HW Due Wednesday, 12/23

Read and annotate to page 144 in The Kite Runner.

HW due Tuesday 12/22

Read and annotate to page 124 of The Kite Runner.

Ask yourselves:
- Where in the story do we see revenge? How does the author treat the idea of revenge?
- Can Amir's actions to Hassan even be considered revenge? If so, what did Hassan ever do to him that would make Amir so vengeful?
- If this is revenge, then who does Amir really want to get back at?
- If this isn't revenge, what is it?
- Where do we see ideas of guilt? Try to think of examples that are less than obvious.
- Where do we see promises? What ideas about promises are explored?
- What does Amir's ambition to gain Baba's affection turn into? How does ambition turn into this?!
- Is that really all Amir wants? Baba's affection? What else?
- What ideas about memory are explored in the story? Remember that Amir is telling this story from the future and this whole plot is a reflection of Amir's past. What idea is the author exploring by having the narrator write about his memories- in a story that already is a memory?!
- Why is Hassan so loyal anyway?! Can you believe he admitted to taking the watch even though he didn't ?!
- What ideas about loyalty are explored in the story? Consider the obvious and the less than obvious.

Think freely!

Winter Break Assignment

Read and annotate pgs. 144-233 of The Kite Runner. You should have at least one post-it note for each page. To help you manage your time, I've broken the reading up into sections. You can follow this reading schedule as loosely or as strictly as you like.


Reading Schedule
THERE ARE 5 SECTIONS OF ASSIGNED READING
p. 143-162 (to the page break)
p. 162-182 (to the page break)
p. 182-202
p. 203-223
p. 224-233 (to the page break)

You will have a reading check quiz as soon as we get back from break.

Test Monday, Dec 20

BLOCK SCHEDULE IS CANCELLED FOR THIS WEEK!

SPELLING / Vocabulary Test Unit 4
Your study cards are due in class.

Check it out! You can study for the test by following this link:

www.vocabtest.com

Choose Level C (on the left hand side) and then check the box marked unit 4.

HW Due Friday

Read and annotate pages 80-100 in The Kite Runner.

Your vocabulary test is this Monday. While you are taking the test, I will check your study cards for unit 4 and all of the annotations you have done so far for The Kite Runner.

If you think you may not be here next week, you need to let me know A.S.A.P. so that I can give you your winter break assignment.

HW Due Wednesday / Thursday Block

Read and annotate pages 48-60 of The Kite Runner!

HW due Monday/Tuesday Block

Read and annotate pages 24-47 of The Kite Runner. Then, in your notebook, write down a sentence or two that summarizes what happened for the years the author mentions. You will need to look back at the earlier chapters we have read to find some of the dates.
1931
1933
1963
Winter, 1964
late 1960s
1970
July 17, 1973
1974
Winter, 1975
April, 1978
December, 1979
December 2001

HW Due 12/11

Read and annotate chapters 1 - 3 of The Kite Runner! Pay special attention to the narrator's insecurites.

Happy reading!

HW Due W 12/9 & H 12/10

Complete the planning sheet on the back of the poem we read in class ("The Second Coming"). Then write a 2 stanza poem that expresses your thoughts and feelings about one of the conflicts you have recently learned about in Ms. Hanemann's class. You must use at least 3 poetic devices we learned in class today.

Examples of poetic devices:
alliteration
assonance
consonance
repetition
imagery
setting

Happy writing!

Final Draft of your Essay due Monday 12/7

Use the sample essays, the hand-outs, your notes, the score sheet, and the comments on your rough drafts to revise and write your final draft. All essays are due Monday no matter what period you are in! The Final draft of your essay must:

-Be typed in 12 pt. font and double spaced
-Have a heading and title like the samples given in class
-Answer one of the specific essay topics given in class (and on the blog below)
-Follow the guidelines on the scoring sheet
-Include 4 quotes with page numbers from The Poisonwood Bible
(one of those 4 must be very short-no more than 5 words)

Hand in: Your Final draft on top, then rough draft, then score sheet.

Essays Due Monday 11/30

*A rough draft of your essay is due Monday 11/30
(Period 2 students must hand it in to me on Monday some time before 6th period even though we do not meet for class.)

Your essays should be typed in size 12 font and double spaced. (If you cannot type your essay then it must be written as neatly as possible on a sheet of looseleaf.) It must have a heading with your name, your period, and my name.

Write 5 to 6 paragraphs (using the structure we went over in class) to explain ONE of the following essay choices:

A) Explain how the internal conflict of one character supports a certain theme that is present in The Poisonwood Bible.
or
B) Explain how one symbol represents a certain theme that is present in The Poisonwood Bible.

I know it's a holiday, but if you have been doing your classwork and homework these paragraphs should be like pie! Well, maybe not all pie...but not horrible torture either. Have a good weekend everyone! :)

No homework tonight! 11/23/2009

H.W. due Friday 11/20/2009

-Collect all of your notes and hand-outs since we started The Poisonwood Bible, organize them in your binders, or folders and bring them to class on friday.

-Finish up the following classwork questions so that you can hand them in:

1. Who was your favorite character and why?
2. If you could change one character who would it be and why?
3. How would the character change?
4. By changing this character, how would the story change?

H.W. due Wed 11/18 & Thurs. 11/19

If you have not finished our book yet, make sure you do!!

For H.W.
Reflect on reading your first novel in high school! Write at least 2-3 paragraphs explaining your thoughts and opinions about The Poisonwood Bible and its author.

Remember to write "academically":
1.Do not use 1st person.
2.Write as if your reader is a stranger who does not know the book.
3.Use descriptive words and transition phrases.

H.W. due Monday 11/16 & Tues 11/17

Due for Period 2 students: Tuesday
Due for Period 5 students: Monday

Read and annotate pages 507-533.

Answer the following questions in full paragraphs. You should have at least one paragraph for each question.

1. How is the theme of "Life is how we choose to balance things" shown through Leah and Adah's chapters?

2. How does Orleanna's internal conflicts affect her sense of "balance"?

3. Why doesn't Nathan have a voice in this book? (Explain what you think the reason is.)

H.W. due 11/13

Read and annotate pages 497-506. (Yesterday should have been to 496!)

Your annotations will be checked thoroughly tomorrow!

Make sure you bring your vocabulary packets with you as well. We will be working on them.

HW Due 9/12

- In two properly formatted paragrphs, describe the internal and external conflicts of one character.

- Read and annotate 475 - 796

H.W. due Tuesday 11/10

Read and annotate pages 466-474.

Google "Rumble in the Jungle" and see what you get! Write down your thoughts on what you find in at least 4 sentences on a seperate sheet of looseleaf.

