Say Cheese!

Steve Stubblefield stopped by last week to discuss senior portraits. The flyer that was sent home should answer most questions about pricing, offers, locations, etc.

Seniors must sign up for a date and provide Mrs. Payne with family members' email addresses so that ordering information is shared. If you want your picture to appear in the yearbook only and do not wish to have the more personal photoshoot session, the fee is $45. It costs $60 (only $15 in addition to the sitting fee) to have casual pictures made after the studio session. For the casual pictures, you will have two different outfits and can choose the location. Please visit www.townhousephoto.com and click on the "slide show" tab to view senior photos taken in recent years. The archive site is www.tpi.digitaleventsonline.com - visit this website to view more slideshows. Take note of the locations and clothing choices.

Here are some pointers that Steve Stubblefield shared: Don't roll up your clothes; leave them hanging. Stick to classic looks. Avoid experimenting with new hairstyles and makeup. Remember that your senior portraits will probably be on display for many years to come. Just because that scarf looks cool now doesn't mean it will look cool in ten years.

Claymation Allegory

As promised, here is the link to the claymation video that provides a visual for Plato's "Allegory of the Cave."
Click here to watch the youtube claymation video

Links to resources

Click the link below to watch or print the transcript for "Land of the Free, Home of the Poor." Only use this story if it supports your thesis.
CLICK FOR "LAND OF THE FREE, HOME OF THE POOR"

Announcements

There will be a notebook check tomorrow, August 31. Make sure that you have the required tabs. Check to make sure that all of your materials are organized!

There is a comprehensive vocabulary test this Friday. We have covered 44 words thus far. Make sure to study before Thursday night. If you aren't truly learning these words, the tests will only become increasingly difficult.

On Friday, September 2, you must have two secondary sources for the academic essay. You must also have the introductory paragraph for your essay. Remember that you are using news articles or other reputable sources to support your interpretation of the allegory. I shared with you all the clip from the story "Home of the Free, Land of the Poor"that aired on the PBS show, NewsHour. If I were writing this essay, I would use that story to illustrate the fact that our perceptions do not always match reality - a theme in Plato's allegory. Employ those critical thinking skills and locate sources that help you express your ideas. You can do it! I can't wait to see what you all find!

REMEMBER that you MUST bring a hard copy of your article to class. If you find an archived news story, you must print off the transcript so that you can have it in class when we begin writing the essay.
*I will hand out a guideline for the essay in class tomorrow.

Note that we will be reading Beowulf while also working on the academic essay.
Today's work - Here are the questions that we began answering in class today.

1.     What happened in A.D. 43?

2.     What happened in A.D. 449?

3.     What is feudalism?

4.     Why was the Magna Carta an important document?

5.     What ended the feudal system?

6.     Describe the Anglo-Saxon warrior.

7.     How does Germanic myth differ from Christian theology?

8.     How might the rise of Christianity affected Britain’s literary history?

9.     What are mystery plays and morality plays?

10. What is the main idea of “The World of Romance”?

1984 PROJECTS - DUE Thursday, August 25, 2011

1984 projects are due on Thursday, August 25. All work must be typed, double spaced, and written using Times New Roman or a similar font. Use one-inch margins. You may choose different activities that add up to 100 points. There are assignments worth 25, 50, or 100 points. If you choose to work in pairs, assignments must equal 200 points.

KEEP THE FOLLOWING IN MIND: Some of you have already come up with projects that are not included on this list. If you wish to deviate from the choices I have provided, make sure that I approve the project and assign a point value. 

25 Point Assignments  - The written work for each of the 25 point assignments must be at least 10-12 sentences.

Soundtrack Choose a song that could underscore a scene from 1984. Or, choose a song that might underscore the preview for the movie. Explain why you chose the song in a well-developed paragraph. You must also provide a cd with the song so that the class can listen to your selection. Do not use a song that contains explicit language.

Propaganda Poster Create a poster that appeared in Oceania. The poster could feature one of the party’s slogans, or it could be the face of Big Brother with the “Big Brother is watching you” quote at the bottom. Explain, in a well-developed paragraph, why the image or words on the poster were important in the story. Remember to carefully consider the style and colors used when making your poster.

Book Cover Design a book cover and explain your concept. Remember to use inspired elements of symbolism and color themes.

50 Point Assignments

Book Review- Write a one-page book review for 1984.

Rap/Poem/ Song - Write a rap, poem or song of at least 20 lines about the novel. The song can be about a character or it can be written from his or her perspective. It could be about the plot, a theme, etc. 20-25 line minimum

Dear Diary... Write a one-page diary entry from Julia’s point of view. You may choose a different character; make sure that I approve your choice.

Newsworthy - Locate an article about a place that is similar to Oceania or find an article that describes a person in a situation similar to Winston’s. Print the story and summarize it in 7-8 sentences. Write an additional 10-12 sentences that compare the modern day story with 1984.

