English IIIAugust 27th-August 31st

August 27th

Go over rules and expectations

Go over course syllabus

Go over graduation project related paperwork

Complete the all about me gazette and go over

Important Dates

Journals due: September 7th, September 21st, October 5th, October 19, November 2nd, November 16th, November 30th, December 14th

Vocab Quizzes: August 31st, September 7th, September 14th, September 28th, October 5th, October, 12th, October 26th, November 2, November 9th, November 30th, December 7th

Vocab Tests: September 21st, October 19th, November 16th, December 14th

Divider sections

Literature

Grammar

Writing

Vocabulary

Miscellaneous

August 28th

Bell ringer Turn in any signed papers Get this weeks vocabulary Go over thesis statements-see thesis

statement powerpoint complete practice making thesis statements

for different topics Read Crucible background info n pg. 1252-

1255 and discuss similar issues today If there is time complete four corners

discussion activity

Bell ringer

What are your future plans and how do you plan to accomplish them?

Vocabulary

Banal Tediously unoriginal or ordinary

Belie Fail to give a true idea of; show to be untrue

Bellicose Aggressive and ready to fight

Benign Good-natured; kindly; favorable; beneficial

Blithe Cheerfully or thoughtlessly indifferent

Vocabulary

Bolster Support or strengthen

Bombast Grandiose but empty language

Brazen Bold and shameless

Brusque Abrupt or offhand in manner or speech

Bucolic Relating to rural or pastoral life

Thesis statements

A Thesis is…a statement that tells what your paper’s topic is, the point you are trying to make, and provides an outline of the paper.

Specific topic + Attitude/Angle/Argument = Thesis

What you plan to argue + How you plan to argue it = Thesis

Thesis Statments

Thesis statement-tells the reader what the expect in the rest of the paper, makes a claim, usually a single sentence, should reflect what is written in your paper, usually at the end of your introduction, needs to be specific

Examples of thesis statement Example of a thesis statement: The tile of T. S. Eliot's, "The

Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", brings up the question of whether or not Eliot's poem is really a love song and if not the purpose of calling it one. Upon close inspection it can be seen that the "love song" in the title is more ironic than anything else, lending a sarcastic tone to the poem. Furthermore, Eliot's poem even when looked at in the loosest of terms cannot be considered a love song. While love songs are romantic and hopeful "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" is nothing, but pessimistic. Prufrock's intent is not to declare love, but to question whether or not to open himself up to others.

Example In Nuns at Luncheon there are two stories the story of the

nun and the frame story of the people talking about the story of the nun. The frame story that surrounds the story of the nun begs the question of why Miss Penny is telling this particular story and why she chooses to leave certain parts out. Even though it may appear that she just chose a random story to tell to her lunch audience, there is always a reason behind why people choose to tell the stories that they tell. Though it could be thought, that Miss Penny tells her story out of some sort of concern for what became of Sister Agatha, Miss Penny in reality tells the story for her own selfish reasons. As she says herself: she has no actual sympathy for Sister Agatha.

Create a correct thesis statement

Prompt: Describe how television commercials influence children.

Bad thesis: Television commercials have an influence on children.

Create a correct thesis statement

Prompt: Explain why young people especially enjoy hobbies

Bad: One hobby many young people especially enjoy is reading.

Create a correct thesis statement

Prompt: Discuss the benefits of playing team sports.

Bad: Playing team sports has many benefits.

Create a correct thesis statement

Prompt: Persuade the school board to lengthen summer vacation

Bad: Many people think that summer vacation should be extended

Create a correct thesis statement

Prompt: Analyze what President Kennedy meant when he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Bad: President Kennedy meant many things when he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Create a correct thesis statement

Prompt: Justify the government’s duty to collect taxes

Bad: The government has a duty to collect taxes.

The Crucible Background

As you read consider what other situations the Crucible parallels

Discuss the meanings of words in the background text

Compare and contrast the events from Miller’s life and the Salem witch trials.

August 29th

Bell ringer

Turn in any signed papers

Create fairy tale themed thesis statements for practice making thesis statements

Continue thesis practice/begin forming thesis statements for the research paper and discussing possible topics

Do werewolf activity

Discuss possible reasons for the author’s choice in title

Begin reading The Crucible

August 29th seminar

Use whiteboards to review:

Vocabulary

Thesis statements

The Crucible

Bell ringer

What do you think it would have been like to have lived during the time of the Salem witch trials?

Take a common fairy tale. Little Red Riding Hood, for example. Your average tale of good vs. evil, right?

In my opinion, Little Red Riding Hood is a classic tale of good versus evil.

Now, there's a thesis that is sure to keep you up at night. Interesting. Innovative. Imaginative. I think not.

Better Red Riding Hood Theses

Because she dares to defy societal norms of acceptable female behavior, Little Red Riding Hood faces death at the hands of the Big Bad Wolf, who embodies patriarchy.

Little Red Riding Hood serves as a feminist tale, demonstrating how an independent, intelligent woman subverts the entrenched forces of male power and privilege.

The forest in Little Red Riding Hood--with its various elements of danger, fear, and foreboding--symbolizes a young girl's rite of passage into womanhood; by challenging the elements in the forest, the naive and trusting Little Red Riding Hood emerges an empowered, mature, confident young woman.

Television shows and movies also offer a wealth of possible thesis statements. Consider the following:

As the middle child, Jan Brady is insecure and demonstrates a negative self-perception: she feels inferior to Marcia, who embodies the qualities of the "ideal" teenager and to Cindy, the "innocent" child and center of the family's attentions.

While appearing to be a simplistic situation comedy about a group of castaways,Gilligan's Island is actually a complex representation of vice; each of the characters represents one of the seven deadly sins.

While Star Trek: The Next Generation may appear to represent an ideal version of a multicultural, gender-equal society, the command structure on the Enterprise, headed by Picard and Riker, reinscribes western, patriarchal notions of power.

Although praised for its realism, Saving Private Ryan glorifies American patriotism and heroism, excluding alternative perspectives.

Now it is your turn. Construct an interesting, compelling thesis using a fairy tale, television show, popular song, or movie.

Thesis statement practice

Brainstorm some ideas for the following topics below:

Careers

Things that are important to you

Issues going on in the world

August 30th

Bell ringer

Review this week’s vocabulary using the dice sheet

Continue reading the Crucible

Discuss possible themes in the Crucible and possible inferences based on what has been read thus far

August 30th seminar

Use whiteboards to review:

Vocabulary

Thesis statements

The Crucible

Bell ringer

It is said that the worst thing you can be is neutral. Do you think this statement is true, why or why not?

Theme

A central message, concern, or insight into life expressed through a literary work

Can be expressed by one or two sentence statement about human beings or about life

May be stated directly or impliedInterpretation uncovers the theme

Examples of Theme

Sometimes you just have bad timing. (Romeo and Juliet)

If you give someone something they will want something else. (If you

Give a Mouse a Cookie)

Love conquers all.

Nice guys finish last.

August 31st

Bell ringer

Take this week’s vocabulary quiz

Continue reading the Crucible and create a double bubble map that compares and contrasts the events in the play to something in modern times

Bell ringer

Give three examples of themes in literature or movies.