November Vocabulary Due Dates and Test Dates

Monday/Tuesday 11/16 & 11/17 -Vocabulary Cumulative Review PACKET (Units 1-3)

Wednesday/Thursday 11/18 & 11/19- Vocabulary TEST Units 1-3

Monday 11/23 –Vocabulary Unit 4 PACKET and STUDY CARDS

Wednesday 11/25 –Vocabulary Unit 4 TEST

Monday/Tuesday 11/30 & 12/1- Vocabulary Unit 5 PACKET and STUDY CARDS

H.W. for the weekend 11/6-11/8

Read and annotate pages 439 to 465.

Start your vocabulary review packet. It is due next friday.

H.W. for tonight 11/5/09

Read and annotate pages 424-438.

Study for your Vocabulary Test!

H.W. due 11/5

Read and annotate pages 407-423.

In full sentences, answer the following questions on a seperate sheet of looseleaf:

1. What did Adah do to gain admission to Emory University?

2. What did Orleanna put in her garden that Nathan never did?

3. What does Adah learn about her father's medal of honor?

4. How is Nathan living in Kilanga now? Describe what Leah says about him.

5. Where is Leah staying now and why?

H.W. due 11/4

1. Read and annotate pages 381-406.

2. Fill out your symbolic iceberg sheet for one symbol from our list.

3. Create a second symbolic iceberg on the back of the sheet (or on a piece of looseleaf) for another symbol from our list.

H.W. due Monday 11/2

Read and annotate pages 343-375.

In your notes, list any possible symbols that you find.

H.W. due Friday 10/30

Read and annotate pages 327-342. Your annotations will be checked the next time I see you.

Check the blog friday for your weekend homework!

H.W. due Wed. 10/28 & Thurs 10/29

1. Read and annotate pages 295-324.

2. Complete your vocabulary packets and study cards which are due. They will be checked on Wednesday (for period 5)/Thursday (for period 2).

*Annotations for last week and this week's reading will be checked on Friday.

H.W. Assignment for the Weekend of 10/23-25

1. Read and annotate pages 265-294.

2. Complete your creative project to hand in Monday (for period 5) and Tuesday (for period 2).

3. STUDY FOR YOUR TEST!!!

For Period 2 & 5 students: h.w. due Fri. 10/23

Read pages 241-264.

Answer the following in a paragraph:
Explain what you think Anatole means when he says, "The Congo is the Congo's and ever has been. (on page 230)

Vocabulary!!
For period 5: Your packets and study cards are due Wed 10/28
For period 2: Your packets and study cards are due Thurs 10/29

Creative Project Reminder!!!
**If you missed class when we described the project you must come see me.
For period 5: project due Monday 10/26
For period 2: project due Tues 10/27

For period 2 students: H.W. due 10/22

Regular H.W.
Read and annotate pages 217-240.

Why do you think Orleanna is so tired? Explain your answer in a paragraph.
You must include at least 2 possible reasons for Orleanna's behavior. Then, explain why you think those are the reasons. Use 2 of your vocabulary words in your paragraph.

**Remember a paragraph has 5-7 sentences, a topic sentence (introducing your explanation), 3 or 4 supporting sentences, and a concluding final sentence or 2!

Poisonwood Creative Project Assignment

For period 5 students: This project is due Monday 10/26.
For period 2 students: This project is due Tuesday 10/27.

Assignment: Create a collage, drawing, poem, comic strip, or movie scene out of "The Things We Carried" charts. Your creation must include the feelings/ideas of at least 3 characters, and at least 5 items/objects. (However, more is better!)

For details about your options or if you have questions about how to do this please see me! It is worth 20 points if done well and completely.

The grading breakdown:
Incomplete assignments are unacceptable and will be given a zero.
Completion of assignment with some requirements met: 10 points
Completion of assignment with all requirements met: 15 points
Completion of assignment with all requirements met, while showing creativity, effort, and strong thought : 20 points.

For period 5 students: H.W. due Wed. 10/21

If you did not do so in class, finish reading pages 205-216 and answer the questions given in class. I will collect them Wednesday. Wednesday will also be the last day that I will accept your stories and the letter that was assigned last friday.

Regular H.W. - Read and annotate pages 217-240.
Why do you think Orleanna is so tired? Explain your answer in a paragraph. You must include at least 2 possible reasons for Orleanna's behavior. Then, explain why you think those are the reasons. Use 2 of your vocabulary words in your paragraph.
**A paragraph has 5-7 sentences, a topic sentence (introducing your explanation), 3 or 4 supporting sentences, and a concluding final sentence or 2!

h.w. due Mon 10/19 or Tues 10/20

1. Read and annotate pages 170-201.

2. Write a letter to Nathan as if you were either Orleanna, or one of his four daughters.
Make sure you use 1st person or 2nd person point of view (or both if you want).
It should be at least 1 page to be handed in.

** Remember your short stories are due. They will be collected at the beginning of our next class.

h.w. due 10/16

1. Read and annotate pages 159-169.

2. Use your understanding of tonight's reading to write a paragraph explaining:
- what news the Underdowns tell the Price Family
- how Nathan reacts to this news
-what decision is made by Nathan after the talk with the Underdowns
(The paragraph will be collected so write on a separate sheet.)

3. Study for your vocabulary test tomorrow!

h.w. due Thursday 10/15

1. Finish reading the pages we started in class. p. 125-134

2. Read and annotate pages 135-152.

3. Complete the "Things We Carried" chart that we did in class. It will be collected on Thursday.

h.w. due Tuesday 10/13

**Reminder: Both period 2 and 5 classes will have English on Tuesday, Oct. 13th.

Read and annotate pages 87-124.

Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Your answers should be written on a seperate sheet of paper to be handed in. You do not have to write down the questions.

1. What does fufu mean in the Kilanga language?
2. What is Manioc?
3. How does Orleanna describe what Nathan was like in high school? Describe what she says.
4. Besides English, what other language does Adah know and when did she learn it?
5. What does Leah say about the young girls of Kilanga on page 107? What does she also say about all women there?
6. How does Leah first learn the names for things in the Kilanga language?
7. How did Ruth May get hurt? Describe how it happened.
8. Where did Nathan take Ruth May after she was injured?

Greek and Latin Roots; Prefixes and Suffixes

Websites
www.etymonline.com (Type the word and its parts in the search bar)
www.wordinfo.info (Type the word and its parts in the search bar)
http://www.awrsd.org (List of Greek and Latin Root words)

Tips:
Look up the word exactly how it is written.
See if you can break the word down into its root, prefix, suffix.
Look up the separate root.
Look up the prefix.
Look up the suffix.


