Focus: How do I effectively structure my synthesis essay?
1. Warming up with a little F451 vocabulary review
2. Breaking down your thesis into two body paragraphs: Two tricks
Both Clarisse from F451 and Sylvia from The Truman Show spark the main characters to reject their societies' false "truths" and to embrace their individuality, showing that the human desire for truth conquers the allure of lies.
1. First body paragraph: How Clarisse and Sylvia inspire Montag and Truman to reject their societies' false truths
2. Second body paragraph: How Clarisse and Sylvia inspire Montag and Truman to embrace their individuality
What if my thesis looks like this?
Water in F451 represents freedom, while water in The Truman Show symbolizes fear.
My trick: Try to find something problematic/negative that water represents in both, then try to find something helpful/positive that water represents in both.
Water in F451 and The Truman Show initially presents the characters with a fearful boundary, but it ultimately offers both characters an opportunity to free themselves.
What if my thesis looks like this?
Both Montag in F451 and Truman in The Truman Show reveal the significance of escaping repressive societies.
My trick: Turn this into a problem-solution essay, in which you dedicate one body paragraph to developing the problem and one body paragraph to developing the solution.
Both Montag in F451 and Truman in The Truman Show reveal that repressive societies create ignorance, but escaping these societies fosters intellectual and emotional growth.
3. Finalizing your topics sentences and gathering examples; finish your entire outline by Monday at the latest so that we can start drafting.
HW:
1. Prepare for your final vocabulary quiz tomorrow on the last group of words from F451.
2. Continue working hard on your outline; should be completed by Monday at the latest.
3. If you're delivering your banned book persuasive speech tomorrow, prepare and rehearse.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
All Boys, All Blogged: April 8, 2015
Focus: How can use The Truman Show to help us better understand F451?
1. Warming up: Using your notes to think about The Truman Show more deeply (2 min/each)
a. Take a look at your character descriptions. Which minor character (any character besides Truman) was the most important to Truman's heroic journey and why?
b. Take a look at your symbols/motifs. Which object carried the most symbolic weight and why? What does it symbolize to Truman? To Cristoff? How did its meaning shift a little throughout the film?
c. Reread your questions. Pick two questions that seem important to understanding the film as a whole and respond to them thoroughly.
d. Examine the connections you made to Fahrenheit 451. Which one is the most revealing/intriguing/important? Type a few sentences in which you really explore and expand upon this connection; be as specific as possible.
2. Using Team Shake to shake up your editing: Google sharing your thesis statements and getting peer feedback:
3. Putting your thesis to work: Forming your outline and composing topic sentences
Click HERE for the outline and make a copy for yourself (you must be signed in to do this). Once you have chosen your favorite thesis and revised it, please copy it into the thesis section of the outline.
HW:
1. If you have not yet put those remaining F451 words into quizlet, now is the time! Review tomorrow, quiz on Friday.
2. Finish revising your thesis and forming your topic sentences before class tomorrow; start filling in the rest of the outline, which must be complete before class on Friday.
3. If you're delivering your banned book speech on Friday, prepare and rehearse.
Interested in applying for Honors American Literature, A.P. Language, or A.P. Literature?
Information meeting on Tuesday, April 14 before (6:45 am) and after school (2:45 pm) in room E-9
Click on the link below for the online application:
1. Warming up: Using your notes to think about The Truman Show more deeply (2 min/each)
a. Take a look at your character descriptions. Which minor character (any character besides Truman) was the most important to Truman's heroic journey and why?
b. Take a look at your symbols/motifs. Which object carried the most symbolic weight and why? What does it symbolize to Truman? To Cristoff? How did its meaning shift a little throughout the film?
c. Reread your questions. Pick two questions that seem important to understanding the film as a whole and respond to them thoroughly.
d. Examine the connections you made to Fahrenheit 451. Which one is the most revealing/intriguing/important? Type a few sentences in which you really explore and expand upon this connection; be as specific as possible.
