SOPHS: Google News Vocab Sentences (Oct. 31 classwork)

Vocabulary in-class and homework (if necessary) lesson

“Look up” using Google News any FIVE (5) words (from each unit 1, 2, and 3) for their usages in reputable news stories. “Window's” section of class work with words 1-10 and “doors'” work with 11-20.

Read the sentences in which your words appear—determine if they are used correctly---and then type, or copy and paste, the sentences into a document. BOLDFACE (and CAPITALIZE) the vocabulary words within the sentences. So for this first part of the assignment, you should have 15 sentences, 5 from each of the three units.

Then, read any ONE entire article. Choose an article that you may enjoy reading, not necessarily the first that appears. After reading the article, paraphrase its content in 3-5 sentences. Write this paraphrase AFTER the sentences you’ve posted. Be ready to talk about the article you read to the class. 

Finally, you will paste all of your sentences and your article paraphrase as a comment to a blog posted at Schoolsville. Your substitute teacher has a list of your vocabulary words in case you forgot your book. 

Complete this for homework if necessary.
Check MY SMHS over your three-day break. 

Creative Writing #1 Journal: Degas or Vermeer? Post by the end of class on Friday

La classe de danse (The Dancing Class) 1873-1875 Edgar Degas oil on canvas

                                                           The Star 1878 Edgar Degas

The Milkmaid 1658-1660 Johannes Vermeer oil on canvas

 

The Girl With The Pearl Earring (not dated) Johannes Vermeer

       In John Updike's The Lucid Eye in Silver Town, Jay and his Uncle Quin have a minor disagreement over which artist is better--the Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer or the French Impressionist Edgar Degas. The disagreement not only reveals Jay's early development of arrogance (he haughtily pronounces, "In terms of paint, I think Vermeer makes Degas look sick"), but also reveals something about Updike's own artistic vision. Assuming the young Jay might be a young John Updike (both showed early interest in fine art) and knowing Updike's typical characters and heroes,  one can assume that Updike's choice of Vermeer as Jay's favorite artist was carefully chosen. Like Vermeer, John Updike often makes the ordinary character his subject. Often bathed in a beautiful light or doing their jobs with concentration and care, Vermeer's ordinary servants and common laborers look extraordinary; likewise, Updike's heroes are common people dealing with common problems in uncommonly, extraordinary short stories and novels. Remember this: the modern writer, the modern artist, often attempts to make the ordinary extraordinary. The classical writer and artist had no use for the common man, peasant, serf, groundling, and certainly few women. His job was to write poems and plays about kings, nobles, religious leaders ... you know, the people who really mattered. That's what Brit Lit was all about, wasn't it, up until your study of Wordsworth and Shelly and Coleridge?

Now let's move on to our writing task. But first some questions to get you to perform a basic analysis of the paintings.

Analyze the painting in terms of its title, historical context, subject/theme, characters, color, light/shading, composition/perspective, symbols, and tone.

Which one of the paintings (shown above) do you prefer? Give your reasons, using the points of analysis that preceded this question.

How does the painting make you feel upon first glance?

Imagine the "story" that the painting tells.

If neither of these four paintings appeal to you, choose another by Degas or Vermeer (you can easily find them online) in order to complete this assignment. 

Write a good solid paragraph or creative piece responding to any ONE of these options. Write a minimum of 250 words. 

1.Why do you like one of the paintings, or prefer it to one of the others? Do not be intimidated if you do not understand too much about artistic composition.

2. Compare and contrast the Degas paintings with the Vermeers. Which artist do you prefer? Why? Be specific.

3. You are one of the characters in one of the paintings. Write a 250 word minimum interior monologue where we can "hear" your thoughts as you converse with yourself (in the first person) in the setting provided by the painting.

4. Compose a descriptive "set" piece in which you describe what you see in vivid prose language, using good concrete nouns, motion picture verbs, vivid images, and/or original figures of speech. No need to tell a story. Just write to set a particular mood.

Post by the end of class today. If you need some inspiration, read  some of the responses by the Class of 2014 in the October 2013 archives. 

SOPHS #1 Journal: Laugh, Think, and Cry (due Nov. 4)

Jim Valvano coached the North Carolina State Wolfpack to an upset victory in the 1983 NCAA men's basketball championship game. Valvano parlayed this victory along with his gift of public speaking to become one of the most likable and recognizable coaches in the land. A year later, I had the pleasure of listening to Valvano speak to a group of Delaware high school basketball coaches at an All Star banquet in Dover. Leaving the banquet hall that night, I thought to myself, "This guy is a natural born world shaker." Or something like that. He was THAT impressive a speaker.

Though his future teams were always competitive, North Carolina State would never come close again to matching the success of the fantasy 1983 season.

