26 October 2012

Characters in Cyrano de Bergerac


Characters in Cyrano de Bergerac

Cyrano de Bergerac [se’ r  no  d   bur’ zh   rak’]
Christian de Neuvillette [kres’ te an’  d    nu’ ve yet’]
Madeleine Robin [mad’ lin  ro  ban’]

Friends of Cyrano
Ligniere [le  nyar’]
Ragueneau [ra’  g    no’]
Lise [lez]
Le Bret [l    bra’]
Carbon de Castel-Jaloux [kar bon’  d    kas  tel’-- zha loo’]

Opponents of Cyrano
De Guiche [d    gesh’]
Viscount de Valvert [vi’ kount  d    val  var’]
Montfleury [mon’  flu  re’]

Some other named characters
Cuigy [kwe  zhe’]
Brissaille [bre  si’]
Bertrandou [bar’ tron  doo’]

12 October 2012

Works In Translation Essay Preparation: 5 Stages

WORKS IN TRANSLATION (WIT) ESSAY PREPARATION: 5 STAGES


STAGE 1: The Interactive Oral

1. Class will be divided into groups for Interactive Oral Presentations of the three works that we studied in Part I: Antigone, A Doll’s House, and Blood Wedding. This is an IBO Requirement!

2. Each group will produce a HANDOUT on their Interactive Oral Presentation and give to the teacher –I will make copies for the class in advance and hand them out on the day of the presentation(s). The information needed is what any educated reader wants to know (before they read) about culture and historical context. (Please realize that we are deconstructing the text since we have already read these.)

a) What would you have to know in order to better understand the text?

b) What element of culture/context are they talking about?

c) Some guiding questions for the Interactive Oral are:

1c) In what ways do time and place matter to this work?

2c) What was easy to understand and what was difficult in

relation to the social and cultural context and the issues of

the text?

3c) What connections did you find between issues in the work

and your own culture and experience?

4c) What aspects of the work’s technique seem connected to its

particular context?

3. Students listening to presentations MUST take notes on each Interactive Oral Presentation!! (Both students and the teacher should take part in the Interactive Oral discussions.)



STAGE 2: The Reflective Statement



All students will write a REFLECTIVE STATEMENT of 300-400 words about EACH oral presentation in which they answer this question:

HOW was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations of the work developed through the Interactive Oral?

*Please be aware that this statement will be attached to your

Final Essay!!

STAGE 3: The Supervised Writings

1. The teacher will provide 3-4 PROMPTS for each of the three works to direct students’ written responses.

2. In class students will respond to EACH of the three works studied/presented in Oral presentation in a written exercise. Students will choose one prompt that is interesting and potentially worth pursuing for their 1200-1500 word essay. Students may use their text for the writings. Students will have between 40-50 minutes to write each written exercise on each work presented. At the end of the timed writing, students will hand in the writing to the teacher who will keep the unedited copy on file at school. Students will do 3 Supervised Writings (one of each work). Supervised Writings on presentations of all three works should take about 2 class periods.

3. Once students have decided on which piece of supervised writing to develop for the essay, a copy of the appropriate piece will be returned to the student (students will have already completed 3, one for each work). Students will choose ONE of their pieces of Supervised Writings and develop that into the WIT Essay. The Supervised Writing and the final essay MUST show an apparent connection!! Students must title

their essay!

STAGE 4: Writing the Final Essay

1. Working from the supervised writing, the student must now produce an essay of 1200-1500 words.

a) The teacher will give a handout on “Organizing the WIT Essay” to students to be filled out and returned to the teacher at the time of the teacher-student conference. The CONFERENCE with the student about his/her ideas for an essay must show that those ideas are derived from one of the pieces of supervised writings. The student should communicate clearly his/her ideas for the essay to the teacher.

b) The teacher will give students a copy of the RUBRIC for the WIT Essay.

c) The student must finish the essay of 1200-1500 words on his/her own. He/she must do individual work!

d) The teacher then reads the first draft and provides general comments on the potential of this draft to become the final essay. The teacher MUST NOT re-shape or edit the essay draft for the student!

STAGE 5: Essay due

1. Students will hand in a hard copy of the essay by a specified date

(Your DUE DATE is December 14, 2012.) Students will also email a copy of the essay TO BOTH ME AND MS. BECNEL by that date. In addition, each student will save two copies of the essay—one on a flash/jump drive, and the other on his/her home computer in Documents. This back-up system protects the student against any possible loss of the essay.

2. The Teacher completes the IBO cover sheet and attaches it and the reflective statement to the final copy of the essay and delivers it to the IB Coordinator. (The cover sheet has to have both the student and the teacher’s signature, indicating that the student did his/her own work!)





26 September 2012

FOR SENIORS: Worksheet on LWFC

Like Water for Chocolate worksheet: SHAW September, 2012



1. Each group will summarize the plot of two chapters of the novel.

2. Define “magical realism” and list examples of it in the novel—explain them.

3. a)Do bubble maps of the following characters (Be sure to use ONLY adjectives!!): Tita, Pedro, Rosaura, Gertrudis, Mama Elena, Nacha, and Dr. Brown.

b)Write a character sketch of each of the above characters based on the adjectives in your bubble maps AND back up what you say about each character by giving examples of every descriptive characteristic.

4. Talk about the style of this novel.

5. Give the setting and summarize the historical context of the

novel.

6. List subjects you think are themes in this story and give

examples from the story to illustrate these themes.

7. Explain the parallel struggles in the novel.

8. Explain the Mexican expression “Like water for chocolate.”

9. Explain a Latin “woman’s place” in the early part of the 20th

Century.

10. Talk about symbolism in this novel and give examples of it.

11. a) Explain Morning Light’s theory that “we all need love to

nourish our souls.”

b) How does this play a major part in the novel’s plot?

13. Speak to the theme of gender roles in this novel.

12 September 2012

For JUNIORS....IB RUBRIC FOR ESSAYS

Essay Rubric for IB



A. Treatment of ideas for the prompt




The achievement level for this criterion is determined primarily by the treatment of ideas.

