Found in an obscure file folder location:

Quarter 2 eval results.

A letter to you.

Class,

Apparently you have other classes. Weird. I'm mindful that your lives aren't (yet) spent engulfed in and embracing literature every waking moment of the day. I'd be lying if I said that this didn't disappoint me just a bit, but I've cried and I'm over it. Mostly.

I have been thinking about revising the reading skedj for a few days now. We're getting too far ahead in the reading and we need to catch up in class. (For the most part, that's my fault, not yours.) Because of the ease and flow of the narrative, I thought the reading would move along quickly and at a manageable pace. That said, annotating and reading closely certainly slow a reader down and as you might presume, I wouldn't want for any of us (myself included) to go light on the annotations.

So basically, in short, I'll revise the reading assignments and update the class accordingly on Wednesday.

And as if you didn't have enough to read, check out this Stop—Grammar Time! feature: Celebrating the Semicolon in a Most Unlikely Location." It is a recent New York Times article that ought to get you on the grammar bandwagon. Thankfully, there's hope for the semicolon after all...

See you all in class,

—El Jefe.

"Piano Lesson" at the Penumbra.

A remdiner that Tuesday, March 4 we'll be going to the Penumbra Theatre to see The Piano Lesson, an August Wilson's play that, like Fences and many of his other works, offers audiences a unique opportunity to examine American history through the prism of the African American experience.

Check out the The Piano Lesson study guide.

Catcher notes.

Post your group notes from Monday's class here. Once each group has posted, fill in your individual handout accordingly.

Groups:

1. Becca, John, Scott, & Taylor: physical description & other characteristics | narrative language & tone.
2. Adam, Eric, Kelins, & Shaina: family, friends, acquaintances, & other characters | themes.
3. Christopher, Maddie, Nina, & Tyler: symbols, metaphors, & other literary devices.
4. Andi, Carly, Jack, & Nik: allusions.

Miscellany.

1. The Hennepin County Library has over a dozen copies of August Wilson's "Piano Lesson." If you do not have a library card and would like to check it out, please let me know and I will check it out for you.
2. "Good-by" is not a misspelling of "good-bye." Both are acceptable, as is "goodbye" and "goodby."
3. "Ironical" is a word. It is an adjective derivative of "ironic" (also an adjective).

Taking "In Rotation" requests.

What's getting heavy play in your rotation? Hard bop? Dub and rock steady? Alt-rock and rock-a-billy? Ambient? Swedish black metal? Show tunes? The Juno soundtrack?

Who's getting heavy play in your rotation? All the Usual Tropes? The Deadly Potholes? DoppleGangstas? Perpetuating Irony? Ryan Hogan & the Pillar of Bees? Trapdoor Survivalists? The Wounded Butterflies?

Post a group or artist, song, or genre that you'd like for me to add to the "In Rotation" section of the sidebar at right.

Supplements to "Twilight, Los Angeles."

• "Riot Act, April 29, 1992," a poem by Ai.
• "April 29, 1992 (Miami)," a song by Sublime.

MPR's "Talking Volumes" with Sherman Alexie.

Author Sherman Alexie recently ventured into young adult literature with two new books, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Flight. His books are sharp observations of growing up Indian among whites.

Alexie joined Kerri Miller on the stage of the Fitzgerald Theater on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007.

Listen to the program: Talking Volumes with Sherman Alexie.

Homework for Monday, 2.11.

Read and annotate the Adrian C. Louis poems. (Download them under the "Quarter Three Class Documents" section located on the sidebar to the right.)

Then, in your notebook, compare and contrast one of the poems to Alexie's "What You Pawn..." short story from last week. Go beyond the typical "How are they similar?" and "In what ways are they different?" questions. Consider the following question instead: How do the poems "speak" to one another, thematically and otherwise?

Homework for Friday 2.8.

1. One Word, Revisited.
Do you remember the one word you chose to describe "What You Pawn I Will Redeem" from Monday's class?

What one word would you use to describe it now? Do not chose the same word from Monday. No synonyms either!


2. Based on your observations of Wednesday's discussion, complete the sentence below.
For the remainder of the semester, one thing I can do in discussions is ________?________. I will know that I have accomplished this when ________?________. (In other words, how will you know you've accomplished this?)

3. Snapshot Essay. (See "Quarter Three Class Documents" below for a detailed handout.) Please submit it as an email attachment or to my dropbox on the mamabear server.

Directions for Wednesday's TASC.

We'll use Wednesday's class period to finish up with Sherman Alexie short story, "What You Pawn I Will Redeem."

Wednesday's homework, then, will be to go to the Forum during the first half of TASC (the full TASC period runs from 1:05-1:50). There, you will observe 6-7 juniors discussing the short story. You will be expected to take notes on the observable features of the discussion and to consider whether or not the characteristics contribute to an effective discussion. It is my hope that observing a discussion will help you to further conceptualize and reinforce the purposes of and means by which to accomplish success in a discussion.

Find an online copy of the short story here: Sherman Alexie's "What You Pawn I Will Redeem."

A Prelude to the Much Anticipated (and Much Delayed) "Stop—Grammar Time!"

