november 30

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write a commercial for Fahrenheit 451.  What images would you show?  What music would you play?  What 3-5 ideas would you share to get people interested enough to buy and read the book?


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Fahrenheit 451 questions
3. pp. 86-98

november 29

JOURNAL TOPIC:
As we get deeper into Fahrenheit 451, it seems that Montag is exploring a side of himself that's been hidden for a long time.  As you consider his character, and people in your life, and even yourself, ask yourself these questions: What makes a person "hard core" or gentle? Are such qualities innate or learned? Can they be changed?  How?


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Fahrenheit 451 questions
3. pp. 75-90

TODAY'S QUESTIONS:

20. Bradbury’s use of fire is clearly important. Explain the literal and the metaphorical meaning of the
    following: “‘You ever see a burned house? It smolders for days. Well, this fire’ll last me the rest of my
    life. God! I’ve been trying to put it out, in my mind, all night. I’m crazy with trying’”(48).
    
21. Beatty’s history of the fireman’s job is a critical section of this novel. According to Beatty, why did
    people turn away from reading? Do you agree with his assessment? Explain.
    
22. Beatty says, “‘...the public, knowing what it wanted, spinning happily, let the comic books survive. And
    the three-dimensional sex magazines, of course. There you have it, Montag, It didn’t come from the Government down. There was no dictum, no declaration, no censorship, to start with, no! Technology, mass exploitation, and minority pressure carried the trick, thank God!’” (55). If Beatty is correct, what are the implications for modern society?
    
23. He also says, “‘We must all be alike...Each man the image of every other; then all are happy, for there are no mountains to make them cower, to judge themselves against. So! A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon’” (55-56). Analyze these lines carefully and paraphrase Beatty – what is he truly saying?
    
24. In the end, Beatty sums up his lecture by telling Montag that the only thing standing between society and the unhappiness that would inevitably result if people had to think for themselves is the fireman system. Yet Beatty is clearly a well-educated man. Explain the juxtaposition using specific details from the text.
    
25. What does Montag’s realization that he does not like the other firemen, nor does he like himself (64) imply?
    
26. Explain how the following motifs or themes are introduced in the first chapter: ignorance/self-deception, alienation, mindlessness, reflection, censorship, conformity, the journey/quest, and guilt.
    

november 28

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Why is the light bulb such a popular symbol/metaphor for an idea? Do you experience ideas as sudden occurrences, or as the product of gradual (even painstaking) processes?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
* Complete testing*
2. Literature circles: a)status, check-in, and planning for five roles
3. Continue reading

POST:
What stays with you after you read?  What doesn't?  (title: STAYING POWER)

literature circles

These are the guidelines for the literature circles I have used with students in the past.  How can we use and update this to help us in our work?

_____________________________

Here are the roles/responsibilities for the Literature Circles.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember to organize your notes by reading assignment (so that each section of your group's binder follows the order of the book), and please also remember to write the PAGE NUMBER(S) where you find the question, passage, word, connection, or idea worth researching. That way we can find it later.

LITERATURE CIRCLES
During this unit you will be in charge of studying a novel as a member of a group. Each group has determined a reading schedule that will enable them to complete the novel by the due date we set in class. Because this will require work outside school, every member of every group has exchanged contact information and agreed to fulfill their commitments. Each of you has also agreed with your colleagues to take responsibility for the following tasks for each reading assignment:

• DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Identify at least three "deep" questions for each reading that would be worth thinking about out loud with the group;
• OUTSTANDING PASSAGES: Choose at least two passages that stand out, either because they are important to the book (like foreshadowing or character description), or examples of literary elements we have discussed (like symbolism or allusion), or just outstanding writing that you want your group to see;
• VOCABULARY: Write down and define any unfamiliar words or familiar words that are used in unfamiliar ways (for example, on the 7th line of p.7 in the novel Of Mice and Men, George says, “Well, I ain’t gonna remind ya, fear ya do it again.” Fear is a familiar word, but the use here—which is grammatically incorrect but designed to be authentic dialogue—means “for fear” or “I am afraid”). There is no minimum or maximum number of vocabulary words, but you should make CERTAIN that every member of your group understands every word you read—there will be a test to make sure…
• CONNECTIONS: Identify at least three connections per reading between the book and other books you have read, current events, or your own life.
• RESEARCH: Look up background information (online and at the library) on the author, the publication of the book, and any factual references in the book (such as places, people, events and terms) that will help you understand it.

