All Boys, All Blogged: October 1, 2014

Focus: How can the film version help you understand something new about Of Mice and Men?

PLC: Shortened Class

Henry, usually the happiest person in America, was not so happy last night.  He has a raging ear infection and a fever of 103, so as much as I miss you all, I need to stay home and just be his mama today.  You get to watch the film version today because I'd like to be in class when you're actually writing the paragraph of response.

1. Warming up: As you watch the film version, I'd like you to keep the questions below in mind.  At the end of today's class, you will send me an e-mail in which you respond briefly to each question:

How is the opening scene in the film different from the opening scene in the book?

Are the characters in the film the way you pictured them when reading the book? Why or why not?

Is the film helping you understand anything a little better about the book?  Explain.

2. Viewing the film (with the critical eye of a good reader)

3. Sending me an e-mail responding to the questions above

HW:

1. Please complete the new assignment ("Quote Transitions") on www.noredink.com before class tomorrow.

2. Look over the three quotations you plan to use in your paragraph in response (aka, last night's homework).  For each quotation, please type a sentence or two that leads into the quote by offering a little background information that helps the reader understand the quotation. What has just happened in the book when this quote takes place?  If it's a quote said aloud, who said it and to whom?

Ex: After Carson takes Candy's dog outside and kills him, Candy sadly admits to George, "I ought to have shot that dog myself."

3. Independent reading (bring your book to class on Friday).

All Boys, All Blogged: September 30, 2014

Focus: How can we deepen our understanding of Steinbeck's themes through writing?

1. Warming up: Celebrating a few fantastic thesis statements

GriffinESeptember 29, 2014 at 7:19 AM

1. Both Steinbeck and Hughes agree that dreams are in our everyday lives, but Steinbeck thinks that dreams are a good thing to have even if they will never be achieved, while Hughes suggests that dreams are something that need to be achieved or else they are worth nothing.

   ReplyDelete
2. 
   Reid CSeptember 29, 2014 at 7:19 AM

   Both Steinbeck and Burns agree that dreams are a good thing to aim at but Steinbeck thinks that dreams are not possible to achieve while Burns thinks its possible but you need some luck or blessing to achieve them.
3. ZacharyMSeptember 29, 2014 at 3:46 PM
   
   
   Both Steinbeck and Hughes agree that everyone has dreams and some can let you down, but Steinbeck thinks dreams are there to have something as motivation, while Hughes believes that dreams can make people crazy if not completed.

2. Using the Ms. Leclaire three-step process to writing the thesis statement:

Please write out these steps on your summary-response document.

Step 1: Find your best annotation/journal entry about the topic you've chosen.

Step 2: How does Steinbeck use this topic (power, women, etc) to make an argument about a bigger idea?

Step 3: Based on Steps 1 and 2, what is Steinbeck telling us about human nature or society?


3. Writing your thesis by drawing together the steps above

Sample successful thesis statements from the last few years:

The rabbit's disappearance in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men represents how easily human weakness destroys dreams.

In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Candy's missing hand is a symbol of the incomplete, deficient life of the migrant worker during the Great Depression.

In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Lennie is an eloquent example of how someone's past dictates whether they will prevail or fail in adverse situations.

John Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men illustrates that even in the Great Depression, trust, understanding, and love are the source of true power.

4. Composing your summary

HW:
1. Finish composing your paragraph of summary and your rough thesis statement.  They need to be ready to go for editing first thing tomorrow.

2. Find three specific quotations from the text (use those annotations and journal entries) that support your thesis.  List them, along with their page numbers, right on your summary-response document.

3. Independent reading

All Boys, All Blogged: September 29, 2014

Focus: Is it good to have dreams, even if we don't achieve them?

1. Warming up: Considering your own dreams...

Describe a few genuine dreams you have for yourself within the next ten years.  College? Career? House? Family? Sports? Hobbies?

What would it specifically take between now and then for you to achieve those dreams? In other words, list the steps that need to happen in order to make those dreams come true.

What specific obstacles might stand in the way of achieving those dreams?

If you never achieve those dreams, is it still good to have those dreams?  Explain your thinking.  


2. Reading together Langston Hughes's "'Dreams"

Thinking about diction: Which verbs are the most powerful ones?  What are their connotations?

Thinking about figurative language: What does Hughes compare dreams to?  How are dreams like these things?

Thinking about theme: How might Hughes respond to our focus question of the day?

Thinking about synthesis: Would Steinbeck agree with Hughes?


3. Analyzing Mary Oliver's and Robert Burns's poems in small groups

4. Synthesizing the poets' ideas about dreams with Steinbeck's:

Both Steinbeck and _____________ (poet of your choice) agree that dreams ________________, but Steinbeck thinks that dreams are ______________________ while __________________ (poet) suggests that dreams are __________________.

HW: 
1. Read the overview of the summary-response essay and the list of possible topics, linked HERE.

2. Start a Google doc called "___________ (your last name) Summary Response", and put that doc in your Of Mice and Men folder so that it's shared with me.

3. Copy and paste the topic you've chosen directly into the document and spend ten minutes brainstorming ideas about what you might write about.

4. Independent reading.

All Boys, All Blogged: September 26, 2014

Focus: How can we improve your grammar, your grades, and understanding of Steinbeck's themes?

Please turn in your Of Mice and Men reading journals or have your annotated book out on your desk.  Also, remember that today is the deadline for make-up work.

1. Warming up with subject-verb agreement: Take the Subject-Verb Agreement, Part 2 quiz on www.noredink.com

2. Improving your grade with retaking any quizzes that threw you for a loop

3. Independent reading

4. Discussing the ending of Of Mice and Men

Topic 1: In each chapter, what foreshadowing of Lennie's death does Steinbeck offer us?

