English III Agenda: Week of February 4 through February 8
This week’s objectives include finishing the paragraph on sound techniques in Eliot’s “Preludes,” practicing close reading of a sonnet to derive theme; determining how various poetic techniques and devices function in the poem; and reviewing the purposes for reading. If time allows, we will begin a close reading of an excerpt from Emerson’s essay “The American Scholar.”
Additionally, we will continue the “read aloud, think aloud, talk aloud” portion of M/W/F class periods with the reading of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Among the questions we will need to answer for this unit:
- What is satire, and what is the purpose of satire? Is this novel satirical, or is it merely entertainment, as the “notice” claims?
- What is irony? How and why does an author use irony?
- What is the cultural climate—the milieu—of the era in which Twain sets Huck Finn?
- What role does this cultural climate play in shaping our morals, values, beliefs and actions (thus Huck’s)?
- In what ways is Huck a product of his environment, and in what ways is he an outcast?
- Why might the river be considered a major “character” in this novel?
Monday2/4All IRLA responses are to be complete, well-supported paragraphs with clear topic sentences and EVIDENCE to support your opinions. This evidence takes the form of quotes and specific references to the events, characters and setting in your novel.
IRLA #1: Last set due now. New set/new heading. Analyze your antagonist’s actions to date. Do you foresee any significant changes in store for him or her—dynamism, in other words? Either way you answer, discuss what changes need to happen for this character or entity and what might precipitate these changes.
RA-TA-TA: Continue HF with Chapter 3, pp. 10—14. Focus on characterization: what are the primary differences between the characters of Huck and Tom? Does Twain use direct or indirect characterization? Why do you think this is?
Absentees will be able to read all pages covered during an absence from this site. Additionally, you will be required to answer all chapter questions in writing to receive credit for the make-up reading.
Work Period: Class discussion and notes on HF—all characters (direct and indirect physical and psychological characterization) and chapter summaries and analysis.
Tuesday, 2/5
IRLA #2: Last set overdue. Relative to yesterday’s entry, how does thedominant cultural climate influence the antagonist’s beliefs and actions? Does his or her behavior change with changes in setting? Explain.
Work Period: Our objective is to craft a paragraph about how T.S. Eliot uses imagery and sound to enhance meaning and the reading experience in “Preludes.” Preview rubric. Review all your work with imagery in the poem. Note where in these images you find either euphony or cacophony. What is the impact of these passages, emotionally? Intellectually?
You should have a complete first draft of the Eliot paragraph to workshop with a partner. Fill out a rubric for your partner and be thoughtful in your comments, please. This time, YOU will be graded on your analysis of your partner’s works. Give the partner rubric to him or her to attach to the final submission packet. Complete all necessary revisions for homework.
Wrap Up: Write a quick response to your partner’s assessment of your paragraph—agree or disagree, but in some way indicate that you understand the assessment and comments.
Wednesday, 2/6 Eliot paragraphs due today.
IRLA #3: When you analyze your characters, do you find most of the character traits to be revealed directly or indirectly? Discuss how often you make inferences about your characters and speculate on why your author chooses direct or indirect characterization when he does—what purpose do his choices serve?
RA-TA-TA: Continue HF with Chapter 4, pp. 15—18. Focus on characterization: do we learn anything new about Jim? Does Twain reveal Jim’s character traits directly, or do we have to make inferences about him?
Work Period: Notes on HF.
Thursday, 2/7
IRLA #4: Due tomorrow upon completion of fifth response.Discuss characters about which you know relatively little. What purpose do they serve in the novel, and why has your author chosen to reveal so little about them?
Work Period: Begin close reading of Sonnet 18 with line by line explication. Review: What is close reading? What are the steps to doing a close reading? (See handouts.)
Wrap Up: What difficulties are you having with the sonnet? What resources would make your analysis easier? Make a quick list of unfamiliarwords in the sonnet to look up for homework.
Friday, 2/8
IRLA #5: Due upon completion of this response. Writer’s choice: Select any element (from our list of literary elements) of your novel to analyze and opine about. Be specific and use examples and details to support your opinion.
RA-TA-TA: Continue HF with Chapter 5, pp. 18—22. What does Twain do with the chronology on page 6? What possible reason might he have for doing this? What new character traits are revealed about Huck? How would you describe Tom Sawyer?
Work Period: Continue work with Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18” by beginning second, independent reading and paraphrasing. Annotate the text with observations, questions, and conclusions. Consider the author’s tone, imagery, sound devices and choice of form. If possible, address the following questions: What do you believe the theme to be? How does Shakespeare communicate this message? What literary/poetic techniques and devices stand out most to you? To what effect are they used?