Get to know parts of speech. Parts of speech are to the sentence what engine components are to a vehicle. If this analogy were on the SAT, it would appear as follows: parts of speech : sentences :: engine components: vehicle. In each instance, each part has a specific purpose and things break down if they're not used correctly or go too long without maintenance. Below is a "Parts of Speech" song you should try to get stuck in your head. "Parts of Speech" is written and produced by Boy Iowa and filmed by Son Wisconsin.

Augsburg College Invitational Reading.

On Wednesday, April 9, 2008, Augsburg College will host its 23rd Annual High School Invitational Reading. All high school students are invited to submit their best work. You may submit up to two poems and/or one prose piece. Winning submissions will earn an invite to a luncheon where students will read their work publicly. In addition, finalists will earn a Barnes & Noble's gift certificates and Augsburg t-shirts. Beyond that, the two best poets and two best prose writers will be awarded tickets to the Guthrie, Theater in the Round, or the Walker Art Center.

Guidelines for submissions:

• Submissions must be submitted on 8 1/2" x 11" paper, typed or computer printed, in 12-point font, and double-spaced.
• Poetry submissions should not exceed 100 lines in length; prose submissions must not exceed four pages.
• All submissions should be suitable for public reading.
  

Submissions deadline is Wednesday, March 10, 2008.

Mail submission to:
Augsburg College
English Dept., C.B. 59
Attn: High School Invitational Reading
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454

Today in class ...

Upon entering class ...
Individual Free Write: Turn to p. viii. Read the last paragraph. Then, in your English notebook, spend 20-25 minutes reflecting upon and responding to the questions raised. Find at least one significant passage (approx. ½ page of text) that supports your response.

Before leaving class ...

1. Turn in your Fences annotations.
2. Pick up Sherman Alexi’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem.”
   

Homework.

1. Check email later this aft for ABC Comic Life identity project grade and comment.
2. Complete any blog posts you are missing from this week, regardless of whether it was late or due to an absence. Same goes for Q2 eval.
3. Read and annotate Sherman Alexi’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem.”
   

Homework for Friday, 2.1.

Post a response to the following:

Compare what you know about Troy to Wilson's references* of Milwaukee Braves' player and until recently, the Major Leagues home run champ, Hank Aaron. Explore their similarities and differences. Aspects to consider: dreams and aspirations, outcomes, the fence as a symbol, baseball as a metaphor, and historical context.

Be sure to provide page number citations.

* Use the entire text, including the pages the precede the actual play.

About "Homerun" Henry (Hank) Aarons.

“Trying to throw a fastball by Henry Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster.” — Curt Simmons

Exhibiting an understated style that became his trademark, Hank Aaron became the all-time home run champion via one of the most consistent offensive careers in baseball history, with 3,771 hits. In addition to his 755 home runs, he also holds major league records for total bases, extra-base hits and RBI. Aaron was the 1957 National League MVP, won three Gold Gloves for his play in right field and was named to a record 24 All-Star squads. —From the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum.

Homework for Thursday, 1.31.

Generate a discussion question from Act One, Scene 3 through Act Two, Scene 1. Post to blog. Again, your discussion question must be narrow in focus and address a significant symbol, metaphor, or passage of dialogue.

Also, remember to complete the survey and your annotations by class time this Friday (read complete details under the 1.26 post below).

Homework for Wednesday, 1.30 & Friday, 2.1. (It's not as much as it appears to be.)

Before class Wednesday, post to the blog:

1. Your answers to Monday’s in-class work, specifically:
• three major symbols (and your explanations) from “Setting.”
• 2-3 questions you generated from “The Play.” Then, attempt to answer them.
2. A discussion question from Act One, Scenes 1-2. Your discussion question must be narrow in focus and address a significant symbol, metaphor, or passage of dialogue.
   

Also, by Friday:

1. Complete the Quarter 2 Eval.
2. Revisit your Fences annotations (I will collect them on Friday) and improve accordingly. Specifically, they should:
1. Mark significant passages; highlight key words, images, and patterns.
2. Raise questions in the margins.
3. Draw connections with page number references (for example, “See page xx for ...”).
   

Thanks.

Growing Up Chinese, Graphically.

Gene Luen Yang recently spoke with NPR about his graphic novel, American Born Chinese, the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award. Listen to the program and view an audio slide show at:
Growing Up Chinese, Graphically.

Also, hip-hop artist Jin is the first Asian-American rapper to release a major-label record. His new CD, The Rest is History, challenges negative images of people of Chinese heritage in American culture. More at: Asian-American Rapper Jin Makes Hip-Hop History.

Visual supplement to Kelins' presentation.

Click here for PDF.

Didactic Statement.
Here is my paragraph to explain my Symbol. It includes some difference between the two countries. And I use the form of symbolization to make it clear and interesting.

Here are a few examples: The first one shows the difference between the ways that American and Chinese use to give suggestion. American are usually much more direct. And Chinese usually try as mild and indirect as they can. Then look at the fourth, it shows interpersonal relations. You can tell that Chinese interpersonal relations are much more complicated. It’s because the situation of the society.

The seventh shows the difference of ego. Americans’s ego are bigger than Chinese. Chinese people are used to giving in to others. And I found that American usually not. And look at the next one. That’s the difference that pretty much everyone knows. You can always see a lot of people on the street in China at any time. But you never see here except for State Fair. —Kelins