Your group is responsible for keeping a binder with sections for each of these roles (i.e., one tab for discussion questions, one for passages, one for vocabulary, one for connections, and one for background research). Each section should be divided by reading assignment, so that it is easy to find exactly what we’re looking for when we need it (and we WILL need it!). Below each set of questions/passages/words/connections/research you bring to your group for each reading assignment, you should have a header titled DISCUSSION NOTES. This is the place to write down new ideas that come up during your conversation with your group. Because our purpose is to share information to get new ideas, you must have at least two new ideas per section per reading.

Upon completion of the novel and your notes you will be graded—and you will grade the other members of your group—and you will be assigned the final projects for this unit. It will be difficult if not impossible to complete the final projects without diligently maintaining your binder, so be sure you keep it up to date.

november 27

JOURNAL TOPIC: Analyze the following passage from Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.  How does Bradbury's use of syntax convey differences in narrative perspective?  How does his use of figurative language convey meaning?

As he stood there the sky over the house screamed. There was a tremendous ripping sound as if two giant hands had torn ten thousand miles of black linen down the seam. Montag was cut in half. He felt his chest chopped down and split apart. The jet-bombs going over, going over, going over, one two, one two, one two, six of them, nine of them, twelve of them, one and one and one and another and another and another, did all the screaming for him. He opened his own mouth and let their shriek come down and out between his bared teeth. The house shook. The flare went out in his hand. The moonstones vanished. He felt his hand plunge toward the telephone. The jets were gone. He felt his lips move, brushing the mouthpiece of the phone. "Emergency hospital." A terrible whisper. 

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Independent reading/ Read 180
3. Literature Circles

november 26

JOURNAL TOPIC:
It's been a long time.  Describe what you remember from this course. Describe what you did over the Thanksgiving break to support your success in this course and your learning in general.  Describe how you think we should pick up where we left off.

AGENDA:
1. Journal/discussion
2. The book: looking back and moving ahead
3. Your Big Question

POST:
1. How well did you remember what we've read so far? (title: MY MEMORY OF READING)

2. Describe your Big Question (title: MY BIG QUESTION/ NOVEMBER) 

november 16

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Some holidays are worth celebrating every day.  Feeling grateful makes us happier, healthier, and more productive, so why not celebrate Thanksgiving today?  Think of something/someone for whom you are truly grateful, and use today's journal time to give thanks.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Fahrenheit 451: reading and questions / part three

fahrenheit 451 questions/ part three

20. Describe the types of activities that are practiced by the young people of the society. What do these activities reveal about the culture?
    
21. What happens to the people the firemen visit as they perform their work?
    
22. The firemen’s book, the brief histories of the Firemen of America is filled with ironies. What is ironic
    about this text?
    
23. As the reader accompanies Montag to his first fire scene, he/she meets an old woman who lights her
    books and her house on fire. Just prior to this act, she says, “‘“Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out”’”(33). Explain Bradbury’s allusion. What is the woman’s intention in burning her own home?
    
24. In this same scene, Bradbury builds a simile in which he compares books to birds. What is the effect of the comparison?
    
25. What crime does Montag commit during this episode? Why does he do it?
    
26. What does the reader learn about the fire captain, Beatty, on the ride back to the fire station?
    
27. Following the death of the old woman, Montag returns home and realizes that Millie “was so strange he
    couldn’t believe he knew her at all” (39). He then wonders how she came to be so empty (41). Why does
    he feel this way?
    
28. Describe the function of the parlor walls. What are the implications if most citizens in F451 possess
    these parlors?
    
29. There are two interesting things about Millie’s announcement of Clarisse McClellan’s death. One is her
    choice of words when telling Montag, and the other is her description of the manner of death. Explain
    why these two elements are significant.
    
30. Describe Millie’s reaction to Montag’s story about the death of the old woman. What does Millie’s
    reaction and Montag’s frustration with it indicate about each character?
    

fahrenheit 451 questions/ part two

10. What does Montag realize about himself after Clarisse leaves him the first time?
    
11. What are “Seashells” and how does Montag’s wife, Mildred/Millie, use them?
    
12. There is a stark difference between Bradbury’s first description of Clarisse and his first description of
    Mildred. What does the reference to her face (11) signify and how does it contribute to our
    understanding of both her character and the marriage between Montag and Mildred?
    
13. Describe the machine used on Mildred. Explain the symbolism.
    
14. Montag’s comment that “Nobody knows anyone” (14) is telling. What is the epiphany he has?
    
15. Unthinkingly, Montage finds himself drawn to the window of the McClellan household. Explain the
    contrast between his house and this one. What does the contrast tell the reader about society at large?
    