*The websites listed here are only meant to start you off. There are literally thousands of websites, books, and other resources you can consult to find information about every single word in the English language. I strongly encourage you to make it a habit of looking up roots, prefixes, and suffixes in addition to whatever is required for a grade. We need words to convey our thoughts in this world. Plus, it can be fun to see how words take on new meanings with time!

h.w. due Friday 10/9

• Read and annotate pages 77-82.
• Answer the following questions from this week's reading. They should be answered in complete sentences, and on a sheet of paper to be handed in:
  
  1. What do the names of all the men in Kilanga start with? What do the names of the women start with?
  2. Why did the father (Nathan Price) want to bring the people down to the river? What wound up happening instead?
  3. How does Adah play with her words and language? (p.57)
  4. How does Leah try to show that she is different and seperate from Adah with her hairstyle? Why does she do this?
  5. What does the father think about "sending a girl to college"?

h.w. due Wednesday 10/7 & Thursday 10/8

-Read pages 50-76 of The Poisonwood Bible and annotate. Your post-its will be checked in class.
-In addition, the following h.w. (which should have been done over the weekend) will be checked:

• Your annotations for pages 22-49.
• Your vocabulary packets and study cards.

HW due Monday/Tuesday October 5 & 6

Read and annotate (see below) pages 22 - 49.

ANNOTATIONS
- anything you find interesting while reading
- anything you find puzzling
- questions that come to mind
- connections or things that you like or can relate to

Vocabulary: Unit 2 Dates to Know

Monday / Tuesday classes: packet due

Wednesday / Thursday classes: index cards due (same format as unit I)

Friday- We will go over the packet and the words in class

Friday, October 16- TEST/UNIT 2


* My expectation is that you work on vocabulary every single day. Do not wait until the last minute when it comes to due dates. You will have reading homework every single night in addition to this work, so if you wait until the last minute, you will feel overwhelmed. AVOID THIS!! You need to study your index cards on a daily basis.

HW 9/30 & 10/1 The Poisonwood Bible

For this homework keep in mind: There are many "things" to pick from. Pick what you liked, or thought was interesting or strange. We will be using what you wrote down for a creative project later.

1. Finish using post-its to write down the things you imagined when you read pages 5-10. Write down objects, animals, things you saw or heard in your heads, and parts of the environment that Orleanna described.
(You should have at least 2 full post-its written for this part.)

2. READ pages 11-21. Use post-its to write down some of the interesting things the Price family carried with them to Africa.
(You should have at least 1 full post-it written for this.)

**Also: Use post-its to write down any ideas, questions you may have, or interesting things you think of while reading. We'll talk about them in class.

~~>What's an okapi you ask? Check this webpage out! http://www.sdzoo.com/animalbytes/t-okapi.html

VOCABULARY TEST THIS FRIDAY!! (10/2)

We will have our first official vocabulary test this Friday. Your homework is to study the words from unit one. Practice the index card study methods we used in class to best prepare. I would say that if you study for 15-20 a day over the next couple of days, you would most likely know all of your words! If you need to study more than that, then do so!

*
- Know the definitions
- Know (and understand why) the parts of speech
- Be able to properly use the word in a complete sentence (with context clues)
- Spelling counts (always, and of course!)
- Know the synonyms
- Know the antonyms

HW 9/25

This homework has three steps:

1. Highlight context clues in the sentence completions section of your vocabulary packet.

2. Come up with a telling phrase for each of the words. Use the vocabulary word in the phrase. Write these phrases in your notebooks.

3. Write a sentence about power and control for each word. Sentences can be funny, but they have to make sense. Highlight your telling phrases. Write these sentences in your notebook.

HW 9/25

This homework has three steps:

1. Highlight context clues in the sentence completions section of your vocabulary packet.

2. Come up with a telling phrase for each of the words. Use the vocabulary word in the phrase. Write these phrases in your notebooks.

3. Write a sentence about power and control for each word. Sentences can be funny, but they have to make sense. Highlight your telling phrases. Write these sentences in your notebook.

H.W. 9/23-9/24

Anyone who still needs to work on their vocabulary index cards and packets, should scroll down for instructions.

9/18 Homework

Vocabulary Study Cards / Unit I

Complete study cards for all 20 words listed on the packet handed out in class.

On the front of the card, write:
- The word (spelled out correctly and clearly)
- The part(s) of speech
- A visual representation of the meaning of the word (draw a picture to help you remember the meaning!)
- Your name, period, due date, period you have English
- The number that corresponds to the word

On the back of the card, write:
- the definition, as it is presented on the packet
- an original sentence (use the given sentence as a model, but do not copy it)
- synonyms listed (if any)
- anytonyms listed (if any)

9/16 - 9/17 Homework

Read pages 21 – 30 of Sundjata and answer the following questions in your notebooks. Do not rewrite the question! Instead, rephrase it in your response. Include the page numbers to indicate where you found your answers.

1. Why did Sogolon and her family leave?
2. Describe Sundjata as a warrior.
3. When Sogolon has finished the task of raising Sundjata, what advice does she give her son?
4. Who was the new master of Mali?
5. Where does “the Untouchable king” live?
6. What skills are attributed to him?
7. Describe the secret chamber of the palace.
8. How did war between Sundjata and Sumangaru become inevitable?

9/14 - 9/15 Homework

Read Sundjata, pages 15-21. Then answer the questions that follow. Write in your notebooks. Do not rewrite the question. Instead, rephrase the question in your response. Write the page numbers where you find the answers.

Pages 15 – 21

1. Why was the queen mother all powerful?
2. How did she persecute Sogolon? Why?
3. Who was responsible for the education of Sundjata?
4. Why did the nine witches hesitate to kill Sundjata?
5. How did Sundjata confound the witches?

9/11/2009 Homework

Read pages 4 - 16 of the epic Sundjata.
Jot down any notes or questions that occur to you while reading.
Create word webs for the vocabulary words in boldface on pages 1-4.

9/10/09 Homework

1) Read pages 1-4 of Sundjata. Remember that you can write on your packet. Jot down any questions that occur to you as you read. Summarize in the margins when you don't understand something you've read.

2)Then,create (in your notebooks) word webs for each of the vocabulary words listed in boldface. Include definitions and associations to your word webs.

Homework will be checked in class tomorrow for points!

Reminders:
- Have your Declaration of Understanding by tomorrow!
- Supplies are due by Wednesday (latest). You MUST have a folder with your name in the writing portfolio bins by Wednesday to earn points.

