Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Quote of the Day

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

ENGLISH III--Henry David Thoreau

I went to the wood because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I died, learned that I had not lived.

Monday, September 20, 2004

DISCUS Instructions

All classes are currently using research for projects. DISCUS is a great resource for you to use and some of the information can even be counted as a print source!

To use DISCUS--
  • Go the the district website at www.newberry.k12.sc.us.
  • Click on DISCUS at the bottom center of the webpage. This will take you to a page entitled "South Carolina's Virtual Library."
  • From here you have several choices. There are encyclopedias as well as newspapers and periodicals.
  • I RECOMMEND the Gale-Infotrac section. This will take you to a new page with more choices. Click on the "General Reference Center" and type your topic in the box. The information you get back will usually be more than you can use!

Use DISCUS at home or at school with these instructions.

Friday, September 17, 2004

Question of the Day

Inquiring minds want to know---

Favorite children's book and why? (And give me good whys, not some lam-o answer b/c you are too lazy to type!)

I am hard-pressed to pick one. My father raised me on Greek mythology, so I heard different bedtime stories than most little girls. But I have been exposed to a lot of children's literature throughout college and my few years teaching. I am a huge fan of Graeme Base's books. The artwork is amazingly beautiful. I could sit and stare at that for hours. But my all time favorite would have to be The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Silverstein is easy to read and this book has a great message. Definitely an awesomely fabulous book!

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

"Desiderata" by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexacious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

ENGLISH III--Give me liberty or give me death!

The Statue of Liberty was a sign of freedom for those immigrants entering Ellis Island to come to America. How would you use this in your Breaking Free project? What piece of literature does it represent? Posted by Hello

Today's Lesson

So I finished Tuesdays with Morrie last week, but I still want to share from it. It was a great book. I think I'll go back next week and read it again.

Anyway---here is today's lesson from Tuesdays with Morrie...

We must love one another or die. W. H. Aulden

One of Morrie's favorite sayings was "Love each other or perish" taken from Aulden's poem. What different kinds of love are there? The passionate kind is the easiest to see, but how can you love your fellow classmates? What about your teachers? How can we as human beings show love towards one another? What do you think Aulden means by love one another or die?

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Busy Week

You all have a busy week coming up. Here's rundown of events for my classes:

Monday--Canterbury Tales projects due. Reading journals and logs due.
Tuesday--Quiz on Declaration of Independence and Phillis Wheatley's poem. Journals and logs due.
Wednesday--Unit One major test.
Thursday--Breaking Free Projects due and stems test.
Friday--Stems test.

Study your stuff! Send me any questions!

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Breaking Free Project

Many of you have expressed concern over this project. I am looking for pictures that show your interpretation of the work--not pictures of the actual authors or characters. In this picture, Ashley Judd stands up for what she believes in. You could use this in relation to one of the works that deals with standing up for your beliefs. Posted by Hello

Tuesdays with Morrie

I just finished Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. My eyes hurt b/c the end is so moving and emotional. I'll continue to share parts of this book with you throughout the year. I think it has some wonderful lessons to teach.

What book has moved you? What book has changed your life or the way that you think? Are you still looking for that book? I've read some powerful works of literature--A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft; The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran; The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff; The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath...I'll add Mitch Albom's book to the list of books that have influenced me. Tell me about your list.

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

Today's Lesson

I am currently reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. If you haven't read anything by Mitch, you need to...he's awesome. Here's a lesson from him book that hit me close to home.

"Have I told you about the tension of opposites?" he says.
The tension of opposites?
"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts yuo, yet you know it shouldn't. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted.
"A tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubber band. And most of us live somewhere in the middle."
Sounds like a wrestling match, I say.
"A wrestling match." He laughs. "Yes, you could describe it that way."
So which side wins, I ask?
"Which side wins?"
He smiles at me, the crinkled eyes, the crooked teeth.
"Love wins. Love always wins."