In 1992 Valvano developed cancer, his toughest and most insidious foe yet. A year later, ten years after his national championship, his body ravaged with cancerous tumors, Valvano fought for his life, not only to win his own battle, but also to get donations for cancer research. At the 1993 ESPY's Awards, ESPN awarded Valvano the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. 
Hearing Valvano's speech at the ESPYs will make you laugh, think, and cry--three things--according to Valvano, that you should do every day.


In that speech Valvano announced the beginning of the Jimmy V Foundation, his charity to fund cancer research. Though Valvano passed away soon after his moving speech, the foundation is still active and important today, annually raising millions of dollars. An early season NCAA men's basketball tournament, almost always featuring announcer Dick Vitale, benefits the cause.

As a speaker, Valvano is a great storyteller. One small part of his method was the use of the "power of threes." This rhetorical "trick" lists three (or sometimes more) items in parallel structure. An example is the famous line of Caesar (not Valvano), "I came, I saw, I conquered." Take note for Valvano's use of "threes" in his speech. 

Valvano also makes effective allusions to sports greats Arthur Ashe and Vince Lombardi. Find out who these men were if you don't already know. 

Your assignment: listen to the speech (click on this link) and read the words to the speech at this link. Write your journal by responding to the following prompt (MINIMUM OF 250 WORDS):

Analyze the speech according to pathos, ethos, and logos. You should be able to write a short paragraph about each of the three. What strategy is most effective? Support your answer citing key lines from the speech, maybe your favorite lines. Warning: the speech is very emotional. 

Sophs: Silly and Serious Associations

cavort---something that Alex did as he left the room one day

credence--like the part of the name of a 70s band--"Bad Moon Rising"

decry

dissemble

distraught

eulogy--mispronounced eugoogaly by the dumb male model Zoolander

evince

exhume--like the purported remains of Christof Columbus

feckless

murky

nefarious

piquant---like spicy foods, Hispanic, Asian, Cajun, etc. 

primordial

propinquity--Twin Cities a great example

substantive

unwonted--rare and unusual, as in how rarely people remember what the word means

utopian--perfect society, opposite is dystopian

verbiage--lots of words, too many words, the root "verb" means word

verdant--somewhat I got off track and we watched Pete the Cat on this one

viscous--like motor oil, gelatin, maybe quicksand

All Classes: Check My SMHS (or My Smoohs) for Assignments and Test

Last week of the marking period. Check My SMHS  for assignments and test updates.

ALL classes: print out journals to turn in on Wednesday.

ALL Seniors: test on Thursday. Details at My SMHS.

SOPHS: Vocabulary unit 3 sentences due Monday Oct. 20

Post BEFORE CLASS ON Monday ten (10) sentences using ten different vocabulary words correctly, giving a context clue to the meaning of the word within your sentence. You will be graded on the quality of your sentences. 

Door Rows should work with words 1-10; Window Rows should work with words 11-20.

Your context clue should use restatement, contrast, or inference (see p.7  of your vocab book if you need help with these).

Of course, identify yourself according to your first name, last initial, and section color.

e.g. Usually slightly nervous and uncertain, most ninth graders entering St. Mark's are somewhat taciturn during their initial days in school.

Journal #3: For ALL SENIORS (Creative Writing and Modern American Themes): Research Kick-Off

Once your research paper topic is approved, you should start researching and reading up on your topic. Many of you, if not ALL of you, will probably have to narrow your topic so that it is more focused. Your early research should help to accomplish this focus.

For Monday, Oct. 20, write (and post here at Schoolsville) a minimum of 250 words as to why you have chosen your research paper topic, what approach you might take (persuasive, analytical, argumentative, compare-contrast, etc.), what your subtopics might be, and where you intend to research (books, magazines, journals, web sites, databases, etc.).

Posting this on time and fulfilling the requirements is worth 5 points.

SOPHS: Blog now due first thing on Tuesday!

Spirit Day "break" for you.

Finish the sheet with the grammar mistakes that you began in class. Bring your vocab book tomorrow (complete unit 3 up through sentence completions). ... and... your blog is now due Tuesday instead of tomorrow. Go Spartans!

Seniors Creative Writing: Some Thoughtful Responses to the John Updike Interview

Quotes from your classmates:

There is this mistakenly presumed idea that creative writing needs to be outlandish and original in order to qualify as such. 

Just as Updike did, I grew up thinking I wanted to be something other than what I’ve chosen.

He quotes D.H Lawrence who says the purpose of novels is to extend a reader’s sympathy. It is through novels and literature we have a chance to come into contact with different walks of life that we would have been able to experience otherwise.

When you get asked by Harvard to teach a class it is hard to refuse. 

 Like any sport, hobby, or talent, writing requires practice and outstanding habits. “An hour say -- or more -- a day,” as Updike proposes, maintains consistency, an important characteristic of dignified authors. 

 This part of the interview made me realize that I have something in common with this amazing author: a love of reading at a young age.