• How well has the candidate elucidated his/her ideas?

• How appropriate are his/her ideas?

• How well has the aspect of the prompt been explored?

• To what extent has the candidate expressed a relevant personal view?

Achievement Level

0 The candidate has not reached Level 1

1 The treatment of ideas is generally inappropriate to the assignment.

• Not appropriate to the assignment

• Has little focus

• Consists mainly of paraphrase

2 Treatment of ideas is to some extent appropriate

• Has focus but it is too wide

• Treatment of ideas is sometimes not relevant

• Consists in part of paraphrase

3 Generally appropriate treatment of ideas

• Has a specific and relevant focus

• Treatment of ideas is relevant and includes a personal focus

4 Clearly defined treatment of ideas in relation to the prompt

• Has a specific and generally relevant focus

• Ideas show independence of thought and their treatment is relevant to the prompt

5 Highly appropriate treatment of ideas in relation to the prompt

• Has a specific and relevant focus

• Ideas show independence of thought and their treatment is highly relevant to the prompt



B. Knowledge and Understanding of the work




How well does the candidate know the work studied?

How much understanding has the candidate shown of the work?

To what extent does the candidate appreciate the cultural setting relevant to the assignment?

Achievement Level

0 The candidate has not reached Level 1

1 Little understanding of the work studied

• Knowledge but little understanding of the work studied

• Little appreciation of the cultural setting relevant to the assignment

2 Some understanding of the work studied

• Knowledge and some understanding of the work

• Some appreciation of the cultural setting relevant to the assignment

3 Adequate understanding of the work studied

• Knowledge and satisfactory understanding of the work

• Appreciation of the cultural setting relevant to the assignment

4 Good understanding of the work studied

• Detailed knowledge of, and good insight into, the work

• Good appreciation of the cultural setting relevant to the work

5 Excellent understanding of the work studied

• In-depth knowledge of, and very good insight into, the work

• Excellent appreciation of the cultural setting relevant to the work



C. Presentation




How effectively has the candidate presented the assignment?

How precise and relevant are the candidate’s references?



Achievement Level

0 The candidate has not reached Level 1

1 The formal structure andor development of ideas are generally not effective

• Little evidence of a structure

• A few references to the work, but they are generally not pertinent to the assignment

2 The formal structure and/or development of ideas are to some extent

effective

• Evidence of a structure

• References are occasionally to the point

3 The formal structure and/or development of ideas are effective

• Adequate structure

• References are generally to the pint

4 The formal structure and/or development of ideas are very effective

• Clear and logical structure

• Precise and pertinent references to the work

5 The formal structure and/or development of ideas are highly effective

• Purposeful and effective structure

• Precise and highly pertinent references to the work



D. Language




How clear is the candidate’s written expression?

How well has the candidate observed the conventions of written work? (ie. Paragraphing, grammar, spelling, citation of references)

How appropriate is the register selected by the candidate for the particular assignment? (Register refers, in this context, to the candidate’s sensitivity to elements such as the vocabulary, tone, sentence structure and idiom appropriate to the task.)

Achievement Level

0 The candidate has not reached Level 1

1 Little use of appropriate language

• Generally inappropriate register for the assignment

• Frequent lapses in the convention of written work

2 Some use of appropriate language

• Generally appropriate register for the assignment

• Some lapses in the conventions of written work

• Some consistency or clarity of expression

3 Adequate use of appropriate language

• Appropriate register for the assignment

• The conventions of written work are generally followed

• Consistency and some clarity of expression

4 Good use of appropriate language

• The register is effective and appropriate for the assignment

• The conventions of written work are closely followed

• Clarity, consistency and general fluency of expression

5 Excellent use of appropriate language

• The register is highly effective and appropriate for the assignment

• Careful attention is given to the conventions of written work

• Clarity, consistency and fluency of style



11 September 2012

Realism

REALISM





 The movement towards realism in the theater occurred in the second half of the nineteenth century.

 Realism began as a reaction to the excessively contrived, sentimental, and didactic melodramas that dominated drama in nineteenth-century Europe and America.

 Realism began in Europe with playwrights like Ibsen, Strindberg, and Shaw, reaching America a few years later where it found its fullest American expression in Eugene O’Neill.

 Realists take a mimetic approach to theater, striving to create the illusion of everyday life on stage, with the audience’s eavesdropping on a slice of life.

 Realists tend to depict the middle, lower, and lower-middle classes : their work, family life, language, dress, and problems.

 They prefer contemporary settings.

 In a direct response to melodrama, realists strive to create complex characters, to make internal conflict as dramatic as external conflict.

 They prefer the open ending, which does not resolve all the play’s questions and sometimes leaves in doubt the future of the protagonist. The resolution or denouement is generally short in realistic dramas and virtually non-existent sometimes.

Slamming the door in ADH

More Notes and Questions: A Doll’s House



The Slamming of the Door in A Doll’s House

 

The slamming of the door at the end of A Doll’s House was a sound that reverberated around the world. As a symbol of Nora’s assertion of her freedom and independence, this sound represented a direct challenge to the existing beliefs concerning sex roles. In the decades that followed the publication of the play, the role of women in society began undergoing a dramatic transformation. Because of its startling impact and the changes that followed, the slamming of the door is now viewed by many as a pivotal starting point in the modern feminist movement.




WOMEN IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY



At the time the play was written, the idea of a woman leaving her husband and children to live freely and independently was considered unacceptable by the vast majority of people in the Western world. It was widely believed that women were inferior to men, and as a result women did not enjoy the same rights and privileges as men. Few women were provided with a quality education, and they had severely limited career opportunities. Rather than pursing a career, women were expected to marry and to devote their lives to serving their husbands and raising their children. In doing so they were expected to respect and obey their husbands without question.