16. Montag’s confused statement, “‘I don’t know anything anymore’” (15) signifies a pivotal moment in the
    text. Explain.
    
17. When Mildred wakes up from her near-death experience, she does not seem to remember what
    happened. Describe her mood at this point. Why has Bradbury characterized her this way? What does
    Millie’s conversation with Montag reveal about her?
    
18. Why does Clarisse visit the psychiatrist?
    
19. What is “the Hound” and what is its function? Why is Montag bothered by the Hound?
    

november 15

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What do you think or say when someone makes fun of your lunch?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Fahrenheit 451

*Answer questions (part two)
*Be ready to correct by 10:30
*Read to p.50 

fahrenheit 451 questions / part one

1. “The Hearth and the Salamander” seems an odd choice for a chapter title. Why do you suppose Bradbury chooses it? What connections is he creating? (hint: in mythology, the salamander is a fire lizard, said to be capable of starting and putting out fires)
   
2. The lines, “It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (1) tell the reader a great deal about the protagonist, Guy Montag. What assumptions can the reader make?
   
3. Bradbury’s use of metaphor and animal imagery begins on page one of the novel. He writes, “With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head...” (1). Why would he have chosen to characterize a fire hose as a “great python?” Is the imagery positive or negative?
   
4. Also on the first page, we learn that Montag’s fire-helmet is inscribed with the number 451. What is the symbolic importance of this number?
   
5. Explain how Clarisse McClellan is first described. What is it about her that immediately strikes Montag?
   
6. The names “Clarisse” and “Guy” are significant. How?
   
7. Clarisse questions Montag about his way of life. How does she question him, and how does he react to
   her questions?
   
8. During the first conversation between Clarisse and Montag the reader discovers several odd things about the society in which these two characters live. Describe at least three odd things we learn.
9. Montag employs two similes in thinking of Clarisse. What comparisons does he make and why?
   

november 14

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What do you think of when you see the word FUTURE?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. F. 451 questions
3. Read 180
4. Independent reading
5. ***CHOICES***
6. Continue Fahrenheit 451

november 13

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Every once in a while, often during moments of extreme stress, ordinary people do extraordinary things. What makes this possible? Can you apply this idea over the next few weeks to achieve your academic goals for the semester?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Quiz: "A Sound of Thunder" & "The Pedestrian"
3. Read 180
4. Independent reading
5. Introduction: Fahrenheit 451

november 9

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Eat the Rich" by Aerosmith; "Junk Food Junkie" by Larry Groce; "Eat It" Weird Al Yankovic]

Are "secret ingredients" ever a good thing, or just a cynical ploy that entices us to eat cheaply manufactured nastiness?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Read 180
3. Read/literature analysis
4. $50M slideshow work (LAST DAY)
5. Continue work on "Sound of Thunder" questions
6. Complete any missing/additional work in R book

november 8

JOURNAL TOPIC:
We all encounter emergencies-- illness, earthquakes, stalled cars, the occasional zombie apocalypse--so what can you do to be prepared? Describe planning or training for something that might actually happen.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. "Sound of Thunder" questions (I & II)
3. R Book
4. Literature analysis reading
5. Read 180
6. Compare/contrast themes ("Sound of Thunder" with your choice: Tangerine, your book, R book article, or "The Pedestrian")

sound of thunder questions (II)

1. What are some examples of personification giving human characteristics from the text?
2. What does Travis mean with his comment, "that's stretching luck"?
3. In the story of "A Sound of Thunder," what things have changed since the men travelled into the past?
4. Who is the President in 2055?
5. What are some things that have changed when the group of men came back from the safari? What different meanings can you give the story's title? 
6. What is the sound of thunder at the end of the story?  Can you think of more than one possibility?
7. What is the main conflict in Ray Bradbury's, "A Sound of Thunder"? 
8. Why do you think Travis is annoyed with Eckels? 
9. In "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury, is it fair for Eckels to die? 
10. What are three examples of characterization in "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury? 
11. How does Eckels react when he confronts the dinosaur? 
12. What did Eckels do in the past that has far-reaching consequences in "A Sound of Thunder"? 
13. What future technology does Bradbury include in "A Sound of Thunder"? 
14. What does the change in election results suggest about how American society has been altered?

