Looking ahead

Over the weekend, please develop a system that works for you for note taking and annotating the sources you found this week.

The Everyday Writer has some good suggestions on pp. 180-184, and I'll share some methods that have worked for me in my research using Microsoft Excel.  You need to come to class on Monday prepared to show me your organization method and how you have used it for at least five articles that hold promise in supporting your thinking about your chosen text.

Here are some column headings if you'd like to organize your sources using a table:

TEXT CODE	PAGE NUMBER	QUOTE	NOTE	CITATION	SOURCE ID

Literary Interpretation - Days 3-4

Today we'll be working on developing your research question based on the "Dear Mr. Ferrebee" memo you wrote over the break.  I'll assign grades based on the specific textual support you mention and the focused thinking you demonstrate on the three interpretation assignment criteria.

EVL steps for today and Thursday:

STEP 1: Check out The Everyday Writer from the EVL.  (HW - skim through pp. 149-180 and place post-it notes on sections you'll use or that you'd like to discuss in class)

STEP 2: Read 14B on pp. 151-52 on "Formulating a Research Question." Add a research question below your Google Doc "Dear Mr. Ferrebee" memo.

STEP 3:  Create a research account:

• 1.       Go to the CNG webpage and click on ‘Libraries.’
• 2.       Click on ‘EBSCOhost.’
• 3.       Choose any database and click on ‘Sign In.’
• 4.       Create a New Account.
• 5.       Add articles to your Folder or save them as .PDFs to your flash drive.

STEP 4: Use the following databases to search and collect articles from academic journals on your text/thread:

EBSCO (check out the Literary Reference Center first - it is FULL of great material)

Gale CENGAGE Learning

STEP 5:  Compile your articles and begin rating them on how useful they will be to you in developing your thinking on the three interpretation assignment criteria.

The Congo... a story you might be interested in

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20437106

Literary Interpretation - Day 2

The dangers of a single story about the first Thanksgiving.  Oh the irony!

Over the holiday break, be sure to turn your attention towards your "Dear Mr. Ferrebee" memo.

Also, I'd like you to complete a major work review for Heart of Darkness, so you'll have comprehensive notes on the novel when you consider your Fantastic 4 for the exam.  For the 30-years of AP Open Questions tables, here are the types of questions you might face.

Have a good break!

Literary Interpretation - Day 1

The Shenandoah River in my home state of Virginia.

To begin our literary interpretation project, we'll first need to reflect back on what we've read this year and what has most interested us.  The research we complete will be driven by our interest in threads (or topics) that have run through the texts we've read.

Here is an overview of the project and your assignment for over the Thanksgiving Break.

Cross-Cultural Literary Adventure

Heart of Darkness Wordle

Over the weekend, please continue working on your Mock Exam Answer Key.  I realize that some you have more work than others in preparing the key.  Since many of you that are in this demographic also ended up guessing on some of the questions in the final minutes of the exam, I don't expect you to prepare responses for those guesses.  I hope this helps.

Monday we'll discuss your powerpoint slides.

Lastly, thanks for your participation in today's Skype conference and for your feedback on how we might make it better next time.  You put a lot of thought into your artifacts, and my only regret is that time prevented us from being able to discuss all the artifacts.  Mrs. Molodow sent the following email, however, with the subject line "Thank you!":

That skype was just incredible...both blocks! 

I loved what your students presented. Please tell them that my students were very impressed. The connection to the poem really had an impact... My 3rd block especially left the room saying how much they enjoyed this and can't wait till we meet next time. One student even said he thinks I should host this on a larger scale, in the library, after school with all 3 classes together.

I am anxious to talk again.

Time to Share Colombia through "Hollow Men"

DEADLINE EXTENDED - If you have not emailed me your powerpoint slide (1 brilliant, insightful slide), please do so.  This homework assignment (see last Thursday) will help broaden our discussion of Heart of Darkness.

In preparation for Thursday, please look at the following:

Block 1 - We'll have a live, text-centered discussion of "Hollow Men" with the students from Cox High School in Virginia Beach.  You will introduce Colombia through your Colombian artifacts and pose questions for discussion that take us deeper into the poem.

Block 3 and 7 - Unfortunately, scheduling issues will prevent us from having a live conference.  Please email me, however, if you are interested in introducing Colombia during a lunchtime conference on Thursday.  If so, please bring your lunch and come to my room at 11:50 to begin the conversation.

HOD enrichment over the weekend...

NOTE FROM TODAY'S CLASS - please send me your artifact if you haven't already done so.  I will share them in advance of our Skype call next Thursday.

Your homework over the weekend is to complete the following:

 1) Read these articles about the Congo: "Article #1 - Genocide with Spin Control" ; "Article # 2 - Congo Profile by the New York Times" ; "Article #3 - An Image of Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness"

 2) Select one article and prepare a powerpoint slide to present to the class next Thursday. Your slide should weave together a quote from the article with a literary wave from Heart of Darkness. Be sure to design your slide slide creatively using images or auditory support; and

 3) Email your slide to tferrebee@cng.edu with the subject line "Article #___ Powerpoint slide" before our next class.

Sharing a Colombian Cultural Voice

For next class, please complete the following:

1) Watch Chimamanda Adichie’s 18-minute Ted Talk below or through this link and post a short (at least a paragraph) response on your blog.

  2) Next, begin preparing for our Skype Conference next Tuesday with Virginia Beach’s Frank W. Cox High School by considering the story of Colombia and bringing an artifact to class on Thursday (a piece of art, song, poem, etc.) that you think shares the ”authentic cultural voice” of Colombia with AP students in Virginia Beach.  Your artifact must relate to one of the following themes to be considered for our conference: dissatisfaction, passivity, identity, hopes and plans, or exile.  On Thursday, we’ll discuss what you have found and prepare to discuss it with students from Cox High School.

Deeper into the Congo We Go...

Weekend assignments are as follows:

1) Read HOD Part 3
2) Post Reading Blog #3 for Part 3 and respond to a classmate's Part 2 blog post using the "comments" feature
3) Google document reflection on the strengths and areas for growth in your OFOCN essay

WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR ESSAY GRADE?  COME VISIT ME DURING OPPORTUNITY PERIOD NEXT WEEK WITH THE FOLLOWING TASKS COMPLETED:

1. Write your reflection on the Google Doc.
2. Complete your revisions below your reflection and bring your essay to our opportunity period conference.

Sample revision (to be typed in your Google Doc) –

      Circled Issue – You where dead.

Revision – You were dead.