NORA’S REBELLION AGAINST SOCIETY



By leaving Torvald and her children to educate herself and to search for personal fulfillment, Nora was rebelling not only against Torvald’s authority but against the attitudes and expectations of society as a whole. When she tells Torvald that she plans to leave him, he at first tries to forbid her, then warns her that she is “not even thinking about what people will say.” Nora responds that she is not concerned with what other people think, and she goes on to say that her duties to herself are more important than her duties as a wife and mother. She declares, “I’m a human being, no less than you—or anyway, I ought to try to become one. I know the majority thinks you’re right, Torvald, and plenty of books agree with you, too. But I can’t go on believing what the majority says, or what’s written in the books.”



THE IMPACT OF NORA’S REBELLION



When Nora finally leaves and the door slams shut behind her, Torvald is left in a state of shock and dismay. Similarly, the early audiences were shocked and dismayed by what they saw. Yet this sense of shock forced many people to begin reevaluating the role of women in society, and in the years that followed, women began to gain some of the rights and privileges that they had previously been denied.

During the course of the twentieth century, the status of women has continued to steadily improve. In virtually all Western democratic countries, women have gained the right to vote. In addition, the educational and professional opportunities available to women have expanded tremendously. Many women have involved in politics, and in a number of countries, women have been elected to the highest government post. As a result of such changes, women from many nations now enjoy virtually the same status as men, although there are still a few areas in which women are subject to discrimination.



IBSEN AND FEMINISM



Because of Nora’s actions in A Doll’s House, Ibsen is often regarded as one of the pioneer spirits in the feminist movement. Although Ibsen himself might have argued that he did not deserve this label, it cannot be denied that he was one of the first men to openly express concern about the needs of women, as well as about their role in society. Ibsen’s preliminary notes to A

Doll’s House clearly indicate that he wanted the play to capture the way in which society inhibited the freedom and growth of women. He wrote, “There are two kinds of spiritual law, two kinds of conscience, one in man and another, altogether different, in woman. They do not understand each other; but in practical life the woman is judged by man’s law, as though she were not a woman but a man…A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is exclusively a masculine society…”



QUESTIONS

1. Explain why Ibsen’s observation does or does not apply to contemporary American society.

2. Explain why Nora’s actions at the end of the play would or would not be considered acceptable in contemporary American society.

3. Do you think there are many men in contemporary American society who share Torvald’s attitude about women? Support your answer.













More on A Doll's House

THEME




The theme is the central idea or insight into life that a writer hopes to convey in a work of literature. In some literary works, the theme is directly stated. More often, however, the theme is implied, or revealed indirectly, through the portrayal of characters and events or through the use of literary devices such as irony, symbols, or allusions.

Longer literary works, such as plays and novels, are likely to have many possible themes ; and disagreements frequently arise among readers and critics as to the theme or themes of a particular work. These disagreements result because writers often deliberately make their works ambiguous, or indefinite or uncertain, and because every reader’s interpretation of a work is colored by his or her viewpoint or perspective. For example, someone who is especially concerned with women’s rights might interpret A Doll’s House as an expression of the need for women to escape from the confinement and restriction they faced in nineteenth-century European society.

This is only one of many possible themes of A Doll’s House. Another theme is that in order for a marriage to be successful, the people involved should know and trust each other, should view each other as equals, and should have separate identities. Related to this idea is the theme that true love has little to do with such superficial qualities as physical beauty and financial and social status. Still another theme is that people are often faced with, as Ibsen put it, an internal conflict between « natural feeling on the one hand and belief in authority on the other. » A related theme is the notion that society and authority place restrictions on people that inhibit the development of individuality. This idea is connected to another possible theme that Ibsen himself suggested when he described his plays as the depiction of « the struggle which all serious-minded human beings have to wage with themselves to bring their lives into harmony with their convictions. » Finally, the play also suggests that it is wrong to try to apply a rigid moral code to all situations and that people who claim to adhere to such a moral code sometimes expose themselves as hypocrites.

10 September 2012

FOR SENIORS...MORE ON THE IOP


Shaw


English A1 IB

Oral Presentations



The Individual Oral Presentation makes up 15% of your A1 requirement (your World Literature essays make up 10% each). The Oral Presentation is internally assessed (by yours truly), and the Oral Presentation is a one-time, on-the-spot performance in front of your teacher and peers. Therefore, preparation is absolutely necessary!



Directions: There will be a sign-up list outside my room beginning Sept. 19th; remember, only 8 people per novel, so FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!



Approaches



You should not merely summarize nor report on the story to the class. You will need to have an original and ambitious argument upon which to base you presentation. Consider comparing and/or contrasting with other texts we’ve read this year. You might want to consider cultural/historical significance. Whether you choose to look at the story in isolation or in the context of a textual or comparison comparison, you should narrow your approach to a specific focus/topic. The IB suggests the following general possibilities:



• Cultural setting of the work(s) and related issues

• Thematic focus

• Characterization (analysis)

• Techniques and style

• Author’s attitude to particular elements of the work(s)

• Interpretation of particular elements from different perspectives



The Actual Presentation



11 You will have 10-15 minutes for your presentation. (Again, preparation is very important: if you are under time, you will be tempted to ramble to the 10-minute mark, and if you get to 15 minutes, I will cut you off.) You should not merely lecture to the class nor should you stand in front of us and read from an essay. Your presentation should, however, have a coherent structure. It should follow a logical sequence and should have a clear purpose and intent. Here are some possible ways (taken and/or adapted from the A1 curriculum guide) to structure your presentation:

• Structured discussion (presenter as teacher—asks good discussion questions, ect.)

• Oral exposé:

-explanation of a particular aspect of work(s)

-examination of a particular interpretation of work(s)

-writer’s work set against culture, social, political background

-commentary on the use of a particular image, idea or symbol

-comparison of two passages, two characters, or two works

-commentary on an extract from the story

• Role play (with a clear rationale)

-monologue from a character

-reminiscences by a character from a point later in his/her life

-author responding to criticism; explaining intention



Assessment



Whatever structure and approach you choose, keep in mind the criteria on which you will be graded. According to the A1 curriculum guide, candidates (that’s you guys) are expected to show:

• Knowledge and understanding of the work(s)

• Thorough appreciation of the aspect discussed

• Knowledge and use of the linguistic register appropriate for the type of presentation, where register refers to the candidate’s sensitivity to elements such as the vocabulary, tone, sentence structure and idiom appropriate to the task.



