Blog #4: Movie Review of "The Great Debaters"

• This is a homework assignment assigned: Friday, April 24, 2015.
• The movie "The Great Debaters" was shown in class. You may watch parts you missed before or after school in Mr. Dawursk's room or rent it at your own expense.  
• It is also available on the web at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro0GBmxGdeQ.
• Final copy due by: Thursday, May 7, 2015.
 
If done as an essay:
It is a formal paper which must be typed, double-spaced, and include at least FIVE paragraphs. You are required to write a movie review about the movie “The Great Debaters.”  You will answer #1-3 and analyze ALL three areas below: literary, dramatic, and cinematic sections – (three paragraph body). 
Final copy due by: Thursday, May 7, 2015.
 
If done as a blog:
This is a semi-formal assignment written on the classroom blog of at least THREE paragraphs and TWO responses (3-5 meaningful sentences) to another student. You are required to write a movie review about the movie “The Great Debaters.”  You will answer #1-3 BUT you only have to analyze ONE of the areas:  literary, dramatic, or cinematic sections (one paragraph body). 
Final copy due by: Thursday, May 7, 2015.
 
Include the following elements in your movie review: 
1. In the opening paragraph state the title, and BRIEFLY summarize the plot of the movie. Describe how you truly feel about the film. What is your honest reaction to the film? Did you like/dislike it? Was it confusing? Exciting? Suspenseful? Boring?
2. In the next three paragraphs analyze the literary, dramatic, and cinematic aspects of the film. Please use examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
Literary – The literary aspects pertains to the story, dialogue and characters. Was there a good story? Are there believable characters (characterization)? Good dialogue? Did the main character change throughout the film (dynamic round)?  What was the main conflict and how was it resolved? Did the story interest you?  Who was the protagonist and the antagonist? Is this a good piece of literature?  Why or why not? Use specific examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
Dramatic – The dramatic aspects pertains to the acting, sets, locations and costumes. Were the actors good? Was the setting or location interesting? Did the actors wear costumes? Was there a famous movie star in the film?  Use specific examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
Cinematic – The cinematic aspects pertain to the camera angles, composition, lighting, music and sound effects.  Were there interesting camera angles, or cool video and sound effects? Did the music match the film?  Use specific examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
3. In the conclusion, rate the film (e.g. two thumbs up! / A+ / Five Stars) and state whether or not you would recommend the film to a friend.

Blog #3: American Romanticism

THIS IS A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.  THERE WILL BE NO TIME GIVEN IN CLASS.

Assigned: Thursday, February 26, 2015   

Due: Wednesday, March 11, 2015

 

IMPORTANT:

• Proper grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation will be expected and benchmarked.  Check your work (proofread) before submitting.
• Choose wisely.  If you do not have access to the internet, then do the essay instead.

If done as an ESSAY:

You will choose 4 questions to answer below.  Use the standard page layout and proper name/class/period information at the top.  This is a formal paper which must be typed, double-spaced, and include at least a ONE paragraph answer for each question.  Final copy due by: Wednesday, March 11, 2015.

 

If done as a BLOG:

You will choose 3 questions below and 2 student responses.  Begin your blog comment by writing your first name, the first letter of your last name, and your period number (John S. Period 4).  Then, reference the question number at the beginning of each answer. This is a semi-formal assignment written on the classroom blog of at least ONE paragraph per question and TWO minimum responses (3-5 sentences) to two different students. Final entry due by: Wednesday, March 11, 2015.

 Questions:

1)    In the story “The Devil and Tom Walker,“ Washington Irving engaged readers both in America and in Europe for many reasons – sometimes conflicting ones.  Look at the story again through the eyes of each of the following people.  What reasons would you give for recommending the story to others?   Give specific reasons for each of the following:  a revolutionary (radical), a puritan (conservative), an American politician, and a banker.

 

2)    Through statements Washington Irving makes about Tom Walker, his wife, and his community, what messages is Irving communicating about the following topics:  women (lines 31-37), the Puritan attitude (lines 115-118), the slave trade (lines 224-227), and moneylenders (lines 228-230).