9/9/09 Homework and Syllabus

Welcome to the class blog!!! Today's homework assignment and syllabus is listed below:

First, explore the blog and its features. Then check out our Creative Writer's blog at ewalshcreativewritersvenue.blogspot.com. When you are finished exploring for the night, reread the course syllabus with your parent(s)/guardian(s). Write down any questions that come to mind as you read. Then, with your parent(s)/guardian(s), sign the Declaration of Understanding. Bring this to school tommorow with your notebook and folders so that we can dive into Greek Mythology!


English 9 World Literature
Course Syllabus
Ms. Walsh
I n f o:

ewalsh.english@gmail.com
ewalshenglish9.blogspot.com
(212) 501 - 1235
Room 568

C o u r s e O v e r v i e w

This year in 9th grade English, you will:
 Read novels, vignettes, short stories, poems, essays, folktales, and diaries from Africa, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, China and Japan, early American civilizations, and Greece.

 Study the terms and devices used by writers and poets in their works. By understanding literary elements, you will gain a more thorough understanding of what you are reading.

 Track 25 books read this school year, making note of important literary and plot elements

 Practice writing in several formats including controlling idea, critical lens, expository, persuasive, letter, personal narrative, journal, self-reflection, and creative (poems, stories, vignettes, anecdotes, aphorisms)

 Master note-taking skills such as paraphrasing, summarizing, brainstorming, annotating, study cards

 Develop grammar and spelling skills, expand vocabulary, and experiment with new writing styles. We will work with dictionaries, thesauruses, and style manuals. Taking notes and making study cards will become an important aspect of your progress in these areas.

 Learn and practice techniques for public speaking

 Recognize social, historical, and cultural features in presentation of literary texts and understand their implications. Make connections between what you read in English and what you study in Global.

 Express interpretations and form opinions you can support through specific references to texts.

 Use the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, and editing).

 Interact with texts. You will be asked to “become” characters, interview characters, authors, and narrators, read aloud, role-play, beat authors, “back lip” characters, complete stories, change endings, evaluate speakers, use graphic organizers, connect ideas, make predictions, ask questions, and more!

 Explore “big ideas” about human behavior and the human condition by analyzing themes focused on:
o Identity
o Individual, Group, and Societal Responsibility
o Truth and Justice
o Ambition, Power, and the Common Good
o Conformity and Nonconformity / Resistance


A b o u t M H S H S ’s E n g l i s h P r o g r a m

Freshman English is devoted to the study of World Literature. Western and European Literature are studied in 10th grade. You will also take a practice SAT (PSAT) in 10th grade. In 11th grade, your English class will focus on American Literature. You will also take a Regents exam that tests the skills and knowledge you learned over the course of 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. You will also take the SAT Reasoning Test, which is a standardized test required for college admission by many colleges and universities in the United States. I mention this test here because, among other topics, this exam will evaluate your critical reading level and written skills. You have plenty of reasons to put care into your work starting from day one!

C l a s s r o o m E x p e c t a t i o n s

I encourage and promote only positive behavior and attitudes. It is important that we show each other mutual respect. You can demonstrate respectful classroom behavior by complying with the following:
 Adhere to all school rules, policies, and procedures. Wear your uniform. Use your agenda. Pay attention. Listen and take notes, complete all assignments, make up work when you are absent, study.
 Use courtesy in the classroom; for example, avoid sarcasm, ridicule, dominating the conversation, and interrupting.
 Never plagiarize. Plagiarism is claiming, indicating, or implying that the ideas, sentences, or words of another person are your own. It includes copying the work of another, or following the work of another as a guide. See the MHSHS handbook for more information. The Online Writing Lab (website listed below) is also a great resource to help you avoid plagiarism, deliberate or accidental.
 Ask for help when you are having trouble understanding a concept, missing an assignment, or earn a low score.

A s s e s s m e n t

 Essays and other writing
 Tests & Quizzes
 Projects & Presentations
 Class Participation (class work, note-taking, discussion, group activities, homework, independent reading)
 Writing Portfolio

G r a d i n g S y s t e m

MHSHS Grading Scale
A: 90 – 100
B: 80 – 89
C: 70 – 79
D: 65-69
F: 64 and below

 MHSHS uses an online system called My Grade Book, available at www.mygradebook.com. All of your assignments and grades are posted here as they are scored. Your parents, your advisor, your guidance counselor, and administration also have access to My Grade Book. Check the site regularly and to stay informed about your progress.
 Your grade is calculated by a point system. Grades for each marking period are based on the points you earn out of the total possible value of the graded assignments. The weight of the assignment is determined by its point value. For example, homework may be worth five points, quizzes worth ten points, essays worth sixty points, and tests worth one hundred points.
 I will post lists of approved extra credit work and due dates, usually worth 25 points. You are only eligible for extra credit if you have completed all of your assignments on My Grade Book.

A b s e n c e s & L a t e W o r k

 Homework is posted on the board each day, and you are responsible for copying the assignment word for word into your agenda. Homework is also posted on the blog each day. Check it if you miss class.
 The vocabulary word of the day and a quote of the day is posted on the blog daily
 For each day you are absent, you have one day to make up assignments. This includes tests, quizzes, essays, notes, ect. If you are absent, a note is required to allow any late work to receive full credit.
 Late homework will be accepted for partial credit up until the test/final essay for that unit of study. Once a test or final essay has been given on the unit, all homework assignments leading up to that test which are missing will become a zero in My Grade Book.

T e x t s & R e s o u r c e s

 Literature (novels, poems, essays, stories) for study will be provided
 Independent reading books may be borrowed from the classroom library or sought out at bookstores/libraries
 School Island
 Class Blog (ewalshenglish9.blogspot.com)
 Goodreads.com
 Mygradebook.com
 Freerice.com (vocabulary and grammar practice)
 Googlebooks.com
 Online Writing Lab(owl.english.purdue.edu)
 Collegeboard.com (everything you need to know for the PSAT and SAT)
 Nysedregents.org (Archives for Regents Exams in all subjects)
 The Elements of Style, William Strunk, Jr. (provided in class but I encourage you to purchase your own)
 Vocabulary Workshop, Jerome Shostack (Levels C & D) (packet work provided in class)
 Grammar Workbook for the SAT, ACT … and More, George Ehrenhaft (packet work provided in class)
 Merriam Webster’s Dictionary (always available for use during class)
 Merriam Webster’s Thesaurus (always available for use during class)

R e q u i r e d M a t e r i a l s

 3 subject spiral notebook with perforated lines for easy tear out
 Two 2 pocket folders
 Blue or black pens (work done in pencil or another color will not be accepted)
 Post-its (2 x 4)
 Index cards
 3 ring binder with 10 dividers (for use in May during the Writing Portfolio Workshop / can stay at home until then)
[Note: Some students like to purchase their own copies of books studied in class.. This is encouraged so that you may write notes directly in your books, but it is not a requirement]

A c a d e m i c S u p p o r t

 I am available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during S.O.S. On these days, you can come to my classroom to ask questions, study, or do your homework for 45-90 minutes. I am also available during Lunch and Learn.
 It benefits all of us to keep an open line of communication among parents, teachers, advisors, guidance counselors, and administration here at MHSHS. We all care about your experiences, struggles, and successes! I encourage you to approach me after class in the halls, during lunch, via email, or drop a note in my mailbox. So long as I am free, I am happy to give you my complete and undivided attention.