I will give you a copy of the rubric by which you will be graded.



5 Simple Steps to Success



1. Choose your work.

2. Become familiar with it—read it over until to are extremely familiar with its’ context, annotating as you go.

3. Gather and organize ideas, observations, quotes, etc.

4. Choose an approach and organization: what will you examine and how will you present your findings?

5. Organize your presentation—I suggest making an outline on note cards—you MAY NOT read from these cards, word for word—but you may use them in your presentation. Rehearse your presentation so that you feel comfortable with the subject matter and the time constraints (when you practice your presentation, you need to time yourself).


I WILL BEGIN IOP'S SOMETIME DURING THE WEEK OF SEPT. 24-27. REMEMBER—YOU CANNOT REDO YOUR PRESENTATION—YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT IT, SO BE READY. I WILL PICK STUDENTS TO GO IN RANDOM ORDER.







FOR JUNIORS...MORE ON THE IOP

Shaw


English A1 IB

Oral Presentations



The Individual Oral Presentation makes up 15% of your A1 requirement (your World Literature essays make up 10% each). The Oral Presentation is internally assessed (by yours truly), and the Oral Presentation is a one-time, on-the-spot performance in front of your teacher and peers. Therefore, preparation is absolutely necessary!



Directions: There will be a sign-up list outside my room; I will let you know when. Remember, between 10-12 people per novel, so FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!



Approaches



You should not merely summarize nor report on the story to the class. You will need to have an original and ambitious argument upon which to base you presentation. Consider comparing and/or contrasting with other texts we’ve read this year. You might want to consider cultural/historical significance. Whether you choose to look at the story in isolation or in the context of a textual or comparison comparison, you should narrow your approach to a specific focus/topic. The IB suggests the following general possibilities:



• Cultural setting of the work(s) and related issues

• Thematic focus

• Characterization (analysis)

• Techniques and style

• Author’s attitude to particular elements of the work(s)

• Interpretation of particular elements from different perspectives



The Actual Presentation



11 You will have 10-15 minutes for your presentation. (Again, preparation is very important: if you are under time, you will be tempted to ramble to the 10-minute mark, and if you get to 15 minutes, I will cut you off.) You should not merely lecture to the class nor should you stand in front of us and read from an essay. Your presentation should, however, have a coherent structure. It should follow a logical sequence and should have a clear purpose and intent. Here are some possible ways (taken and/or adapted from the A1 curriculum guide) to structure your presentation:

• Structured discussion (presenter as teacher—asks good discussion questions, ect.)

• Oral exposé:

-explanation of a particular aspect of work(s)

-examination of a particular interpretation of work(s)

-writer’s work set against culture, social, political background

-commentary on the use of a particular image, idea or symbol

-comparison of two passages, two characters, or two works

-commentary on an extract from the story

• Role play (with a clear rationale)

-monologue from a character

-reminiscences by a character from a point later in his/her life

-author responding to criticism; explaining intention



Assessment



Whatever structure and approach you choose, keep in mind the criteria on which you will be graded. According to the A1 curriculum guide, candidates (that’s you guys) are expected to show:

• Knowledge and understanding of the work(s)

• Thorough appreciation of the aspect discussed

• Knowledge and use of the linguistic register appropriate for the type of presentation, where register refers to the candidate’s sensitivity to elements such as the vocabulary, tone, sentence structure and idiom appropriate to the task.



I will give you a copy of the rubric by which you will be graded.



5 Simple Steps to Success



1. Choose your work.

2. Become familiar with it—read it over until to are extremely familiar with its’ context, annotating as you go.

3. Gather and organize ideas, observations, quotes, etc.

4. Choose an approach and organization: what will you examine and how will you present your findings?

5. Organize your presentation—I suggest making an outline on note cards—you MAY NOT read from these cards, word for word—but you may use them in your presentation. Rehearse your presentation so that you feel comfortable with the subject matter and the time constraints (when you practice your presentation, you need to time yourself).



REMEMBER—YOU CANNOT REDO YOUR PRESENTATION—YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT IT, SO BE READY WHENEVER YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN.  (I WILL PICK STUDENTS TO GO IN RANDOM ORDER.)







FOR SENIORS...IOP

IOP Notes




The IOP may be done only once. It must be based on a work studied in Part 4 of the syllabus (Frankenstein, Cyrano de Bergerac, or Like Water for Chocolate.) It is from 10—15 minutes in duration and is given in front of peers and the teacher in the classroom.

The IOP is a student-oriented task in which each student plays a number of key roles. These include:

• Selecting the work. (This has been already done!)

• Choosing the topic, in consultation with the teacher.

• Choosing the type of presentation which is most appropriate for meeting the objectives of the topic.

• Selecting and organizing the material to be presented into a structure appropriate to the objectives of the presentation.

• Deciding on the linguistic register appropriate for the presentation.

• Rehearsing the presentation.

CHOICE OF TOPIC

You may choose a topic which reflects your personal interests. Topics may be based on any aspect(s) of the work studied, including:

• Cultural setting of the work and related issues

• Thematic focus

• Characterization

• Techniques and style

• Author’s attitude to particular elements of the work such as character, subject matter

• Interpretation of particular elements from different perspectives

ACTIVITIES

The following lists contain examples of the wide range of activities which are acceptable for the IOP. These lists are only suggestions:

Structured Discussions-

• Class discussions where a candidate has been given special responsibilities (advance preparation, particular topics, a short report, a provocative position). The whole class may participate, but only the presenter will be assessed.

• The presentation of material lending itself to discussion within the class, such as the offering of two opposing readings of a work (the presenter will take questions from the class).

• Interview of a candidate by the teacher on an agreed topic or work.