 

3)    How does “Thanatopsis” reflect Romantic notions of nature and democratic values? Explain why.

 

4)    Reread lines 8-10 in “The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls” AND lines 25-32 in “A Psalm for Life.”  Consider what happens to the footprints in each poem.  Based upon this and other images, how would you say Longfellow’s outlook on life and death in each poem is similar?  Explain your reasoning.

 

5)    Recall from Holmes’ biography on page 248 that the poem “Old Ironsides” was instrumental in saving the USS Constitution.  What techniques and details used in the poem might have motivated readers to act?  Cite evidence from the poem to support your answer.

 

6)    Review the elements of transcendentalism listed on page 369.  Then, reexamine “Self-Reliance” and “Nature” identifying key ideas that reflect each tenet of transcendentalism. 

 

7)    Writer Henry James argued that Emerson had no concept of the evil that exists in the world.  In James’ words, it was “a side of life as to which Emerson’s eyes were thickly bandaged…He had no great sense of wrong…no sense of the dark, the foul, the base.”  In your opinion, is this a valid criticism of Emerson?  Use evidence and explain why or why not.

Compare / Contrast Assignment --

The play versus the movie: “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller

If done as an essay: It is a formal paper which must be typed, double-spaced, and include at least FIVE paragraphs. You are required to write a compare / contrast essay about the play versus the movie “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller.  You will answer #1-3 and analyze (compare / contrast) ALL three areas below: character, literary, and dramatic sections – (three paragraph body).  Use the standard page layout and proper name/class/period information at the top.   Final copy due by: Wednesday, December 10, 2014. 

If done as a blog:  This is a semi-formal assignment written on the classroom blog of at least THREE paragraphs and ONE response (3-5 sentences) to another student. You are required to write a compare / contrast blog about the play versus the movie “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller.   You will answer #1-3 BUT you only have to analyze ONE of the areas: character, literary, and dramatic sections (one paragraph body).  Begin your blog comment by writing your first name, the first letter of your last name, and your period number (John S. Period 4).  Final copy due by: Wednesday, December 10, 2014.

Include the following elements in your compare/contrast analysis:

1. In the opening paragraph state the title, and BRIEFLY summarize the plot of the story. Describe how you truly feel about the story. What is your honest reaction to the play versus the movie? Did you like/dislike either? Was either confusing? Exciting? Suspenseful? Boring? State a thesis which clearly states whether you feel the movie and the play were mostly similar, mostly different or the same.


2. In the next three paragraphs we will be using a point-by-point compare/contrast format. You will use one paragraph each to analyze (compare/contrast) the following topics:  the characters, characterizations, and dialog  of the play versus the movie, the overall literary plot and sequence of the play versus the movie, and the dramatic aspects such as scenes, layout, blocking (movement) and other technical aspects of the play version versus the film.   Please use examples from the play and the movie to support your analysis.
   

Character – This literary aspect pertains to the dialogue and characters. Believable characters? Good dialogue? Did the main character change throughout?  What aspects were the same and which ones were different?  Did the differences or changes enhance or degrade the story?  Why? Use specific examples from the play and movie to support your analysis.

Literary – Were the plot sequences (the timeline order) of the play and movie the same?  How were they different? What plot aspects from the play were deleted from the film?  What additional plot action and/or dialog were added to the film version?  Did this have a positive or negative affect on the production? Use specific examples from the play and movie to support your analysis.

Dramatic – Dramatic aspects pertain to the sets, locations, movement, transitions, and other technical parts of the play versus the movie. Were the sets or locations more interesting or believable in the play or movie? Did it matter?  Were the movie sets consistent with the play? Did the cinematic aspects (camera angles, composition, lighting, music and sound effects) enhance or degrade the play?  Did the music match the film?  Use specific examples from the play and movie to support your analysis.

3. In the conclusion paragraph, restate your thesis and end with a closing comment about the historical accuracy of the overall story.