2. Using Team Shake to shake up your editing: Google sharing your thesis statements and getting peer feedback:
- Is it clear (well-worded and easy to understand)?
- Is it specific (mentions specific characters, symbols, titles, and problems/solutions)?
- Is it debatable (makes an argument instead of merely summarizing what happens)?
- Is it provable (can be backed up by examples from both texts)?
- Which one is the overall strongest?
3. Putting your thesis to work: Forming your outline and composing topic sentences
Click HERE for the outline and make a copy for yourself (you must be signed in to do this). Once you have chosen your favorite thesis and revised it, please copy it into the thesis section of the outline.
HW:
1. If you have not yet put those remaining F451 words into quizlet, now is the time! Review tomorrow, quiz on Friday.
2. Finish revising your thesis and forming your topic sentences before class tomorrow; start filling in the rest of the outline, which must be complete before class on Friday.
3. If you're delivering your banned book speech on Friday, prepare and rehearse.
Interested in applying for Honors American Literature, A.P. Language, or A.P. Literature?
Information meeting on Tuesday, April 14 before (6:45 am) and after school (2:45 pm) in room E-9
Click on the link below for the online application:
(Honors American Lit) https://docs.google.com/a/lps.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
All Boys, All Blogged: April 7, 2015
Focus: How do we close read a film, and what larger meanings can we take from The Truman Show?
1. Warm-up: Close reading two scenes from The Truman Show
Some close reading questions to jump start your thinking...
Why is Truman looking a mirror?
How are his drawing and speech symbolic?
How is this moment significant to the film as a whole?
What might the water (and the storm) symbolize?
What might the boat symbolize?
How does this scene reflect an important change in Truman?
What do you think is the most significant moment in this scene and why?
What does Christof represent?
Why do you think the writer of this film named the protagonist "Truman"?
Why do you think Bradbury named his protagonist "Guy"?
2. New grid group discussions of The Truman Show (15-20 min)
3. Composing a rough thesis that draws together The Truman Show and Fahrenheit 451
Some samples...
Character analysis:
Both Guy from F451 and Truman from The Truman Show share the heroic traits of ________ and _________, revealing that a true hero must ___________________________.
Both Guy from F451 and Truman from The Truman Show prove that the desires to ____________________ and ____________________cannot be repressed, suggesting that humans are naturally ________________________.
Both Clarisse from F451 and Sylvia from The Truman Show spark the main characters to realize ________________ and _______________, showing that _________________________.
Cristoff and Beatty?
Mildred/friends and the people watching The Truman Show?
Problem - Solution:
In both F451 and The Truman Show, the societies suffer from _________________, but they ultimately _______________________, revealing that _____________________________.
In both F451 and The Truman Show, the protagonists struggle to ____________________, but they eventually succeed in _________________________, revealing that _______________________.
Symbols:
The ____________ from F451 symbolizes _______________________, while the ___________ from The Truman Show represents _______________________, both symbols suggesting that _______________________________.
HW:
1. Form three different versions of a thesis statement using Google docs and share them with me by 10 pm tonight.
2. Bring F451 to class tomorrow so that you can start gathering quotations.
3. Study the remaining vocabulary words for Friday's final vocab. quiz.
4. If you're presenting a banned book speech this Friday, prepare and rehearse.
Helpful website for spelling the director's and the characters' names correctly: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/fullcredits
1. Warm-up: Close reading two scenes from The Truman Show
Some close reading questions to jump start your thinking...
Why is Truman looking a mirror?
How are his drawing and speech symbolic?
How is this moment significant to the film as a whole?
What might the water (and the storm) symbolize?
What might the boat symbolize?
How does this scene reflect an important change in Truman?
What do you think is the most significant moment in this scene and why?
What does Christof represent?
Why do you think the writer of this film named the protagonist "Truman"?
Why do you think Bradbury named his protagonist "Guy"?