Oral Exposés-

• An introduction to a writer, a work or a particular text.

• An explanation of a particular aspect of an author’s work.

• The examination of a particular interpretation of a work.

• The setting of a particular writer’s work against another body of material, such as details on social background or political views.

• A commentary on the use of a particular image, idea, or symbol in one text or in a writer’s work.

• A comparison of two passages, two characters or two works.

• An account of the candidate’s (that’s YOU) developing response to a work.

Role Play-(Candidates who choose role play should provide a rationale for what they have done!)

• A monologue by a character at an important point in the work.

• Reminiscences by a character from a point in later life.









FOR SENIORS...IOP INFO

IB A1 Oral Presentation Rubric


Name:

A. KNOWLEDGE AND CONTENT OF WORKS:

How well does the candidate know and understand the content of the work(s)'' How well does the candidate situate the work(s) within the context of the larger work from which it has been taken or the body of works t> which it belongs?



Content of the Work(s)

 (1) little knowledge or understanding

 (2) some knowledge but superficial understanding

 (3) adequate knowledge and understanding

 (4) good knowledge and understanding

 (5) thorough knowledge and understanding



Appropriate Context 

(1) little knowledge  (2) some knowledge  (3) adequate knowledge  (4) good knowledge  (5) precise knowledge

/5

B. Interpretation and Personal Response How valid is the candidate's interpretation of the work(s)?

How well has the candidate identified and analyzed the effects of literary feature in the wok(s), such as diction, imagery, tone, structure, style, and technique?

To what extent does the candidate's response show critical thinking and originality? How precise and relevant are the candidate's references to the works)?





Awareness of Literary Features

 (1-2) little

 (3-4) some

 (5-6) adequate; some analysis

of their effects (7-8) good; detailed analysis of

their effects  (9-10) excellent; critical analysis

of their effects

Support/References to the Work

(1-2) none

 (3-4) supported by some

references  (5-6) generally supported by

relevant references D (7-8) supported by relevant

references  (9-10) fully supported by precise

references

Interpretation

(1-2) little; response consists mainly of

plot summary

(3-4) some; some elements of relevant

personal response, w/a

(5-6) generally valid and accurate; some

degree of critical personal response, where

appropriate (w/a)

(7-8) valid and generally detailed; a

considered critical response, w/a O (9-10) convincing and detailed; a fully

considered and independent critical

response, w/a



/10

C. Presentation How structured is the candidate's response? How effective and convincing is the candidate's presentation? How appropriately does the candidate integrate supporting references to the work(s)?



Structure

 (1-2) little evidence

 (3-4) some evidence

 (5-6) adequate

 (7-8) clear and logical

 (9-10) purposeful and

effective



Coherence of Presentation  (1-2) little attempt toward coherence and focus  (3-4) some attempt coherence; not always focused  (5-6) generally focused; presented in coherent,

efffective manner  (7-8) focused; presented in clear, coherent,

effective, convincing manner  (9-10) focused, coherent; presented in very

effective, persuasive manner



Integration of Supporting References

 (1-2) few references to work(s)

(3-4) not appropriately integrated into

presentation  (5-6) sometimes appropriately

integrated

(7-8) appropriately integrated  (9-10) well integrated



/10

D. Use Of Language How accurate, dear, and precise is the language used by the candidate? How appropriate is the candidate's choice of register end style for the occasion?



Speech/Expression

(1) not readily comprehensible; many

lapses in grammar

 (2) some clarity and coherence;

some degree of grammatical

accuracy  (3) clear, appropriate to occasion; a

few lapses in grammar  (4) clear, varied, precise, appropriate;

no significant lapses in grammar  (5) clear, varied, precise, concise,

appropriate; no significant lapses

in grammar



Register/Style

 (1-2) no recognizable attempt  (3) attempt to use appropriate

register  (4) appropriate register and

style  (5) effective choice of register

and style





Vocabulary

 (1) rarely accurate/appropriate  (2-3) sometimes appropriate for

literary discussion  (4) some literary terms used

appropriately  (5) precise use of wide vocabulary;

literary terms used appropriately





























FOR JUNIORS...

Notes on READERS’ RESPONSE JOURNAL




Note: Journal entries may be done at home or in class or half and half. They may form the basis for discussion, further development or exploration, group work, formal or informal oral work and/or further writing assignments. They may be mixed and matched, adapted for individual works, different ages, specific goals. Variety and modification are essential to avoid formula approaches and boredom. A quick journal response to the topic at hand or a homework assignment is a good way to begin a class, to focus students on the task at hand. Many of these suggestions work for works of art, film and music as well.



1. Pre- write: before reading, respond to title, extracted images or words or ideas . . . What is your experience of the word or image? What do you see, or what expectations are set up? Use art or music before experiencing text. E.g. Look at Magritte before reading Kafka; listen to Lakota flute music before orwhile reading a poem by Peter Blue Cloud.



2. Write down first impressions: immediately after finishing & section or a text, take some time to write down anything that comes to you in relation to the text, your initial reactions or responses, Don’t try to puzzle them out; write freely. If the reading bores you, write that down. If you're intrigued by certain statements, attracted to characters, interested in issues or ideas, if you find something confusing or irritating, write it down. Just keep writing. This assignment can be very brief, a two-minute initial response to a poem or opening paragraph, or more sustained, a 20-minute "free" writing immediately after finishing a novel or play.



3. Ask questions, what perplexes you about a passage or point the author makes? Do you wonder why the author said a particular thing, in a particular way? You might begin with the words "I wonder . . ."



4. Jot down ideas, words, details, moments, anything that strikes you. This assignment may result in sjmple lists. Or students may write about these entries, or some of these entries, as homework or working from the lists in class. They may answer such questions as: Why are they there? What might they mean? What do they add? Why did you pick them out? Why are they memorable? In response to images, students might begin to see, ... feel ... bear . . - smell . . . turn . . . imagine ...