Period FOUR: American Authors Blog #1

PLEASE NOTE: As of 11/4/14, this blog has been completed and assessed for proficiency.  If you desire to add a comment or reply to this blog, please notify Mr. Dawursk so that you may receive credit for the assignment and be assessed for benchmark proficiencies.

------------------------------------

AA Blog #1 (PERIOD 4): Native American Experience / Exploration& Early Settlers

Directions:

• First, answer in one comment THREE questions of your choice from the list of eight below.
• Next, respond to at least ONE other classmate’s comment.
• Put your complete first name and last name’s first initial at the end of your comment (e.g. Matthew D.)
• Your comment and response blogs are
  due by 11:00 AM - Thursday, October 30,2014.
• Use complete sentences and appropriate spelling and grammar.  Suggestion:  Write your comment in MSWord first (free spell check) and paste it into the blog.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Trickster tales endure, in part, simply because they are fun to read.  But they also often serve to teach a lesson or moral.  What does Coyote and the Buffalo teach or explain?  Support your answer with specific examples.
2. In your opinion, what are the most important insights Momaday gains about his heritage during his pilgrimage from Yellowstone to his grandmother's grave in the story The Way to Rainy Mountain?  Support your opinion with evidence from the text.
3. Teacher and scholar Kenneth M. Roemer has argued that “in The Way to Rainy Mountain, N. Scott Momaday links the survival of his people to their ability to remember, preserve and pass on stories.” Do you agree that a culture’s survival rests on this ability?  Explain, using evidence from the text to support your opinion.
4.  Review your answers to the quiz about slavery we took in class (on page 83 in your textbook) before reading The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oldaudah Equiano.   What facts or details in his account most surprised you?  What did you learn that you may have answered incorrectly on the quiz?  
5.  In 1775, just 14 years before writing his life story, Equiano bought slaves to work on his Central American plantation.  He explained his actions by saying he did what he could “to comfort the poor creatures, and render their condition easy.”  Do you find this explanation consistent with the views of slavery put forth in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oldaudah Equiano?  Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.
6. Bradford’s word choice and his choice of details in his story Of Plymouth Plantation provide subtle clues to Puritan beliefs.  Reread Bardford’s account of the arrival at Cape Cod (lines 4-30). What does his description reveal about Puritan attitudes toward Nature?   
7.  Review the terms of the treaty between the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag (lines 142-154).  Notice which terms apply to both parties equally and which do not.  In your opinion, is the treaty fair?  Explain your answer
8. How might a Wampanoag historian’s version of events differ from Bradford’s?  Choose an episode from Of Plymouth Plantation cite specific details that might change to reflect this different perspective.  Why?

Period FIVE: American Authors Blog #1

PLEASE NOTE: As of 11/4/14, this blog has been completed and assessed for proficiency.  If you desire to add a comment or reply to this blog, please notify Mr. Dawursk so that you may receive credit for the assignment and be assessed for benchmark proficiencies.

------------------------------------

AA Blog #1 (PERIOD 5): Native American Experience / Exploration& Early Settlers

Directions:

