. (Remember, to find the theme of the story, we ask ourselves, “what did the main character learn from this experience?” and then write it in a way that could apply to anyone, anywhere, at any time.) That technique can also be applied to writing conclusions.
To write a conclusion, think about what the characters might DO next because of the truths they’ve learned. And for the part of the question about doing it for each story . . . think of it as more of a combination of what the characters learned, as if the Nora and Sanger Rainsford had the opportunity to share their new knowledge with each other and build on each others’ experiences and ideas. This is, in fact, the experience your readers have: they have gained a new understanding of truth from reading your essay about both Nora and Rainsford. Suggest some things for your readers to ponder as they leave your essay behind.
REMEMBER THAT YOU CANNOT BE HURT BY ANYTHING YOU WRITE IN A CONCLUSION (unless, of course, you re-type your thesis, but I’m pretty sure that will hurt me more than it will hurt you :)).
So, in conclusion of this post, I want to remind you to BE BOLD! If you are convinced you are going to fail, then at least fail boldly, headed in the right direction, rather than shrinking away from the path.
*Please remember that comments on blog posts are the quickest way to get my attention on weekends . . . and I don’t always check the blog, even. Family time is precious to me!
This year I am participating in a program to become a nationally certified teacher. Since I plan never to leave Wichita, the national certification is NOT the reason I am working toward this goal! The program gives me the opportunity to examine my teaching practices and to invite mentors to examine them also, and, if I succeed, to be recognized as a Master Teacher. I know that I will grow and learn as I am challenged by my assignments!
In order to fulfill some of the requirements, I must videotape myself teaching and submit student work that I have graded. The students themselves remain completely anonymous; however, I do need your permission to include their images and/or their homework and essays so that others can see what I am doing as a teacher. The focus is completely on ME, not the students, but I will not include anyone who is not comfortable with this request.
I am, however, humbly pleading with you to sign the permission form I sent home so that I have the ability to fulfill my requirements!
Thanks for trusting me with your kids,