100 Point Assignments

Re-Write a Scene - Modernize a scene. Rewrite a selection of the text, but change the setting and the characters. Try to include at least five vocabulary words and emulate the literary devices that Orwell used.

Game Time- Make a 1984 themed board game. Involve as many characters, places, events and images as you can. Write a set of rules and create game pieces.

Storyboard- Create a storyboard (using poster paper) with at least eight detailed images that tell the story of 1984 or a specific scene within the novel. Include captions for the images in a word document. The captions should be at least four sentences and should accurately describe the images on the board.

1984 Illustrated - Draw and illustrate a map of the territories, noting the places that were mentioned in the novel. A five-sentence description of each place and what happened there must be included. You must also explain the Party’s reasoning behind the jurisdictions. 

PTO T-shirts & Spirit Discount Cards

Students were given order forms for the spirit discount cards today. The cards cost ten dollars and can be used at various locations around town. Students, please try to sell them. Ask your family members.
The deadline for card orders is September 1, 2011.

The PTO is also selling t-shirts for $15. Please submit the forms and money to your homeroom teacher.
Keep in mind that you can wear PLAS t-shirts to school on football Fridays!

A slight change of plans...

Because the class officer elections took longer than anticipated, the schedule for this week has been updated.

Wednesday: open note vocabulary quiz
Thursday: review parts 2 & 3 of 1984
Friday: test on parts 2 & 3 of 1984 

Announcing the Senior Class Officers

Elections were held for class officers today.
Here are the results:

President - Josh S.
Vice President - Amy
Secretary - Lauren W.
Treasurer - James
Chaplain - Kady

Mrs. Payne and I are senior sponsors. We look forward to helping organize all of the festivities that make the senior year memorable! Parents, if you have any questions about senior related business, feel free to contact Mrs. Payne or me. We will try to update the blog with pertinent information as much as possible.

Monday's lesson - text analysis

1. Read the selections listed below and note any literary devices that Orwell employed.
2. What does the section reveal about Winston's character?
3. What is significant about the selected pages? How does the excerpt play into the "big picture" of the novel's story?

Pages 113-114
Pages 122-124
Page 128
Page 137

We will continue our close reading of the novel tomorrow and review for the test on Wednesday.

Here are a few essay questions that you should be prepared to answer:

A.   The last lines of 1984 read, “He had won victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” Was Winston’s final capitulation really a victory? Is he going to be better off now that he loves Big Brother?

B.   Winston Smith changes a great deal from the beginning of the novel to the end. What are the catalysts that cause the changes in him?

C.   What is the main idea or theme of 1984? How did Orwell impart this theme to his readers?

D.   The prole woman’s song, the poem about the bells, and the poem about the chestnut tree all relate to the story. Explain why you think Orwell included each one.

E.   What cultural changes may have shaped society in the 1980s, giving rise to the ideas predicted in Orwell’s novel?

This week

There is a vocabulary quiz on words from parts 2 & 3 of 1984.
Here is the list of all the vocabulary words that were handed out last week. Make sure to follow the directions! Don't forget: vocabulary tests will be comprehensive over the course of the semester. Cramming the night before will not be beneficial in the long run.

Write the definition of each vocabulary word, including the varying definitions. Locate the sentence from the text where the word appears and copy the sentence verbatim.  Write an original sentence using the word that demonstrates your comprehension of the word’s meaning.

1984 Vocabulary Part 1

1.     formidable chapter VII, page 69

2.     urbane chapter I, page 11

3.     vapid chapter V, page 51

4.     debauchery chapter VI, page 65

5.     palpable chapter VIII, page 82

6.     sordid chapter VIII, page 84

7.     pugnaciously chapter VIII, page 87

8.     lackey chapter VIII, page 90

9.     benevolent chapter VIII, page 94

10. lassitude chapter VIII, page 102

 1984 Vocabulary Part 2

1.     fatuous chapter I, page 108

2.     incredulity chapter I, page 120

3.     impudent chapter VI, page 154

4.     pathos chapter VII, page 162

5.     prodigious chapter IX, page 189

6.     austere chapter IX, page 191

7.     adulation chapter IX, page 192

8.     spurious chapter IX, page 192

9.     respite chapter IX, page 211

10. omnipotent chapter IX, page 212

1984 Vocabulary Part 3

1.     copious chapter I, page 227

2.     lethargy chapter I, page 230

3.     servile chapter I, page 233

4.     sententiously chapter I, page 233

5.     insidious chapter II, page 233

6.     despotisms chapter I, page 255

7.     erroneous chapter II, page 255

8.     abject chapter IV, page 255

9.     hedonistic chapter III, page 267

10. nostalgic chapter VI, page 293