Animals

I am hoping that each of you is beginning to grasp some of the satire that is present in this novel as well as how it is a fable. For this blog I want you to point out some of these realizations. This means writing about what type of satire you may see being used as well as what elements (characters, events, etc.) of the story might be satires of something else. At the end of your response I want you to include any questions that might be rolling around your mind as you read. Maybe you feel like something is being satirized but can't really put your finger on it, or maybe something has not made sense. I will take these questions up and discuss them next week in class.


The rubric is your friend.

The More You Know

For this blog you will have to do the reading assigned in class today.

After reading the first two chapters of Animal Farm I want you to make some predictions about how this story is a fable and how satire is being used in this story. This is short question but I want to begin to think about this story beyond what you are reading. We will be talking about this in class so any initial thoughts you have on the subject will help during class discussion, which will in turn help you write better essays. See how that works?

You have all been doing a great job with these blog responses. I have seen great improvements in all of your writing and thinking. Let's keep it up!

Satire

For this blog I want you to respond to the reading. The area to focus on during this response is the satirical nature of the piece. What kind of satire is being used? What is the underlying message of the satire? Your response should focus on how the use of satire in the literature helps or hinders the delivery of the message. Remember to follow your rubric (that means quotes).

Events

For this blog I want you to discuss a current event. This can be anything you choose to talk about. What you need to do is read a few articles on the subject and report on it (quoting from the articles) and then form an opinion and develop that opinion. Can you think of why this would be relevant for you to do?

Your Thoughts

You have this space to reflect on Julius Caesar. Remember your blog rubric to make sure appropriate length and quotations. How many stars would you give this play (out of five)? Why? You can pick favorite scenes or themes. The emphasis is on "why" you felt that way and pointing to textual evidence to support that or to draw attention to a certain part in the story.

Anthony

Review the character of Anthony as portrayed in Act 1, 2, and 3 of Julius Caesar. What picture does Shakespeare give us of this character and how does he change in importance to the play? As you read Act 4, what do you expect will happen because of some of the changes you have seen in Anthony?

Brute

In act II we hear a soliloquy by Brutus in which he discusses the reasons behind killing Caesar. What are these reasons and do they make sense? Ethically, would you say it is right to kill someone if you know they will do bad in the future? Find quotes that go with what side you pick. I don't want answers were you tell me you don't understand. This is for you to go back in to the play and think about what we read today. Remember your name at the end of the response.

Julius

I want you to reflect on your first impressions of the play. Which side do you think you would be on? Caesars or his opponents? Find textual evidence to defend which side you pick.
Remember to include your name.

Antigone

Since we have wrapped up our reading of Antigone I wanted to focus on the use of the chorus in the play. There is no wrong answer to these questions as lond as you can show that you have put thought in to each one.

-What does the Chorus add to the play?
-What would the play be like without the chorus?
-What information does the chorus bring to the tale?
-How does the chorus interact with the main characters?
-What aspect of this tragedy impacted you the most?

Always remember to leave your full name at the end of your comment. If you have any questions make sure and email me or ask me in class.

The Blog and the Sorcerer's Stone

If you are like me, it is easy to get wrapped up in your daily life and forget that there are other people actually living outside of Abilene! As strange as it might sound, it is true. I hope each of you has at least heard something about the situation in Haiti. It has been mentioned in pretty much every TV show I have watched the last few weeks, and I have come across it numerous times on the Internet. For this blog assignment I want you to dig a little deeper. Search on the Internet and find an article that either covers the actual event or talks about the relief efforts that are going on. In your comment I want you to give me a paragraph summary of the article. In a second paragraph I want you to respond to article and tell me how you feel about the situation. At the end of your comment I want you to copy and past the link that will take me to the article you read. As always don’t forget your name if you want to receive credit.

Think of this assignment as your soapbox. This blog is a chance to give your opinion. This is your voice. Remember that your grade is based on if you are able to develop an opinion and express it. If you have any questions feel free to email me at yoteach10@gmail.com. Since I did not fill out the questionnaire that was assigned last week feel free to ask me a question and I will try to answer it on the next blog.

Let’s all hope for some snow on Thursday!

Jan. 19th

Hello Students,

For this first post, add a comment to this thread that responds to 5-6 of the following questions AND the last question.

* What is your name and what would you like to be called? Do you have any embarrassing nicknames? If so, please explain.

* Where are you from? Tell something unusual about your hometown.

* What music do you listen to or what kinds of films do you enjoy? Lists are of course boring, so you might explain what attracts you to specific bands or movies.

* What have you done while at ACS that makes you most proud?

* How comfortable are you on a computer? What do you do most often when online?

* What do you enjoy reading or doing when you have free time?

* What else would your best friend tell about you?

* Do you enjoy traveling or going on long trips? Describe a memorable trip out of the state or out of the country.

* What do you enjoy about English? What do you dislike?