John Updike mentions how he realizes how lucky he is to have grown up in an America where he doesn't have to be afraid of the government.

During the weekdays my routine was the same; get home from school, get a snack, do my homework, and get the book I was reading at the time to my “reading stump” in the woods down by the creek.

 As Updike states, you become a better person as a result of reading about people and things that are unfamiliar to you. 

Having all eyes on you growing up is a lot of pressure. 

 While thinking about what Updike said, I thought of how when one is afraid to speak, one thinks. A world that is quieter and closer to silence than noise is full of observations. 

It was humorous to me that he didn’t want to be a poet because there is no living there because I have always thought the same 

When writing fiction, John Updike mentioned how you can’t just write what you know. Something must be different so that your imagination is fully engaged, and you can invent another life to some extent

Nothing grinds my gears more than the improper uses of “there” and “their” or “your” and “you’re”. It probably all started with my second grade teacher, Mrs. Losito.

 I definitely agree with Updike’s assessment that fiction must be a combination of writing what you know and new twists that you incorporate with your own experiences

There is nothing worst than a group of elitists that won’t take criticism and advice from anyone else.

Sometimes we get so invested in characters and never want anything bad to happen to them—we care about them. 

 It would be wrong to teach kids that they can do anything they want and be successful in life. A better lesson for kids would be to work hard in school but never lose sight of what you love.

We as humans choose to find fault in ourselves and we move throughout life searching for the big moment that defines us. But really if we take the time to slow down it will become apparent that thing small daily occurrences are the big things. John Updike understands this. His writing pays attention to the average person and what their life entails. 

 Sometimes your thoughts don’t seem to make sense, but once you write them down, you are able to see them and process these thoughts more efficiently.

I have made connections with characters in novels before, but have not thought about them as people that I would unexpectedly meet at a cocktail party. 

 I loved reading someone else’s point of view being raised in a family unlike my own.

 He truly has a passion for his work, so much so that he can’t imagine life without writing. It’s not a job to him, nor a source of income. Rather, it is a root of contentment and pleasure. John Updike’s vocation is his vacation. 

I believe that it is important to extend our talents farther than our own experiences from time to time, allowing a writer to enhance his or her creativity

In Updike's story A&P, Sammy tries to be the knight in shining army for a girl he has only seen a few times. He puts his future on the line and just goes for it. Sammy quits and realizes that his world will become harder. Updike went into writing fictional stories knowing that it would be hard to succeed because he knew that not everybody who tried to write actually got published but he took the chance and eventually made it.

People love to laugh. There’s something biological about it that people can’t go without it. In some degree, it’s as vital as sleeping or even drinking water.

I want to be able to read about an adventure or a conflict that I would never get to experience in my life.

Books are my escape from reality at times when I need a break from the rest of the world.

 I hope to work on my ability to public speak more effectively throughout the years and improve just like Updike claims that he did.

Modern American Themes

Go to this link to see the Wordle that I created from the notecards you turned in that contained some Modern American Themes.

You might get an idea here for your research paper.

Sophs #4 journal: Blue Laws and Honor Codes (due Friday)

In 1723, Jonathan Edwards wrote seventy resolutions for personal growth that he reviewed once per week.

Here are two resolutions that I'd like you to examine:

Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord's day.

Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

Puritans kept holy the Sabbath, the Lord's day. This meant not only attending services and suspending the daily workload, but also, in some communities, observing a more strict code of conduct that forbade activities like dancing. Some of these laws remain on the books today --they're known as Blue Laws, laws that essentially legislate old-fashioned religious beliefs.

Puritans also believed in public censure, publicly and formally naming, condemning, and sometimes banishing sinners and criminals. So it was perfectly fine "to speak evil of someone" if "some real good" would come from it--like the discovery of a cattle thief, a cheater, or even a witch. Some schools, mostly religious and service academies (like Brigham Young University and West Point), have honor codes, where the entire school community is in charge of policing virtues like honesty and chastity. What you might call "snitching" might be considered a moral duty to keeping the community clean.

Respond to one of these three prompts:

1. Research blue laws and/or honor codes to find where they are still present today. Even better would be to find recent news articles where these legacies of Puritanism have been tested (hint: try Google News). Write a synopsis of your research and/or discuss the pros and cons of any of these blue laws or honor codes that you have found through research. 

2. If you're a man or woman more interested in providing solutions than in researching problems, then, as an alternative assignment, tell me how you think an honor code (one that promotes academic integrity and NOT stealing) might (or might not) work at St. Mark's. Got integrity, anyone?

3. Again, like #2, you want to be proactive. Brainstorm and then write your ideas to foster a climate of integrity at St. Mark's, going beyond the Honor Code idea. How can we foster integrity in everything that we do? Clubs, sports, performing arts, academic classes, general behavior? 

... as always, 250 words or more