5. Copy passages, long or short, that strike you for whatever reason. Underline key words or phrases, parts of speech, punctuation marks. What is striking and why? How do words and images work? Or, colormark with different colors specific elements (e.g. parts of speech, shapes, colors, harsh words, nature words, references to earth, sky, time, space, people, animals), to identify dominant elements, patterns or structural shifts, and speculate about the significance of your markings.



6. Make connections with your own experience, with other texts or concepts or events. Do you see any similarities between this material and other books that you have read? Does it bring to mind other issues or incidents or people?



7. Write down some words that are new to you or particularly effective, harsh, musical . . .



8. Draw pictures in response to what you read or make collages, adding words from the text. Or design book covers, again with words from the text, or draw stage settings ...



9. Try agreeing or arguing with the author; add details to support your position.



10.Identify the author's point of view, his or her attitude toward the subject, the purpose behind the piece of writing. Compare it to your own or that of other writers.



MINIMAL:



Write a personal response; copy a passage and comment on it; state an opinion and support it; ask questions; choose an image and respond to it; make lists.



Medium:

-Copy a significant or striking passage. Tell why it is striking or important, what it tells you about character or theme or atmosphere or narrator. Identify key words or images or phrases and write about their effects. Color mark for important elements or patterns and comment on their nature and implications.

— Write down five striking things. A thing may be an idea, an event, a word, a person, a phrase, an image, a conversation, a moment, a detail, a chapter title ...

- Write a personal response to a person or event or the opening chapter or immediately after finishing.. . —Write a page of lists of details or sentences or phrases or colors or things in nature or objects ...



FOR JUNIORS...

HOW TO DO A TITLE PAGE FORMAT




1. Press enter 20 times (You will be on line 21)

2. Click on center alignment

3. Enter the Title in all caps. (DO NOT UNDERLINE THE TITLE!)

4. Press enter 20 times (You will be on line 41)

5. Click on right alignment.

6. Type your name; press enter

7. Type: NAME OF ESSAY; press enter

8. Type the name of the course (IB English A1); press enter

9. Type the date (_______________); press enter

10.Type “Word Count:” ________________ (put the number on words on the line indicated

INFORMATION FOR THE ANTIGONE ESSAY

Information for the ANTIGONE Essay




1. Be sure to use 1-inch margins for all bottom, top, and side margins,

2. Use Times New Roman font.

3. Use size 12 font.

4. Double space your paper.

5. Make a Title Page—be sure to put your Word Count as the last thing on your title page. Also, place the word count again, on the last page of your essay—double space after your last paragraph and then give the word count.

6. Make sure that you parenthetically document all quotes and any information that did not originate with you.

7. List your source (s) on the Works Cited page—this will be your last page and it will numbered. If you don’t know how to do it, google “MLA Works Cited page.” It will tell you exactly how to do it!

FOR JUNIORS...

WORKS IN TRANSLATION (WIT) ESSAY PREPARATION: 5 STAGES


STAGE 1: The Interactive Oral

1. Class will be divided into groups for Interactive Oral Presentations of the three works that we studied in Part I: Oedipus Rex, A Doll’s House, and Blood Wedding. This is an IBO Requirement!

2. Each group will produce a HANDOUT on their Interactive Oral Presentation and give to the teacher –I will make copies for the class in advance and hand them out on the day of the presentation(s). The information needed is what any educated reader wants to know (before they read) about culture and historical context. (Please realize that we are deconstructing the text since we have already read these.)

a) What would you have to know in order to better understand the text?

b) What element of culture/context are they talking about?

c) Some guiding questions for the Interactive Oral are:

1c) In what ways do time and place matter to this work?

2c) What was easy to understand and what was difficult in

relation to the social and cultural context and the issues of

the text?

3c) What connections did you find between issues in the work

and your own culture and experience?

4c) What aspects of the work’s technique seem connected to its

particular context?

3. Students listening to presentations MUST take notes on each Interactive Oral Presentation!! (Both students and the teacher should take part in the Interactive Oral discussions.)



STAGE 2: The Reflective Statement



All students will write a REFLECTIVE STATEMENT of 300-400 words about EACH oral presentation in which they answer this question:

HOW was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations of the work developed through the Interactive Oral?

*Please be aware that this statement will be attached to your

Final Essay!!

STAGE 3: The Supervised Writings

1. The teacher will provide 3-4 PROMPTS for each of the three works to direct students’ written responses.

2. In class students will respond to EACH of the three works studied/presented in Oral presentation in a written exercise. Students will choose one prompt that is interesting and potentially worth pursuing for their 1200-1500 word essay. Students may use their text for the writings. Students will have between 40-50 minutes to write each written exercise on each work presented. At the end of the timed writing, students will hand in the writing to the teacher who will keep the unedited copy on file at school. Students will do 3 Supervised Writings (one of each work). Supervised Writings on presentations of all three works should take about 2 class periods.

3. Once students have decided on which piece of supervised writing to develop for the essay, a copy of the appropriate piece will be returned to the student (students will have already completed 3, one for each work). Students will choose ONE of their pieces of Supervised Writings and develop that into the WIT Essay. The Supervised Writing and the final essay MUST show an apparent connection!! Students must title

their essay!

STAGE 4: Writing the Final Essay

1. Working from the supervised writing, the student must now produce an essay of 1200-1500 words.

a) The teacher will give a handout on “Organizing the WIT Essay” to students to be filled out and returned to the teacher at the time of the teacher-student conference. The CONFERENCE with the student about his/her ideas for an essay must show that those ideas are derived from one of the pieces of supervised writings. The student should communicate clearly his/her ideas for the essay to the teacher.

b) The teacher will give students a copy of the RUBRIC for the WIT Essay.

c) The student must finish the essay of 1200-1500 words on his/her own. He/she must do individual work!

d) The teacher then reads the first draft and provides general comments on the potential of this draft to become the final essay. The teacher MUST NOT re-shape or edit the essay draft for the student!