SUMMER ASSIGNMENT

Sophomore English Summer Assignment

Required Reading: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

Keep Track of your Reading: As you read Sophocles’ tragedy, keep track of the following elements. Use journal format. Write at least 4 one-page journals.
-opinionated reactions (to the plot, characters, language, format,
literary elements, ect.)
-enjoyable quotes
-connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-society)
-emerging themes
-page numbers

Required Film (watch at least one production of at least two of the plays listed below)
Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Othello. William Shakespeare
Macbeth, William Shakespeare

Keep Track of your Thoughts: As you watch the film(s), keep track of the following elements. Use journal format. Write at least 4 one-page journals.
- opinionated reactions (to the plot, characters, acting, language, ect.)
- enjoyable quotes
- connections (film-to-self, film-to-text, film-to-film, film-to-society)
- emerging themes

Suggested Reading: The Odyssey, Homer


Suggested Resources / Practice Materials:
The Elements of Style, William Strunk, Jr.
Vocabulary Workshop, Jerome Shostack (Level E)
Grammar Workbook for the SAT, ACT … and More, George Ehrenhaft


Looking for More?
Summer Enrichment (suggested)
Mythology, Edith Hamilton
Beowulf, Author Unknown
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
Candide, Voltaire

Final Study Questions

FINAL EXAM DATE: FRIDAY, JUNE 12


1. The following line from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem The Raven contains an example of assonance. What is assonance and how does it work?
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -

2. An example of ____________________ in Hosseini’s The Kite Runner would be when Assef gives Amir his birthday present and Amir thanks him. It is __________________ because Amir doesn’t like Assef and would not actually feel thankful to Assef at any point in the novel.

3. The following excerpt from William Dalrymple’s City of Widows contains an example of personification and a simile. Identify and analyze the personification and simile.

‘If I were to sit under a tree,’ said Kamala Ghosh, a local women’s rights activist, ‘and tell you the sadness of the widows of Vrindavan, the leaves of that tree would fall like tears.’


4. The following lines from William Butler Yeats’ poem The Second Coming contain an example of the poetic device repetition. What words are repeated and what is the effect of the repetition?

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight…

5. What is the major turning point, or climax of Dai Sijie’s Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress? Explain.

6. The following excerpt from Valmiki’s The Ramayana indicates to the reader that this tale is an example of what literary genre?

The woman I speak of was a yaksha, a demigod of great valor, might, and purity. She was beautiful and full of wild energy. When she grew up she was married to a chieftain named Sunda. Two sons were born to them—Mareecha and Subahu—who were endowed with enormous supernatural powers in addition to physical strength..

7. What are some examples of internal, man versus himself conflict in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart?

8. The following lines from Octavio Paz’s poem Wind and Water and Stone contain two examples of metaphor. Identify the metaphors and analyze their meaning.

The wind sculpted the stone,
the stone is a cup of water,
the water runs off and is wind.

9. What are some examples of internal, man versus himself conflict in Khaled Hosseni’s The Kite Runner?

10. The following lines from Anne Winter’s poem Night Light provide an example of imagery and sensory description. What does this mean and what is the effect?

…a hand above your cradle
to feel the humid tendril1 of your breathing.
Outside, the night rocks, murmurs … Crouched
in this eggshell light, I feel my heart
slowing, opened to your tiny flame
as if your blue irises mirrored me
as if your smile breathed and warmed…

* Read the following excerpt taken from Khaled Hosseni’s The Kite Runner to answer the next three questions:

(1)I don’t know at what point I started laughing, but I did. (2) It hurt to laugh, hurt my jaws, my ribs, my throat. (3) But I was laughing and laughing. (4) And the harder I laughed, the harder he kicked me, punched me, scratched me. (5) “WHAT’S SO FUNNY?” Assef kept roaring with each blow. (6) His spittle landed in my eye. (7) Sohrab screamed.

11. The selection illustrates which type of conflict?

12. What is verbal irony? Which sentence from the passage contains an example of situational irony?

13. From which point of view is The Kite Runner told? How do we know? What is the effect?

14. The following excerpt from Amy Tan’s vignette, “The Moon Lady” illustrates which type of conflict?

…firecrackers exploded, and I fell into the water not even hearing my own splash… But in the instant that I began to choke, I knew she would not come. I thrashed my arms and legs under the water. The sharp water had swum up my nose, into my throat and eyes and this made me thrash even harder.

15. What are some examples of a internal, man versus himself conflict in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart?


16. What are some examples of man versus society conflict in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is:

17. What are the characteristics of anecdotes? What is their effect, when they precede a chapter in a novel?

18. The following lines from Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven contain an example of which poetic device? Explain.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore…

19. In what historical context did we study Hosseini’s The Kite Runner?

20. What are the five elements of characterization we used to analyze fictional characters?

21. Dai Sijie’s Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is studied in what historical context?

22. What are some examples of foreshadowing in Hosseini’s The Kite Runner?

23. The following excerpt from Hosseini’s The Kite Runner provides an example of what type of irony?

“While I ate and complained about homework, Hassan made my bed, polished my shoes, ironed my outfit for the day, packed my books and pencils. I’d hear him singing to himself in the foyer as he ironed, singing old Hazara songs in his nasal voice.”

24. The sentence, “Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water,” contains an example of which literary device? What does it mean?

25. The following excerpt from Dai Sijie’s Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress expresses the setting of Yong Jing. What moods are conveyed by the setting?

...What is more, Yong Jing had electricity instead of the oil lamps we were used to. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that our visits to town had become an obsession, but at least having to trudge across the mountain to see a film meant getting four days off from labouring in the fields, from carrying human and animal dung on our backs, or from toiling in the paddy fields with water buffalo whose long tails whacked you across the face.

26. The following quotes from Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart are examples of proverbs. What does this mean? What are some other examples of proverbs? What are the effects of proverbs in a literary work?

“If a child washed his hands he could eat with kings."
"A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness."
“An old man is there to talk.”


27. All of the chapters in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club are considered _________________ because they are short, illustrative stories that can be read alone or in the context of an entire novel.