2. New grid group discussions of The Truman Show (15-20 min)
3. Composing a rough thesis that draws together The Truman Show and Fahrenheit 451
Some samples...
Character analysis:
Both Guy from F451 and Truman from The Truman Show share the heroic traits of ________ and _________, revealing that a true hero must ___________________________.
Both Guy from F451 and Truman from The Truman Show prove that the desires to ____________________ and ____________________cannot be repressed, suggesting that humans are naturally ________________________.
Both Clarisse from F451 and Sylvia from The Truman Show spark the main characters to realize ________________ and _______________, showing that _________________________.
Cristoff and Beatty?
Mildred/friends and the people watching The Truman Show?
Problem - Solution:
In both F451 and The Truman Show, the societies suffer from _________________, but they ultimately _______________________, revealing that _____________________________.
In both F451 and The Truman Show, the protagonists struggle to ____________________, but they eventually succeed in _________________________, revealing that _______________________.
Symbols:
The ____________ from F451 symbolizes _______________________, while the ___________ from The Truman Show represents _______________________, both symbols suggesting that _______________________________.
HW:
1. Form three different versions of a thesis statement using Google docs and share them with me by 10 pm tonight.
2. Bring F451 to class tomorrow so that you can start gathering quotations.
3. Study the remaining vocabulary words for Friday's final vocab. quiz.
4. If you're presenting a banned book speech this Friday, prepare and rehearse.
Helpful website for spelling the director's and the characters' names correctly: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/fullcredits
Monday, April 6, 2015
All Boys, All Blogged: April 6, 2015
Focus: What symbols and patterns are emerging in The Truman Show?
1. Warming up with happy Monday thoughts
2. Questioning the film in grid groups: what are you wondering so far? How many images of dead-ends can you think of from last week? What might they suggest?
3. Watching The Truman Show and focusing on the following in your notes:
This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.
Include the following categories in your notes:
a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say
b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film
c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film
d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)
4. Wrapping up: Post one specific connection you've discovered between The Truman Show and F451
HW:
1. Study the remaining words in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz Friday.
2. If you're delivering your banned book speech Friday, prepare and rehearse.
1. Warming up with happy Monday thoughts
2. Questioning the film in grid groups: what are you wondering so far? How many images of dead-ends can you think of from last week? What might they suggest?
3. Watching The Truman Show and focusing on the following in your notes:
This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.
Include the following categories in your notes:
a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say
b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film
c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film
d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)
4. Wrapping up: Post one specific connection you've discovered between The Truman Show and F451
HW:
1. Study the remaining words in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz Friday.
2. If you're delivering your banned book speech Friday, prepare and rehearse.
Friday, April 3, 2015
All Boys, All Blogged: April 3, 2015
Focus: Why do books get banned?
1. Warming up with a few interesting tidbits on why F451 was banned
2. Enjoying our second round of banned book presentations
3. Taking your second F451 vocabulary quiz
4. Continuing The Truman Show if time allows
HW:
1. Before Monday morning, please respond to the blog entitled, "Connect the Dots." Nope.
2. If you have not yet delivered your banned book presentation, work on it over the weekend.
1. Warming up with a few interesting tidbits on why F451 was banned
2. Enjoying our second round of banned book presentations
3. Taking your second F451 vocabulary quiz
4. Continuing The Truman Show if time allows
HW:
2. If you have not yet delivered your banned book presentation, work on it over the weekend.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
All Boys, All Blogged: April 2, 2015
Focus: What symbols and patterns are emerging in The Truman Show?
1. Warming up by testing your vocab prowess: a quick close-eyed review of vocabulary words 16-30
2. Questioning the film: what are you wondering so far?
3. Starting to think about the film on a symbolic level: how many images of dead-ends can you think of from yesterday? What might they suggest?
4. Watching The Truman Show and focusing on the following in your notes:
Make sure you have a document called "___________ (your last name) Truman Show Notes" and share it with me directly at kleclaire@lps.k12.co.us
This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.