English III--Breaking Free

The section that we are reading right now is entitled "Breaking Free." The works all deal with this theme--breaking free from Britain, breaking free from slavery, etc. You will create a booklet to show how the characters represent the theme of the unit.

  • Choose several character presented in the selections. You can even choose ones that we don't cover in class. Create a ten-page booklet that shows how the characters represent the theme of breaking free.
  • Use a series of hand-drawn illustrations, collages, phots, or computer graphics to depict particular moments of change. You don't have to search for a picture of Thomas Jefferson--you may find a picture of someone who was recently fighting for freedom and you feel that this portrays what Jefferson was arguing for.
  • Write a brief paragraph to help explain each visual. How does your picture go with what we read?

Booklets are due September 16 (the same day as your stems test)! E-mail me or post comments with any questions you have.

Monday, September 06, 2004

POST WARNING

I have just finished checking your posts. Some of you are doing great...some, not so good. Here's your only warning--don't post comments on August threads. When I check for September posts, I will only check September threads. If there is something that you want to bring back up, shoot me an e-mail and I'll post a new thread.

Peace out!

The Last Juror by John Grisham

Many of you have read this book--you chose it for your summer reading. First and foremost, thanks for not giving away the end. Secondly, thanks for talking about it so much on this message board. Due to your comments, and the coincidence that it was on my parents' bookshelf, I picked up the book this week and tore through it. And I was very satisfied last night when I finished.

I really enjoy reading about the time period that this book covers. The '60s and '70s fascinate me and I sometimes wish I could have had a part in the massive changes that took place. I think Grisham accurately portrays how integration was for many small towns. It was controversial and scary, but it wasn't met with the violence that the world witnessed in places like Little Rock and Birmingham. However, it saddens me to come in contact with such closed minds as the ones in this book and as the ones that actually existed and still exist in the world.

We have talked in class about the difference between ignorance and hate. We have discussed over and over how ignorance is oftentimes not knowing any better. So, my question to you is this--how do we cure ignorance? What do we do to make the change in the world?

In the words of one of the world's greatest change-makers..."Be the change that you want to see in the world." ~ Mohandas Ghandi

Friday, September 03, 2004

Happy Labor Day weekend!

I hope you are all going to enjoy this weekend, with its extra day of vacation. We all need one. But we have a busy week next week! Here's a rundown of events:

Tuesday--quiz for American Lit.
Wednesday--Lit. Circles Project Due for Brit. Lit.
Thursday night and Friday morning--Parent Conferences

I am off to see the 'Dogs take on Broome. Have a great weekend and stay safe!

Thursday, September 02, 2004

ENGLISH III--Give me liberty or give me death!

We read works by Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine today. The common theme running through both works was defense--defense of their homes against the British. What stuck out to you? What thought or phrase relates to you now and how?

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

ENGLISH IV--Canterbury Tales Project

You have a variety of choices for your Canterbury Tales assessment. Here's a rundown of what you can do and where you can find your information:

1. Ye Olde Advert--Advertise for a trip to Canterbury from Tabard Inn. Follow this link for cool information!

2. A Distant Mirror--Create parallel time lines, one listing important national events and one listing important personal events during Chaucer's life. Your book may be of help with this, and you may also check out this website.

3. The Life of Becket--Reseach Becket and write an essay about his life, accomplishments, and the importance of his place as a pilgrimage. Read his story here and here and here!

4. The Chivalrous Code--Research chivalry and its influence on literature of the Middle Ages. Check out the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Norton Anthology, and Medieval Live.net.

5. Take a Pilgrimage to Canterbury--Create your own character and their story! You will need to research jobs and societal roles.

6. Celebrate Chaucer's Death with a Medieval Feast--There are several websites for you to check out for great recipes. Check out the Boke of Gode Cookery, Medieval Cookery, and this list of links.

7. Explore the Life--Research music, entertainment, jobs, health, architecture, and fashion.

PRESENTATIONS ARE DUE SEPTEMBER 13TH!