28. The following lines from Ommateum by A.R. Ammons contain three examples of personification? Identify these lines. What do they mean? What is the effect of personification in a literary work?

Turning to the sea I said
I am Ezra
but there were no echoes from the waves
The words were swallowed up
in the voice of the surf
or leaping over the swells
lost themselves oceanward.

29. The epic story of Sundjata is part of the _____________________ because it has been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.

30. In Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story, “When Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine,” eating and food is used as a motif, which works to develop the story’s theme. What themes are developed through motifs in the text?

31. This sentence from “By Any Other Name” by Santha Rama Rau contains examples of which literary element?

Her rimless half-glasses glittered, and the precarious bun on the top of her head trembled as she shook her head.

32. The following passage from Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake best illustrates what thematic idea(s)?

At the end of his first day he is sent home with a letter to his parents from Mrs. Lapidus, folded and stapled to a string around his neck, explaining that due to their son’s preference he will be known as Gogol at school. What about the parents’ preference? Ashima and Ashoke wonder shaking their heads. But since neither of them feels comfortable pressing the issue, they have no choice but to give in….

33. Does the narrator in Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake illustrates a subjective or objective tone in the excerpt below.

The name, Nikhil, is artfully connected to the old. Not only is it a perfectly respectable Bengali good name, meaning “he who is entire, encompassing all,” but it also bears a satisfying resemblance to Nikolai, the first name of the Russian Gogol.

34. The game of chess is used as a vehicle for which themes are conveyed in Amy Tan’s “Four Directions” and “Rules of the Game.” Because of this, chess boards and playing chess are considered_____________________.

ZIP, RUSTLE, GARGLE, BUZZ, MOO, HISS, SWISH, BOOM, CRASH, SPLAT, TAP

35. The following words are examples of which literary device?


36. Setting, in fiction is analyzed in terms of what elements?

37. How do the following words and phrases relate to one another: parable, greedy sons, father, gold, lesson.

38. What are some major themes about community contained in Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story “When Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine,” ?

39. What do kites represent in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner?

40. From which point of view is the following passage, from Jhumpa Lahiri’s “When Mr. Pirzada Comes to Dine” told?

IN THE AUTUMN OF 1971 a man used to come to our house, bearing confections in his pocket and hopes of ascertaining the life or death of his family. His name was Mr. Pirzada, and he came from Dacca, now the capital of Bangladesh, but then a part of Pakistan.

Note to Absentees on Writing Portfolio Day

Any student who was absent in class today, June 5th, will need a doctor's note in order to submit his or her portfolio on Monday. Portfolios without a doctor's note will not be accepted. No exceptions.

Check the blog this weekend for study/review questions for the final exam, which is Friday, June 12.

Test Friday, May 22, 2009

Know the terms below and be able to relate them to Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress:

SETTING
MOOD
THEME
TONE
CONFLICT (MAN VS. MAN, MAN VS. NATURE, MAN VS. SOCIETY)
SIMILE
METAPHOR
COMING OF AGE
PROTAGONIST
STATIC CHARACTER
ROUND CHARACTER
*PLOT (know the story from beginning to end!)

HW Due Monday, May 11

Read and annotate up to page 89 for Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. Post-it annotations should focus on the thematic statements we discussed in class. Make a case for or against the statements as you read.

Thematic Statements to Agree or Disagree With:
People are untrustworthy by nature.
People learn to manipulate when freedoms are taken from them.
Love cannot be trusted.
We should not trust people because we will end up disappointed.
Some people are natural leaders.

-------------------------------------------------
Check the Writing Portfolio Timeline (packet and Blog post) for important due dates!

Reading Schedule: Balzac...

Week of May 4th
Monday: 19-30
Tuesday:31-42
Wednesday:43-54
Thursday:55-66
Friday:67-89

Week of May 11th
Monday:90-101
Tuesday:102-112
Wednesday:113-123
Thursday:124-135
Friday:136-151

Week of May 18th
Monday:152-163
Tuesday:164-175
Wednesday:176-184 (END OF NOVEL)

UNIT TEST: FRIDAY, MAY 22

Writing Portfolio Timeline

Wednesday, April 29
Writing Portfolio Assignment Details (packet)


Monday, May 11
Reading Log
Recommended Reading List


Monday, May 18
Literary Response and Expression section
Lit. Response Growth Reflection


Monday, May 25
(Memorial Day, No School)


Tuesday, May 26
Critical Analysis and Evaluation section
Crit. An./Eval. Growth Reflection


Friday, May 29
Information and Understanding section
Info/Und. Growth Reflection


Monday, June 1
Overall Self-Reflection


Tuesday, June 2
Table of Contents
Cover Page


Wednesday, June 3
Checked-off Checklist
Blank Rubric
Organize into binder with dividers


Thursday, June 4
No School for Students


Friday, June 5
Writing Portfolio Due (at the beginning of class)

*Conferences June 7th-11th

Reading Strategy: After Each Paragraph, Choose 1

When you read challenging texts, you automatically either 1)summarize in your head 2)ask yourself a question 3) make a prediction or 4)demand clarity

Here's what that means: when reading a challenging text, you need to stop after each paragragraph, or few paragraphs, and use a combination of the following strategies (like we did in class with Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress today!!!!):

1. Summarizing / Self-Review
From what we've read so far, I can tell that...

2. Ask a Question / Self-Testing
Literal: Who calls the violin a "wiolin"?
Interpretive: What is Luo trying to do when he points out that he and the Seamstress share a common 'foot trait'?
Analytical: Who does the Seamstress like better? Why does she like him better?
Applied: What human emotions inspire fear?

3. Predicting / Setting the Stage for Further Reading
Based on...... and what I have read so far, I predict...

4. Demanding Clarity / Breaking Down the Text
I need some clarification about... I am guessing it is...

* Add these strategies to your stock of post-it annotation ideas!

Week of May 4th Reading Strategy Homework

Use one of the sentence starters below to expand on a thought that we discussed in class, or a new idea about the text. (Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress / Chp.1)

I wonder...
I began to think of...
I like the idea...
I know the feeling...
I noticed...
I was surprised...
If I had been...
I was reminded of...

