Deep Thoughts, with Mrs. Eddy

Thank you class, for diving in! I am talking to each student about the depth of their analysis on the writing we have been doing in class.  There is still some time to re-write and improve your score for the gradebook after I speak with you.
Crossing the Border Write: Due Thursday
Hand in the outline for your essay (Thesis statement, focus idea for each paragraph and notes on the evidence you will use, Conclusion: Why does this matter to the text as a whole?)

Make a Connection

Today you were to read another student's writing on the connection they saw betwen the text and the analysis methods in "How to Read..." Please write one insightful comment about what your student wrote-- respond thoughtfully to your feloow scholar's ideas. We will trade papers back tomorrow. Today we also took a quick look at oxymoron-- more on that tomorrow (HA!).
Mrs. E

Go Deep!

As I read the in-class paragraphs this afternoon, the number one thing that struck me was the need for students to delve deeper, rather than wider, in their search for meaning within texts.  I would like to offer an extended metaphor (glossary word!) to illustrate my point.

This superb individual is a symbolic of the "King of the Shallow" kind of guy-- the student who writes well but displaces rather than penetrates the waters of literary analysis.
See video
Now, here is a guy who really intends to go head first into the deep end, but is tied up in timidity:
See video
By comparison (metaphorically, of course) take a look at the wonders that await you if you really take the reader of your analysis paragraphs and essays on a dive into the deep, blue ocean of literary discovery. This video is a little fuzzier, but there you have it-- possibilities rather than pat answers.  Please enjoy!
See video
Let's get deep!  Mrs. E

Monday and Tuesday were busy!

Monday we added some "tone words" to our working list, and we read a short story called "First Day." I also handed out the Literary Term Glossary assignment that goes all year, we will get more detail on Wednesday about grading and due dates.  We wrapped up our thinking about "The School Children" by writing a practice thesis statement.
Tuesday: We read Marginalia by Billy Collins, practiced close reading and notes with the first paragraph of All the Pretty Horses, took part of that work home, and took a short quiz/writing prompt relating one of the chapters from "How to Read . . ." to specific aspects of the first 59 pages of APH.
Wednesday: Be ready for more narrative POV talk, a close examination of the glossary assignment and another chance to write about APH.  YES!!!
Mrs. E

Syllabus, Syllabus, Syllabus, Mine!

Finally-- I can post a competent version for you!  Please read and direct any questions to me via email or when we discuss this briefly in class.  Thanks for waiting so patiently!
Syllabus: AP Literature

Pretty Horses News

Three exciting items (sorry for the delay in posting--unavoidable tech mess).
1- I got the last order, finally, of used books.  They finally came through, and there are ten of them. If you still need a used copy of All the Pretty Horses, see me on Monday.
2- The reading schedule for All the Pretty Horses is posted here.
3- The journal assignment for All the Pretty Horses is posted here.
Since I am a bit late getting this up, I will give one extra day to get the first journal done.  That means that by Tuesday, September 13th, everyone will have the first TWO journal entries finished (through page 59).
I hope you are enjoying the text and, as always, feel free to read as far ahead as you wish.
See you tomorrow,
Mrs. E

I will Post Journal Writes for All the Pretty Horses....

I will get the journal assignment and the class syllabus linked up from home tonight.  this school computer will not do it for me---pulling my hair out!  Thanks for checking in, and I will get it handled ASAP.  Enjoy the text!
Mrs. Eddy