Clean Slate

The first nine weeks is now behind us. All grades are starting over, completely fresh and new. Everyone has a clean slate, if you will. Now is the time to decide to change the habits from last grading period, if you weren't happy with your grades. Now is the time to reinforce the good habits and attitudes from last grading period, if you are pleased with the results. But whatever you choose to do for the next nine weeks, there are still nine more weeks of school. Nine more weeks of assignments, tests, projects, and grades... I don't know about you, but I am happy to have nine weeks left with you guys. I have said already that this has truly been the most fun I have ever had teaching AP. I am so enjoying the subject matter and each of you and your unique personalities. Thanks for making my job fun, if not always easy! You might have heard it said, "Choose a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life." I can testify to that statement and I can say to you that it is the best advice I could give as far as your future and your career.

Week or March 30-- or, 31

31? Can anyone say 31? Because if my calculations are correct, you have 31 school days left until graduation. (And since I am a little unclear about the exam dates, it might be less than that!!!) Now if that's not good news for the Monday after Spring Break, I don't know what is. Right??? So let's pep it up here and smile. It's all downhill from here!

Monday, March 30
"Macbeth" movie

Tuesday, March 31
"Macbeth" movie

Wednesday, April 1
Satire/Modest Proposal (green book)

Thursday, April 2
Boswell Bio (green book)

Friday, April 3
Pastoral Poetry
DUE: Journals

Talk to Me

Because I know that you all have your computers with you at the beach and in the ski chalet and doing all the other fun things you are doing this week, I thought I would post a little something that I read this week that made me think of you. (And I know that if you do have your computer, that you are probably also checking my blog at least once a day.) I am reading a book called Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. It is fascinating and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Islamic culture and literature. I have marked so many passages and turned down so many corners because I am just waiting for someone to come along who wants to talk to me about a book. :) (I know, I might be waiting a LONG time.) Anyway, here is the passage that reminded me of you all at this point in your life journeys:

It is written at a point when the author is considering leaving Iran for the United States.
"You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place, I told him, like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again."

What do you think?

Week of March 16

Can anyone say SPRING BREAK?!?!?!?! It's here!!! One more week and we can do it!

Monday, March 16
Define Unit 5
Macbeth Act IV

Tuesday, March 17
Macbeth Act V

Wednesday, March 18
Macbeth Test
In-class Essay

Thursday, March 19
Vocab Quiz

BLOG BY MARCH 19 OVER MACBETH.

OK, here is what I have decided about Macbeth activities. You can EITHER do a memorization OR a creative project over Macbeth for extra credit. This will be due Tuesday, 3/31. The creative project just needs to look like you spent at least three hours on it. The memorizations are either:
Option 1: "If it were done..." lines 1-28, Act I, scene vii
Option 2: "Is this a dagger..." lines 33-61, Act II, scene i
Option 3: "Thrice the brinded..." lines 1-34, Act IV, scene i
Option 4: "I have lived long enough..." lines 22-28, Act V, scene iii, and "To be thus is nothing..." lines 48-72, Act III, scene i
Option 5: "This supernatural soliciting..." lines 130-142, Act I, scene iii, "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..." lines 19-28,Act V, scene v, and "I will not yield..." lines 27-34, Act V, scene viii

You will read The Alchemist over break and we will start it in the first week of April. Please read it carefully. There is SO much in it worth talking about. I am DYING to discuss literature in an intellectual way with you all. Don't let me down....

Macbeth Act II Activity

IF we had had class on Friday (instead of being hired out and the rest of us choosing to just hang out), I would have had you do an activity over Lady Macbeth after Act II of Macbeth. I thought you might want to do a piece of this activity on the blog as one of your optional comments. I could see some of you getting into this...

You can link here to read the lyrics to Alanis Morissette's song "Wake Up". What is the speaker's attitude in this song? Does this seem to be more like Macbeth or Lady Macbeth's viewpoint in Acts I and II? Look at the first two lines and line eight. What is the speaker expressing in these lines about the person to whom she is referring? Rewrite the song (or any portion of the song) as if Lady Macbeth is talking to Macbeth. Keep in mind the states of mind of both characters at this point in the play.

Below is an example:
You want power but only if it's morally taken.
You like to think but only if someone else thinks for you.
No reason that you should be in dismay
No excuse for you not to do the deed today
Cause it's easy to be scared
So much easier than being brave
And if your chance comes and passes by, it shall never come back to you
You like prophecies to be fulfilled but only if you don't play your part
You sulk... and you think...just go do it
There's an obvious attraction
To the choice that risks your chance to be king
There's an obvious coward that I
could not make you finish tonight
Cause it's easy to be scared
So much easier than being brave
And if your chance comes and passes by, it shall never come back to you
To you to you to you to you and to you alone...
There's no jewels, no crown, no bravery anymore
There's a little boy cowering in a corner
Which the sight he cannot bear
There's a bold and proud little girl
Going to commit the act
But it's easy to be scared
So much easier than being brave
And if your chance comes and passes by, it shall never come back to you
To you, to you
Go on kill him go on just do it
Go on kill him go on just do it
Go on get it done before someone sees you
Go on kill him go on just do it
Just do it.

Week of March 9

The Frankenstein week was a good one, in my opinion. Topped off, of course, with the coolest Monster cake ever!!! :) I am very excited to get to Macbeth this next week. I think you will enjoy it and I am anxious to see how you compare it to Hamlet. We are heading into the home stretch and I just want to tell you all that I am very proud of this class. I wasn't sure at first how you all would be because you seemed a little... let's say... negative. But I can honestly say that I have not enjoyed teaching AP this much ever. I think this is my sixth year to teach it and I have had a ball with you all this semester. You are fun, your discussions are (typically) good, and you seem relatively concerned about your grade and what you learn. Thanks for making it this way!!!

Monday, March 9
Opening Seminar to Macbeth

Tuesday, March 10
Act I

Wednesday, March 11
Act II
DUE: Frankenstein essay

Thursday, March 12
Catch up, activity

Friday, March 13
Act III
DUE: Journals