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sound of thunder questions

1. What procedures do the safari guides take when time traveling? 
2. How does the discussion about mice foreshadow the conclusion of the story?
3. Once everyone returns from the safari, what does Eckles find on the bottom of his shoe?
4. How far back are they traveling?
5. How much does it cost to go on the safari?
6. How does the story compare to a safari or journey today? 
7. What is the role of the narrator in "A Sound of Thunder"?
8. Who is Travis? How would you describe him? 
9. Before the trip starts, why does the time travel company try to scare Eckles? 
10. How does the butterfly that Eckels steps on contribute to the theme of the short story? 
11. What is the personality of Travis?
12. What similes are used?  Give three examples. 
13. Whom might Travis be referring to as his royal majesty? 
14. Who were the two candidates for president of the United States?
15. How does Lesperance select the animals that can be hunted? 
16. Why does Eckels compare people to chess pieces?
17. What is Eckles's reaction to the Tyrannosaurus? 
18. Why must the hunters stay on the path and shoot selected animals? 
19. In "A Sound of Thunder," why was the walkway so important to the success of the safari and the world? 
20. What is the sound of thunder at the end of "A sound of thunder"?

november 7

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Think of someone for whom you feel nothing but enmity. Now imagine that tomorrow morning you wake up to discover that you and this person are two heads on the same body. Describe your day.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Read 180
3. Literature Analysis
4. "A Sound of Thunder"

some pedestrian questions

1. How is the title of this post a pun?
2. Why did Ray Bradbury write this story?
3. Describe the setting.
4. Describe Leonard Mead.
5. In what year does the story take place?
6. What is the tone of the story?
7. Were there lots of people out walking?  Why/why not?
8. What were the flickers of light in people's windows?
9. Who was in the car that stopped Leonard Mead?
10. How does the story end?

november 6

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Today is Election Day.  This election is the most important of my lifetime so far. (!)  What do you know about it?  Is it important to you?  Do you have any strong opinions about the candidates or the issues?  Will you vote when you have the legal right?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Tangerine: theme/s
3. "The Pedestrian"

november 5

JOURNAL TOPIC:
We describe characters all the time.  Whenever we relate a story about something that happened with other people to a person who wasn't there, we portray the other people as characters in that story.  Sometimes we describe them directly ("he's six feet tall" or "she was really angry"), and sometimes we describe them indirectly, in terms of what they said, or did, or how others reacted to them.  Think of something that happened to you over the weekend in the presence of other people.  Write a paragraph about it.  Then, choose one character and analyze your own work: did you describe this person directly or indirectly?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Tangerine: Select five examples in which the author describes Paul.  For each example, determine whether the author is using direct or indirect characterization.

WRITE:
On a piece of paper, write each example of characterization you selected.  Explain whether each is direct or indirect, and give your reasons why.  (title: WHAT A CHARACTER.  First sentences: "In Tangerine, author Edward Bloor goes to great lengths to describe the character of Paul.  He uses both direct and indirect characterization to help the reader get to know Paul.  Here are some examples.")

3. Keep reading and let's see if we can finish the book in period 4!

november 2

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "My Hero" by the Foo Fighters; "Heroes" by David Bowie]

Heroes are essential to humanity. Every culture throughout history has chronicled their exploits. Today their role is more important than ever; heroes inspire us to think differently, act differently, and ultimately become better versions of ourselves. Even though everyone gets the general idea of a hero, the people we admire are as individual as we are. They may have impressive personalities, intellects or physical attributes; they may be ordinary people who do  extraordinary things; they may be public or private. They may even be our friends and relatives.

Write a letter to someone you consider to be a hero. Explain to this person why s/he is heroic and tell the person how s/he has moved or inspired you.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Tangerine 

*As we reach the end of the book, think about the theme/s so that you can write about them and we can discuss.

national novel writing month

Anyone who manages to complete a novel this month will earn no less than a B on the semester report card.  More details at the website: https://nanowrimo.org/about

november 1

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes:  "What's He Building in There?" by Tom Waits; "Halloween (Michael Myers) Theme" by John Carpenter]

Since it's Dia de los Muertos, two options (one for each face):
1. What role does fear (of death, of loss, of discovery) play in Tangerine?  What role does it play in your own life and decision-making process?
2. What masks do people wear in everyday life, i.e., how/why/when do we intentionally adopt personae that serve purposes other than reflecting who we are with integrity?
3. As you think about the tunes of the day, what is it about what the storyteller DOESN'T say that creates suspense? 

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Read 180
3. R book
4. Tangerine