STAGE 5: Essay due

1. Students will hand in a hard copy of the essay by a specified date

(Your DUE DATE is December 16, 2011.) Students will also email a copy of the essay TO BOTH ME AND MS. BECNEL by that date. In addition, each student will save two copies of the essay—one on a flash/jump drive, and the other on his/her home computer in Documents. This back-up system protects the student against any possible loss of the essay.

2. The Teacher completes the IBO cover sheet and attaches it and the reflective statement to the final copy of the essay and delivers it to the IB Coordinator. (The cover sheet has to have both the student and the teacher’s signature, indicating that the student did his/her own work!)





FOR SENIORS...

Notes on READERS’ RESPONSE JOURNAL




Note: Journal entries may be done at home or in class or half and half. They may form the basis for discussion, further development or exploration, group work, formal or informal oral work and/or further writing assignments. They may be mixed and matched, adapted for individual works, different ages, specific goals. Variety and modification are essential to avoid formula approaches and boredom. A quick journal response to the topic at hand or a homework assignment is a good way to begin a class, to focus students on the task at hand. Many of these suggestions work for works of art, film and music as well.



1. Pre- write: before reading, respond to title, extracted images or words or ideas . . . What is your experience of the word or image? What do you see, or what expectations are set up? Use art or music before experiencing text. E.g. Look at Magritte before reading Kafka; listen to Lakota flute music before or while reading a poem by Peter Blue Cloud.



2. Write down first impressions: immediately after finishing & section or a text, take some time to –write down anything that comes to you in relation to the text, your initial reactions or responses, Don’t try to puzzle them out; write freely. If the reading bores you, write that down. If you're intrigued by certain statements, attracted to characters, interested in issues or ideas, if you find something confusing or irritating, write it down. Just keep writing. This assignment can be very brie£ a two-minute initial response to a poem or opening paragraph, or more sustained, a 20-minute "free" writing immediately after finishing a novel or play.



3. Ask questions, what perplexes you about a passage or point the author makes? Do you wonder why the author said a particular thing, in a particular way? You might begin with the words "I wonder . . ."



4. Jot down ideas, words, details, moments, anything that strikes you. This assignment may result in sjmple lists. Or students may write about these entries, or some of these entries, as homework or working from the lists in class. They may answer such questions as: why are they there? What might they mean? What do they add? Why did you pick them out? Why are they memorable? In response to images, students might begin to see, ... feel ... bear . . - smell . . . turn . . . ! imagine ...



5. Copy passages, long or short, that strike you for whatever reason. Underline key words or phrases, parts of speech, punctuation marks. What is striking and why? How do words and images work? Or, color mark with different colors specific elements (e.g. parts of speech, shapes, colors, harsh words, nature words, references to earth, sky, time, space, people, animals), to identify dominant elements, patterns or structural shifts, and speculate about the significance of your markings.



6. Make connections with your own experience, with other texts or concepts or events. Do you see any similarities between this material and other bocks that you have read? Does it bring to mind other issues or incidents or people?



7. Write down some words that are new to you or particularly effective, harsh, musical . . .



8. Draw pictures in response to what you read or make collages, adding words from the text. Or design book covers, again with words from the text, or draw stage settings ...



9. Try agreeing or arguing with the author; add details to support your position.



10. Identify the author's point of view, his or her attitude toward the subject, the purpose behind the piece of writing. Compare it to your own or that of other writers.





MINIMAL:



Write a personal response; copy a passage and comment on it; state an opinion and support it; ask questions; choose an image and respond to it; make lists.



Medium:

-Copy a significant or striking passage. Tell why it is striking or important, what it tells you about character or theme or atmosphere or narrator. Identify key words or images or phrases and write about their effects. .Color mark for important elements or patterns and comment on their nature and implications.

— Write down five striking things. A thing may be an idea, an event, a word, a person, a phrase, an image, a conversation, a moment, a detail, a chapter title ...

- Write a personal response to a person or event or the opening chapter or immediately after finishing.. . —Write a page of lists of details or sentences or phrases or colors or things in nature or objects ...

Specific:

-Give examples of the child's voice in The Bluest Eye. List images of decay in Hamlet. List phrases that characterize the narrator of “Prufrock." List significant objects in the first six chapters of One Hundred Years of Solitude. List conflicts in "Young Goodman Brown."





FOR SENIORS...


STRUCTURE IN SHAKESPEARE




1. Use of inversion—a) shift from average word arrangement to the strikingly unusual so the line will conform to the desired poetic rhythm; b) uses unusual word order to afford a character his/her own specific style of speaking.

2. Shakespeare purposefully keeps words apart that we keep together to achieve poetic rhythm.

3. Separates words by long, interruptive statements: a) subjects separated from verbs; b) verbs separated from objects. These interruptions: a) give characters dimension, or b) add an element of suspense, or c) provide information to the plot.

4. Use of elliptical sentences where words are omitted but understood.

5. Use of intentionally vague language (doubletalk). Characters sometimes suggest things they would want to say, do , or have done. Sometimes they do this to avoid answering a question. It’s a kind of doubletalk.

6. Use of uncommon words—words we still use today, but now they have a different meaning.

7. Wordplay through use of figurative language. Use of: a) metonymy—a figure of speech using the name of one thing for that of another with which it is associated. Ex. The “crown”—the king; b) synecdoche—a figure of speech using a part for the whole. Ex. “boards”—implies a stage; c) personification; d) allusion—often alludes to heroes and heroines of Ovid’s Metamorphoses; e) puns—puns work through the ambiguity that results when multiple senses of a word are evoked; homophones often cause this kind of ambiguity. Ex. “mettle”/ “metal” f) simile; g) metaphor.

8. Use of different kinds of language. Use of prose vs. rhymed verse vs. blank verse. a) Shakespeare usually has lovers speak in language of love poetry using rhymed couplets; b) when characters joke or are engaged in bawdy conversation, lines are given in prose—it’s a way of letting the reader know if the character is jesting or serious; c) the majority of lines are in blank verse—does not use rhyme but uses iambic pentameter ( every second syllable in a line of ten syllables receives stress).