TIPS
*If you get writer's block, here are some options:
Feelings (boring, sad, exciting, weird)
Questions (I wonder why the author put in certain parts....)
Images (pictures in the mind, sensory responses)
Favorite (or detested) words and phrases
Echoes (of other books, movies, television shows, headlines, songs, poems)
Reaction to characters or events (That Assef is such a snake!)
Memories (people, events, places you've known)
Connections (to other ideas, people, feelings, books)

HW Due Tuesday, April 28

The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan

1. Analyze the excerpt from Amy Tan’s “Four Directions:”
My mother was doing it again, making me see black where I once saw white. In her hands, I always became the pawn. I could only run away. And she was the queen, able to move in all directions, relentless in her pursuit, always able to find my weakest spots. (199)

2. Analyze the excerpt from Amy Tan’s “The Rules of the Game:”
“Ma, it’s not how many pieces you lose,” I said. “Sometimes you need to lose pieces to get ahead.” (98)

3. In the poem, “Night Light,” what does the mother’s action in lines 4 and 5 demonstrate about her concern for the child? Explain.

4. Identify and describe the speaker of the poem, “Night Light.” What kind of person is the speaker? How do you know?

5. In the poem, “Night Light,” what does the phrase “blue irises” (line 9) refer to?

6. In the poem, “Night Light,” what idea about the parent and child is conveyed in lines 13 and 14? Explain.

7. Compare and contrast the parent child relationship in “Night Light” to Waverly’s relationship with her mother. Where do you see similarities? Where do you see differences?


* Thes essay on the worksheet will be done in class TOMORROW. Do NOT do it tonight for homework.

HW Due Monday, April 27

Read and annotate Amy Tan's "Four Directions."

Also- Finish your "found" poems to share in class!

HW Due Friday, April 24

Vocabulary Packet due.

Questions for "The Rules of the Game."

*Bring in a poem that you have written (optional homework).

HW Due Wednesday, April 21

Write a letter to Amy Tan, the author of "The Moon Lady" about her story. Demonstrate your knowledge of the five grammar/style rules we have been focusing on in class:

1.Form the possessive singular of a noun by adding ‘s.
2.In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.
3.Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.
4.Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause.
5.Use a semicolon if two or more clauses are grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction.

* Cite the grammar rule in parenthesis after the sentence that reflects it.

SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR LETTER:
- Talk about the imagery she uses. Do you like it? Dislike it? Why?
- Tell the author about how you connect to the characters.
- Make suggestions to Amy Tan about how the story could have ended differently.

HW Due Tuesday, April 20

“The Moon Lady”
Amy Tan

Directions: Respond to each question and cite page numbers for reference.

1. How is Ying-ying’s culture like or unlike your culture in its treatment of girls?

2. Is there anything that you see differently, think differently about, or will do differently as a result of reading this story? Explain.

3. Why does the Amah tell Ying-ying that she must keep her wishes secret?

4. How did Ying-ying wind up in the water?

5. What is the ultimate fate of the Moon Lady?

Spring Break Assignment

Spring Break Assignment

Read and annotate Amy Tan’s “The Moon Lady” from The Joy Luck Club. Use post-it notes for your annotations. Notes taken in your notebook or on a separate sheet of paper WILL NOT count for credit.

Annotation focus: Symbols, Theme, Imagery, Ways in which Ying-ying undergoes change. Then, complete the tasks that follow. Record the page numbers that inspired your response for each question.


1. Describe how the incident at the Moon Festival affects the main character, Ying-ying.

2. To what degree does Ying-ying’s culture contribute to her transformation?

3. Analyze the literal and symbolic implications of the word lost, as it is used in the story.

4. Trace the changes in Ying-ying’s character before and after the incident at the Moon Festival.

5. Pose three interpretive questions about this story.

6. Draw a symbol to represent Ying-ying’s character.

7. Speculate about how and why Ying-ying changes.

8. How are you being positioned by the author to read this text?

9. How is Ying-ying’s culture like or unlike your own?

10. How are you being positioned by your culture to respond to this text?

* NOTE: If you left school without a copy of Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club, then it is your responsiblity to borrow the book from the library, or purchase a copy of it. You may be able to download it for free at www.googlebooks.com. Otherwise, Strand Bookstore in Union Square sells used books for less!

Homework Due Friday, April 3, 2009

Complete the prewriting packet we worked on in class. Tomorrow, we will be writing our Eyewitness Essays!!!!

HW Due Wednesday, April 1

Complete a brainstorm for your essay. Brainstorms can be done in any format, but each the literary elements that follow must be addressed. In other words, decide on some specifics for your own writing, in terms of:

Setting- Where are you going to take your reader?

Mood- What moods will your setting convey? Write phrases to convey the mood of your essay through setting description. Refer to your list of mood words to decide.

Narrator- Write in first person point of view, from your own perspective.

Narrator's tone- How will you, as the narrator, convey your tone? Look at the list of tone words to decide on the tone(s) you plan to convey in your essay.

Imagery- Write phrases to use in your essay that appeal to each of the five senses

Personification- Write phrases to include in your essay that contain personification

Theme(s)- Decide on fundamental, universal ideas to convey in your essay.

Similes / Metaphors- Write comparisons (similes and metaphors) to include in your essay.

Dialogue- Use quotation marks around characters' words. Dialogue is a form characterization. Decide on the relationships between the people who are described in your essay. Decide on the words you want them to speak so that you can convey your theme(s) through them. How will other characters react to the characters who are speaking? How will the speaking characters interact with one another?

Use vocabulary words- Write at least 15 sentences that contain new vocabulary words. Use a combination of the words defined in the current packet, and synonyms and antonyms from that list.


REMINDER!!!
Bollywood Banquet this Thursday!

HW / Period 2 3/18/2009

Finish reading the story. Keep themes in mind and take any notes in the margins that speak the themes.

Homework 3/16/2009

Read to page 30 of Jhumpa Laheri's "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine."

Always be prepared for reading check quizzes!!!

HW Due Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Complete the multiple-choice questions that correspond to Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake and the poem I Am Ezra. Reread the passages so they are fresh in your mind, as we'll be learning how to write a formatted controlling idea essay tomorrow!!!

HW Due Monday, March 2

TASK: Read a 6th grader’s retelling of The Ramayana at the website address below. Then, explore websites that include stories that retell the Ramayana story. Choose one aspect of the 6th grade student’s story to “fill in the blanks” for. Retell the story your own way, using your own words, and include your “fill-in” section. As always, use the vocabulary words you know and a thesaurus!

http://www.geocities.com/trpjwig/india/rama/ramayanasum.html

HW Wednesday/Thursday Block 2/25-2/26

Read "The Parable of the Greedy Sons." Write a one page interpretation, in which you answer the following questions:

What was the lesson the father taught?
How did the father teach this lesson?

REMINDER: Rally March 5th!

2/24/09 Essay Homework

Write a one page interpretation of the following quote and explain how its meaning relates to The Kite Runner:

"Running away will never set you free."

Tips:
- Write on looseleaf
- Do not write more than you need to. Make every word count.
- Refer to the paragraph checklist as you write
- Create an interesting title

*Always write your full heading.