Include the following categories in your notes:
a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say
b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film
c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film
d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)
HW:
1. Study words 16-30 in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz tomorrow.
2. If you're delivering your banned book speech tomorrow, prepare and rehearse.
3. Remember that tomorrow marks the end of the second six-week grading period; if you have any makeup work (missed fishbowl blogs, reading journals that you need to revise/do for the first time, etc), it must be completed by this Friday.
1. Warming up by testing your vocab prowess: a quick close-eyed review of vocabulary words 16-30
2. Questioning the film: what are you wondering so far?
3. Starting to think about the film on a symbolic level: how many images of dead-ends can you think of from yesterday? What might they suggest?
4. Watching The Truman Show and focusing on the following in your notes:
Make sure you have a document called "___________ (your last name) Truman Show Notes" and share it with me directly at kleclaire@lps.k12.co.us
This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.
Include the following categories in your notes:
a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say
b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film
c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film
d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)
HW:
1. Study words 16-30 in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz tomorrow.
2. If you're delivering your banned book speech tomorrow, prepare and rehearse.
3. Remember that tomorrow marks the end of the second six-week grading period; if you have any makeup work (missed fishbowl blogs, reading journals that you need to revise/do for the first time, etc), it must be completed by this Friday.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
All Boys, All Blogged: April 1, 2015
Focus: What are Bradbury's themes, and how did he use symbolism to construct them?
Happy April, everybody!
1. Warming up with F451's central symbols
With your partners, explore the symbol you've been given using these steps:
a. Draw/cut out what your symbol looks like. The more detailed, the better.
b. Find one or two good quotations from the book that describes your symbol. Write it on your symbol.
c. Brainstorm all the larger ideas your symbol represents in this book; try to find variation (it represents _______, but it also reveals ______). Be prepared to defend your thinking.
2. Finding patterns among the symbols to form larger themes
On our class blog, try one (or more) of these:
Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to warn us that...
Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to criticize our society for...
Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to encourage people to...
2. Explaining how to set up your notes for The Truman Show (click HERE for a trailer)
Please start a new document called "___________ (your last name) Truman Show Notes" and share it with me directly at kleclaire@lps.k12.co.us
This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.
Include the following categories in your notes:
a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say
b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film
c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film
d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)
3. Starting The Truman Show
HW:
1. Start studying words 16-30 in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz this Friday.
2. If you're delivering your banned book speech this Friday, start preparing and rehearsing.
3. Remember that this Friday marks the end of the second six-week grading period; if you have any makeup work (missed fishbowl blogs, reading journals that you need to revise/do for the first time, etc), it must be completed by this Friday.
Happy April, everybody!
1. Warming up with F451's central symbols
With your partners, explore the symbol you've been given using these steps:
a. Draw/cut out what your symbol looks like. The more detailed, the better.
b. Find one or two good quotations from the book that describes your symbol. Write it on your symbol.
c. Brainstorm all the larger ideas your symbol represents in this book; try to find variation (it represents _______, but it also reveals ______). Be prepared to defend your thinking.
2. Finding patterns among the symbols to form larger themes
On our class blog, try one (or more) of these:
Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to warn us that...
Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to criticize our society for...
Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to encourage people to...
2. Explaining how to set up your notes for The Truman Show (click HERE for a trailer)
Please start a new document called "___________ (your last name) Truman Show Notes" and share it with me directly at kleclaire@lps.k12.co.us
This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.
Include the following categories in your notes:
a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say
b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film
c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film
d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)
3. Starting The Truman Show
HW:
1. Start studying words 16-30 in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz this Friday.
2. If you're delivering your banned book speech this Friday, start preparing and rehearsing.
3. Remember that this Friday marks the end of the second six-week grading period; if you have any makeup work (missed fishbowl blogs, reading journals that you need to revise/do for the first time, etc), it must be completed by this Friday.
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