9. Shakespeare uses prose for the common people and blank verse for characters of noble birth.

10. Some action is presented through stage directions; other action is presented through the dialogue itself.

23 August 2012

How to write a Thesis Statement # 2

How to write a Thesis Statement


English IB IV and V

Mrs. Shaw

What is it?

Your thesis is the basic stand you take, the opinion you express, and the central point you wish to make.

It’s your controlling idea, tying together and giving direction to all of the separate elements in your paper.

Your primary purpose is to persuade the reader that your thesis is valid.

Most Important!!!!

The most important thing to understand before you create your thesis statement is that it MUST contain two parts, a subject (also called a topic) and an opinion or assertion about that subject.

Let’s start:

When defining your thesis, start by writing a one-sentence version of the thesis called a thesis statement. For example,

1. Professor Smith (subject) is a classic absentminded professor (opinion about subject).

2. Professor Smith’s colorful personality (subject) makes her a great lecturer (opinion).



Limited Subject Thesis Statement

1. Professor X Professor X is an incompetent teacher.

2. Commercials Television commercials can be great entertainment.

Writing with a thesis gives a paper an intrinsic dramatic interest. You, as the writer, commit yourself. You have something at stake: “This is what I believe, and this is why I’m right.” You say, “Professor X is incompetent.” Your reader says, “Tell me why you think so.” You say, “I’ll be glad to.” Your reader says, “I’m listening,” and you’re ready to go.

A Thesis is not…

1. A Thesis is not a Title

Title: Not a Thesis

An Enlightening Experience

Thesis Statement

My first day at Katella High School was an enlightening experience.



2. A Thesis is not an Announcement of the Subject

Announcement: Not a Thesis This paper will attempt to explain why the boys split into two hostile groups.

Thesis Statement

The boys split into two hostile groups because of their inherent violent nature



3. A Thesis Statement is Not a Statement of Absolute Fact A thesis makes a judgment or interpretation. There’s no way to spend a whole paper supporting a statement that needs no support.

Fact: Not a Thesis

1. Jack felt anger towards Ralph and eventually formed his own group.

2. Bellevue High School’s colors are Blue and Gold.

What a Good Thesis Is

A Good Thesis is Restricted. It deals with restricted, bite-size issues rather than issues that would require a lifetime to discuss intelligently.

The more restricted the thesis, the better the chances are for supporting it fully.

Samples:

Poor Statement:

The boys are either mean or savage.

Better Statement:

Roger’s actions represent the basic cruelty inherent in every human being.

Poor Statement:

People are too selfish.

Better Statement:

Teenage selfishness is seen at its worst at 2:35 in the afternoon, when all student-drivers are trying to leave the parking lot.



A Good Thesis is Unified. It expresses one major idea about its subject. The tight structure of your paper depends on its working to support that ONE IDEA.

POOR: People trapped on islands aren’t usually captivating, but people have always liked learning about their stories, and many fine writers have written about their plights.

BETTER: Islands provide enchanting settings for stories that appeal to the basic human desire for adventure.

Let’s Try to Make it Better

POOR: The new milk machine program is excellent.

BETTER:



A Good Thesis is Specific. There is not enough time to be vague! “The new gym is impressive,” for example, could mean anything from impressively beautiful to impressively ugly. With a thesis statement like “Our principal is cool,” you would probably have to spend more words defining “cool” than discussing the principal. Even when there’s no likelihood of confusion, vague ideas normally come through as so familiar or dull or universally accepted that the reader sees no point in paying attention to them.

The thesis statement has TWO MAIN VALUES:

1. It serves as a test of whether your main idea meets the requirements above; and

2. It is a constant, compact reminder of the point your paper must make, and it is therefore an indispensable means of determining the relevancy or irrelevancy, the logic or lack of logic, of all the material that goes into the paper.



A Checklist for deciding if your thesis is effective:

__The thesis statement presents an opinion that is sufficiently limited.

__The thesis statement answers “So What” by saying something meaningful.

__The thesis statement presents an arguable statement which can be supported and is worth exploring.

__The thesis statement answers all parts of the question or prompt.

__The thesis statement asserts a single idea. (No more than one!)

__The thesis statement is located at the beginning of the paper.



22 August 2012

How to Write a Thesis Statement




Writing a Thesis Statement.




What is a Thesis Statement?A thesis statement usually consists of one or two sentences, and normally comes at the very end of the introduction to a paper or essay. Its purpose is to explain in a few words the topic area of your paper, but more than this, it clarifies the stand you are going to take on a particular subject. In other words, it gives your interpretation of the topic. Your thesis statement can thus be viewed as a map (and a promise) for your reader of how the essay will develop. The rest of the essay (main body) will be devoted to arguing for, supporting and proving the claim made in the thesis statement.What is a thesis statement?* Usually a single sentence somewhere in your introduction (often at the end.)*Gives, briefly, the subject to be discussed, and also your interpretation of that subject.* Makes clear at the start the argument, idea or analysis that you are going to take up: in fact, it is your answer to the question taken up by your paper.* Is not a simple obvious statement everyone can agree on without discussion.* Can be viewed as a map (and a promise) for your reader of how the essay will develop.Good Thesis Statements:• Make a knowledge claim that purports to offer a new approach or idea in a particular field, and to explain why it is new. The purpose of any academic thesis is to add to the existing pool of knowledge in a particular area, or to “fill in the gaps of knowledge.” As such, your knowledge claim should clearly state why the information/knowledge that you have to offer is new within your field, and should also convince the reader that your claim is likely to be true based on the evidence provided• Make an argumentative assertion that summarizes the conclusions you have reached about your topic after reviewing the literature. This assertion should be focused and specific enough to be “proven” within the boundaries of your paper. It should also identify the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are providing.• Outline the scope, purpose and direction of your paper. After finishing your thesis statement, the reader should clearly know the essence of your intended project, and also the boundaries you intend to place on it. Your thesis statement should not make the reader expect more than you are prepared to present in your final document.