Reminder 2/23/2009

There was no homework assigned for today. However, here is a reminder for students who did not complete the 15 paragraph questions or finish the novel: Get it done!

HW Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Read Chapter 24 of The Kite Runner. Complete a double-entry journal for one quote. Use and underline/highlight literary terms.

Reminders:
- March 5 Rally- spread the word to your parents and your friends!
- Join the creative writer's blog (see link on side of blog) by sending me an email!
- Bollywood Banquet at the end of March. Let me know if you would like to perform.
- Become a peer tutor, or work with one.
- Local Volunteers meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) after school in Mr. Carson's room- bring contact information for work you are interested in doing.
- Essay contest information posted on classroom door
- Junior Council members are selling candy grams and roses for Valentine's Day during lunch!

HW / Monday, February 9, 2009

Read chapter 23 of The Kite Runner.

Then, complete a double-entry journal for each chapter. Underline or highlight your literary terms and techniques.

Complete this assignment in your notebook.

HW Friday, February 6

Read chapters twenty and twenty-one of The Kite Runner.

Then, complete a double-entry journal for each chapter. Underline or highlight your literary terms and techniques.

Complete this assignment in your notebook.

H.W. February 4/5 (Block Wed/Thurs Classes)

Read chapter 20 of The Kite Runner.

Period 3: Complete a double-entry journal for two quotes in chapter 20.




Book Clubbers: Ms. Morey and I are checking the times for the movie, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" for tomorrow afternoon. Bring cash if you can come!!!! We're hoping to get a student rate, but I would suggest bringing $15 to be safe!!

HW Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Read all of Chapter 19 in The Kite Runner.

Also- If you did not complete the interpretive question you started working on in class, make sure you complete it tonight for homework!!!

H.W. W/H Blocks 1/23-1/22

Read the rest of chapter 10 and all of chapter 11 of The Kite Runner.

Reminders:
- Make sure to turn in any late work / edited work / make-up tests by this Friday!
- If you're looking for extra credit, scroll down the blog to the list of links. Click on Freerice to play a vocabulary or grammar game. Press print when you're done playing, write your name on the paper, and turn in for extra points! Try to make it to level 30!!!!
- The junior student council has organized a bowling trip for after school this Friday! You can purchase a ticket for $12 tomorrow or Friday. See me or a member of the junior student council if you are interested!

H.W. T 1/20/2009

Read chapter 9 of The Kite Runner. Then complete the following questions. The questions refer to a memory Amir recalls in chapter 7.

Questions:

On pages 76-77, Amir remembers an Afghan celebration in which a sheep must be sacrificed. He talks about the sheep’s eyes moments before its death.

“I don’t know why I watch this yearly ritual in our backyard; my nightmares persist long after the bloodstains on the grass have faded. But I always watch. I watch because of that look of acceptance in the animal’s eyes. Absurdly, I imagine the animal understands. I imagine the animal sees that its imminent demise is for a higher purpose” (76).

Questions:

1) Why do you think Amir recalls this memory when he witnesses Hassan’s attack in the alleyway?

2) What symbolic meanings do you think are contained in the above passage? Is Hassan represented? Is Afghanistan as a nation represented? Find examples from the text and offer additional possibilities.

3) What is the “higher purpose” for which the lamb is sacrificed?

4) What sacrifices has Hassan made for Amir? Has there been a “higher purpose”?

5) How is Amir’s watching this ritual each year like his watching the attack of Hassan in the alleyway? How is it different?

1/13 Homework and Study Guide

For homework, copy your answers to the Study Sheet questions onto looseleaf as a study method for Tuesday's test. Your looseleaf notes will be collected during the test and counted as homework.

The Kite Runner Acts 1-8 Study Sheet

Vocabulary Words: See unit 3 vocabulary packet

Literary Techniques:
Characterization
Situational Irony
Verbal Irony
Symbols (kites, dolls, mirrors, smoke, trees)
*Theme

Theme words from the common literary themes list that apply to The Kite Runner:acceptance, betrayal, alienation, choices and consequences, courage, envy, faith, family, identity, justice, loyalty, power, pride, redemption, trust

Theme Review Questions: What can be said about the idea of acceptance based on the story? What messages about betrayal are contained in the novel? What does the story express about alienation? How do we know this? Where do we see courage in the novel? What does this express about people, in general? (ect.)

Literary Technique Questions: Provide a specific example from The Kite Runner for each of the following categories:

a) a theme about acceptance is developed through characterization:

b) a theme about betrayal is developed through irony:

c) a theme about alienation is developed through symbolism:

d) a theme about choices and consequences is developed through characterization:

e) a theme about courage is developed through irony:

f) a theme about envy is developed through symbolism:

g) a theme about faith is developed through characterization:

h) a theme about is family developed through irony:

i) a theme about identity is developed through symbolism:

j) a theme about justice is developed through characterization:

k) a theme about loyalty is developed through irony:

l) a theme about power is developed through symbolism:

m) a theme about pride is developed through characterization:

n) a theme about redemption is developed through irony:

o) a theme about trust is developed through characterization:

H.W. Jan. 14-15 (Block Wed/Thurs Classes)

Actively read chapter 8 of The Kite Runner. Then, choose 4 quotes from chapter 8 to copy onto looseleaf and respond to. In your responses to these quotes, use and underline literary terms and vocabulary words.

HW January 13

Actively read chapter 7 of The Kite Runner. Then, write one page in which you discuss how the literary techniques (characterization, irony, symbolism) work to develop the themes (redemption, trust, loyalty, forgivenss, family, envy, ect.)

Use vocabulary from units 2 & 3 for maximum points!

If you are having trouble with any of the terms in this assignment, see your notes and the list of common literary themes, located both at the bottom of this blog, and in your take-home folder).

H.W. for Friday, January 9

Actively read chapters 4 & 5 of The Kite Runner. Then write a one page paper in which you discuss the significance of 3 out of the four symbols we have been studying in class (tree, mirror, hard-wood chiseled doll, smoke).

You score for the writing piece will be based on:
- Content / Meaning
- Evidence from the text
- Use of vocabulary from Unit 2 Vocabulary List

Announcement Test Friday, January 16. See separate posting for details and study guide.

Homework for W/H Blocks 1/7 &1/8: Characterization

Actively read chapter 3 of The Kite Runner. Then, write a one page essay in which you discuss the characterization of Amir. Discuss characterization in terms of:

a) personality
b) values & beliefs
c) background information
d) motive
e) physical description

This assignment is worth 25 points and must be turned in typed or on loose leaf.

** Reminder Vocabulary packets due Friday, January 9