Topic 2: Why does George kill Lennie? Are you okay with this?

Topic 3: What do you think about Steinbeck is trying to teach us about dreams?

HW:
1. You have exactly two more weeks to complete your independent reading book (and we will be starting The Kite Runner soon, which will bring about heavier reading assignments).

2. Keep your laptops charged, men!  You will be typing like maniacs next week.

3. Show up on time for your conference.  If you've already had your conference, remember to do the following by Monday:

• Set one concrete reading goal and one concrete writing goal that can be accomplished by March.
• E-mail me these two goals.
• Copy the e-mail to your parents/stepparents/guardians to keep them in the loop.

All Boys, All Blogged: September 25, 2014

Focus: How does Of Mice and Men end, and what does it all mean?

1. Warming up with some tricky ACT subject-verb agreement

• For the ACT exercises, first cross off any phrases that distract us from finding the subject.  
• Then, try to isolate the subject.
• Lastly, figure out which verb fits that subject.

2. Perusing some of your symbolic thoughts on the blog...

Cooper DeroseSeptember 24, 2014 at 7:16 AM

The death of Curley's wife symbolizes the death of a dream. Because when she died, so did any hope of her going to Hollywood. and any chance of George and Lennie getting a little plot of land.

ChaseDSeptember 24, 2014 at 7:15 AM

The puppy that Lennie kills in Chapter 5 symbolizes the ending of the dream that Candy, Lennie, and George always talked about because there is no longer a way that Lennie can be normal and not be a problem. Everything he touches breaks, literally.

3. Reading the first page of Chapter 1 and the first page of Chapter 6 with a symbolic focus

What specific things have disappeared or changed from Chapter 1?

What has been added to Chapter 6 that wasn't present in Chapter 1?

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN??!!!

4. Acting out the final chapter and discussing it in small groups

HW:

1. Study for tomorrow's quiz on subject-verb agreement, along with studying for any other grammar quizzes they'd like to retake.

2. Finish your Chapter 6 journal entry/annotations if you did not finish in class; I WILL BE COLLECTING YOUR JOURNALS AND CHECKING YOUR ANNOTATIONS TOMORROW IN CLASS.

3. Tomorrow is the end of 6 weeks; if you have any make-up work or revisions to complete, please do so before then.  Also, if you'd like to retake any grammar quizzes, you can do so on Friday during class.

4. Bring your independent reading book to class tomorrow.

All Boys, All Blogged: September 24, 2014

Focus: What do the objects and events in Chapter 4 and 5 symbolize?

1. Warming up with some of the smart things you said about cyclical structure

Justin KuhlSeptember 23, 2014 at 7:19 AM

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the cyclical structure of Chapter 4 to illustrate the hope and dreamer that is inside of all of these men including Crooks.

CamdenFSeptember 23, 2014 at 7:21 AM

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the cyclical structure of Chapter 4 to illustrate how difficult it was for a black man, even with an opportunity or a little hope, to have friends, live well, and start a life of his own.

ZacharyMSeptember 23, 2014 at 9:54 AM

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the cyclical structure of Chapter 4 to illustrate the hopelessness of Crooks because he starts alone, gets a glimpse of a better life, and then he is back alone.

kyleb2017September 23, 2014 at 1:33 PM

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the cyclical structure of Chapter 4 to illustrate how easily power seems to come, yet most of the time the amount of power never actually changes.

Follow up questions: 

Based on Chapter 4, what prediction would you make for George, Lennie, and Candy in terms of their chance of achieving the dream? Why?

2. Recapping the beginning of Chapter 5

• Reread pages 88 and 89.  

• Which details contradict our previous impressions of her as a bully?

• Why do you think Steinbeck offers us this information about Curley's wife?

3. Acting out the rest of Chapter 5 and completing your Chapter 5 reading journal

Thesis of the day: 

The puppy that Lennie kills in Chapter 5 symbolizes ______________ because _____________.

OR

The death of Curley's wife symbolizes ________________ because _______________.


4. Trying out Subject-Verb Agreement, Part 2 on www.noredink.com

HW:
1. Please finish Subject-Verb Agreement, Part 2 tonight.

2. Finish your Chapter 5 journal entry/annotations if you did not finish in class.

3. Friday, September 26 is the end of 6 weeks; if you have any make-up work or revisions to complete, please do so before then.  Also, if you'd like to retake any grammar quizzes, you can do so on Friday during class.

All Boys, All Blogged: September 23, 2014

Focus: What does the structure of Chapter 4 suggest about power?

1. Meeting with the counselors in the Forum

2. Finishing Chapter 4 together with a staging focus on power, weakness, and bullying

While reading...

• Which characters start the scene powerless? What do they have in common?  How can we stage them to symbolize power and weakness?

• Which characters gain power as the scene goes on?  

• Which characters lose power as the scene ends?  

After reading...

• What do Curley and Curley's wife, our two big bullies, have in common? Do you feel sorry for them?

• Try out the cyclical structure chart.

• What does the structure of this scene suggest about the power and weakness of the dream?

Thesis of the day: In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses ________________ (bully's name) to illustrate how bullies want ___________________ but end up ________________________.

OR

Extra challenge: In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the cyclical structure of Chapter 4 to illustrate _______________________________.

OR

Extra extra challenge: In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses ___________________ (pick one of the character's defects, like Candy's hands, or Crooks' back, or Lennie's mental disability) to symbolize ___________________________.

HW:
1. Please read to the bottom of page 90 and start working on your reading journal/annotations (I'd say compose at least two).

2. Remember that this Friday, September 26, is the end of 6 weeks; if you have any make up work or revised assignments that you'd like to get credit on, you must submit it by 11:00 am on that Friday at the latest.