Independent Reading Assignment #1

#1 (September 29, 2010)

Role: a character from the book

Audience: your Junior English classmates

Format: informal letter

Dear C-block English,

…

Sincerely,

[the character’s name]

Topic: Have the character introduce her- or himself to the class. Include specific detail. Consider personality traits, physical traits, attitude toward others, attitude toward events, others’ attitude toward her or him, etc. (“Open response” length.)

Reflection on the unit's big ideas

1. For you what are the ideal characteristics of a hero? Who has these characteristics? Explain.
2. Tell a story in which you depict heroism. As you tell the story reflect on what the story suggests about heroism.
3. For you what real world people or things are monstrous. Explain what characteristics make them monstrous.
4. Tell a story in which you depict a real world monster. As you tell the story reflect on what the story suggests about monsters.

Beowulf Vocabulary Homework Due Tuesday, September 21

Click here to get the directions for the vocabulary homework due on Tuesday.

Beowulf Vocabulary

Click here for Beowulf vocabulary work.

Five Ways of Looking (creative wriitng, end of unit one draft paper)

Creative writing: Ways of Looking

(Perspective & Perception)

Think of something, someplace, or someone that you will write about from five different perspectives. What did you pick?

Five Ways of Looking at ___________________________________________

Now that you have decided upon something, someplace, or someone to perceive (look at/understand/have an opinion about), what five different perspectives (points of view) upon that thing, place, or person will be interesting and revealing?

Five ways

Pick five roles (as we did with the two ways of looking at the water crisis: restaurant owner, landscaper, person with a well, etc.) and/or five situations (as Margaret Atwood does in bread: kitchen, famine, prison, etc.). In case you are wondering: yes, you can combine roles and situations.

1. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

3. _____________________________

4. _____________________________

5. _____________________________

Now choose a narrative point of view. If you want to focus on helping the reader enter the roles and/or situations use second person (you, your). If you want to focus on entering the roles and/or situations yourself use first person (I, me, my). Third person (she, he, they, etc.) is not as useful for this assignment.

Now you’re ready to write. Write at least ten sentences from each point of view. Perceptions, understandings, and opinions of the thing, place, or person should be different from each of the five points of view. These perceptions, understandings, and opinions should also be vivid and revealing.

Have fun!

Summer Reading & New Blog

Click here for the new blog.
There you will find links to everything you need to complete the summer reading assignment.