• First, answer in one comment THREE questions of your choice from the list of eight below.
• Next, respond to at least ONE other classmate’s comment.
• Put your complete first name and last name’s first initial at the end of your comment (e.g. Matthew D.)
• Your comment and response blogs are
  due by 11:00 AM - Thursday, October 30,2014.
• Use complete sentences and appropriate spelling and grammar.  Suggestion:  Write your comment in MSWord first (free spell check) and paste it into the blog.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Trickster tales endure, in part, simply because they are fun to read.  But they also often serve to teach a lesson or moral.  What does Coyote and the Buffalo teach or explain?  Support your answer with specific examples.
2. In your opinion, what are the most important insights Momaday gains about his heritage during his pilgrimage from Yellowstone to his grandmother's grave in the story The Way to Rainy Mountain?  Support your opinion with evidence from the text.
3. Teacher and scholar Kenneth M. Roemer has argued that “in The Way to Rainy Mountain, N. Scott Momaday links the survival of his people to their ability to remember, preserve and pass on stories.” Do you agree that a culture’s survival rests on this ability?  Explain, using evidence from the text to support your opinion.
4.  Review your answers to the quiz about slavery we took in class (on page 83 in your textbook) before reading The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oldaudah Equiano.   What facts or details in his account most surprised you?  What did you learn that you may have answered incorrectly on the quiz?  
5.  In 1775, just 14 years before writing his life story, Equiano bought slaves to work on his Central American plantation.  He explained his actions by saying he did what he could “to comfort the poor creatures, and render their condition easy.”  Do you find this explanation consistent with the views of slavery put forth in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oldaudah Equiano?  Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.
6. Bradford’s word choice and his choice of details in his story Of Plymouth Plantation provide subtle clues to Puritan beliefs.  Reread Bardford’s account of the arrival at Cape Cod (lines 4-30). What does his description reveal about Puritan attitudes toward Nature?   
7.  Review the terms of the treaty between the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag (lines 142-154).  Notice which terms apply to both parties equally and which do not.  In your opinion, is the treaty fair?  Explain your answer
8. How might a Wampanoag historian’s version of events differ from Bradford’s?  Choose an episode from Of Plymouth Plantation cite specific details that might change to reflect this different perspective.  Why?

Period SEVEN: American Authors Blog #1

PLEASE NOTE: As of 11/4/14, this blog has been completed and assessed for proficiency.  If you desire to add a comment or reply to this blog, please notify Mr. Dawursk so that you may receive credit for the assignment and be assessed for benchmark proficiencies.

------------------------------------

AA Blog #1 (PERIOD 7): Native American Experience / Exploration& Early Settlers

Directions:

• First, answer in one comment THREE questions of your choice from the list of eight below.


• Next, respond to at least ONE other classmate’s comment.


• Put your complete first name and last name’s first initial at the end of your comment (e.g. Matthew D.)


• Your comment and response blogs are
  due by 11:00 AM - Thursday, October 30,2014.


• Use complete sentences and appropriate spelling and grammar.  Suggestion:  Write your comment in MSWord first (free spell check) and paste it into the blog.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Trickster tales endure, in part, simply because they are fun to read.  But they also often serve to teach a lesson or moral.  What does Coyote and the Buffalo teach or explain?  Support your answer with specific examples.


2. In your opinion, what are the most important insights Momaday gains about his heritage during his pilgrimage from Yellowstone to his grandmother's grave in the story The Way to Rainy Mountain?  Support your opinion with evidence from the text.


3. Teacher and scholar Kenneth M. Roemer has argued that “in The Way to Rainy Mountain, N. Scott Momaday links the survival of his people to their ability to remember, preserve and pass on stories.” Do you agree that a culture’s survival rests on this ability?  Explain, using evidence from the text to support your opinion.


4.  Review your answers to the quiz about slavery we took in class (on page 83 in your textbook) before reading The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oldaudah Equiano.   What facts or details in his account most surprised you?  What did you learn that you may have answered incorrectly on the quiz?  


5.  In 1775, just 14 years before writing his life story, Equiano bought slaves to work on his Central American plantation.  He explained his actions by saying he did what he could “to comfort the poor creatures, and render their condition easy.”  Do you find this explanation consistent with the views of slavery put forth in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oldaudah Equiano?  Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.


6. Bradford’s word choice and his choice of details in his story Of Plymouth Plantation provide subtle clues to Puritan beliefs.  Reread Bardford’s account of the arrival at Cape Cod (lines 4-30). What does his description reveal about Puritan attitudes toward Nature?   


7.  Review the terms of the treaty between the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag (lines 142-154).  Notice which terms apply to both parties equally and which do not.  In your opinion, is the treaty fair?  Explain your answer


8. How might a Wampanoag historian’s version of events differ from Bradford’s?  Choose an episode from Of Plymouth Plantation cite specific details that might change to reflect this different perspective.  Why?