ON "National Emblem"

Audio for “National Emblem”

Marches Madness: From Trash Can To Flagpole

March 25, 201310:47 AM ET by Tom Huizenga

It's Marches Madness! Throughout this month, we're posting some of our favorite marches — from the concert hall, opera stage and parade ground. Got one we should hear? Played any yourself? Let us know in the comments section.

I could sing a smidgen of Edwin Eugene Bagley's National Emblem before I even knew what a march was.

As a very young grade-schooler, I heard a little ditty — "Oh, the monkey wrapped his tail around the flagpole" — on the playground, but I was blissfully unaware of either the famous march it was attached to or the naughty lyrics that followed. It was just a fun line to warble now and again. (If you don't know it, the line corresponds to the short melismatic phrase first heard 44 seconds into this United States Air Force Heritage of America Band performance.)

Who can say how the words and the music became linked — surely not by Bagley himself, but you never know. In the 1860s, before he reached his teens, Bagley toured as a singer and comedian with a troupe called Leavitt's Bellringers. Later, he took up the cornet and trombone and eventually played with the Boston Symphony.

Bagley wrote many marches, but none that captured American pride like the National Emblem. With its bright beat and clever transformation of The Star Spangled Banner it became a favorite, still heard often on the Fourth of July.
But Bagley wasn't happy with his National Emblem at first. He wrote it on tour in 1902 on a train, the story goes. Dissatisfied with the ending, he threw it in the trash, but his band members rescued it and surprised him with a performance at their next concert. He sold the copyright for $25.

¶ on Arletta: "Adventures of an Indian Princess"

Post your paragraph as a comment to this blog entry.

When you click on the comment bubble, Squarespace should launch a comment box, into which you can paste your paragraph. Once you click on “Submit,” you can comment as a guest. Type your first and last name, and your NEW TRIER email address. You should leave the URL box BLANK, and then hit “submit.”

¶ on Sherlock: Why is he an effective detective?

Post your paragraph as a comment to this blog entry.

When you click on the comment bubble, Squarespace should launch a comment box, into which you can paste your paragraph. Once you click on “Submit,” you can comment as a guest. Type your first and last name, and your NEW TRIER email address. You should leave the URL box BLANK, and then hit “submit.”

Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Speckled Band

Watch the great, late Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes in “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” above.

You can also access the following resources here:

• A copy of the short story, should you lose your hard copy;

• A study guide to solving this particular mystery;

• An audio file of the short story being read.

• Homage to Sherlock via Star Trek TNG: Elementary, My Dear Data

Sign up for a FREE Squarespace Account

Today, students should enroll for a FREE account on squarespace using your New Trier email address. Start by going to this link . Once there, enter your school information:

• Enter your first and last name

• Enter your NEW TRIER email address

• Create a password that only YOU will know.

• From there, you can log into squarespace, and should easily be able to post comments to my public squarespace account.

¶ about one of Christopher's strengths (or weaknesses)

You have already written a paragraph that answers the following question:

Which ONE quality, ability, or interest is the most HELPFUL or HARMFUL to Christopher throughout the novel, and WHY is this quality important?

Copy and paste your paragraph as a comment to this blog entry. When posting as a “GUEST",” use your New Trier email account, and first and last names when posting. Please leave the URL space blank.

Then, read the other paragraphs written by students in 1st and 3rd periods. Choose the THREE that you feel BEST answer the question (yours should NOT be one of the three). We will discuss the “best” three in class on Friday.

¶ on novel Breaking Through

You have written a claim that explains Francisco’s transformation in the novel Breaking Through. You have also written reasons that explain WHY THAT CLAIM IS TRE. Each of the answers, as separate sentences, become a topic sentence to a body paragraph.

You are to post your body paragraphs here into squarespace, so that ALL my students can read them.

Remember to proofread before posting. Once posted, it’s visible to the world, and you can’t go back and undo the post.

If squarespace asks you to log in, you can post as a guest. But only use your New Trier email account, and first and last names when posting.

Then, read the other paragraphs written by students in 2nd and 4th period. Choose the THREE paragraphs that are well written. ANY three. They do NOT have to be from the same person, or even your class.

Copy and paste these three into a doc (along with the name of the writer). Print these on paper and bring them to class on Friday. We will be posting these ON THE WALL, IN OUR ROOM on Friday. So make sure they’re on paper. Make sure they are on separate sheets of paper.

¶ Comparing Christopher, Owen and/or Sherlock

First, write a paragraph that answers the following question:

How do the characters/individuals from two of the following texts (a novel, a documentary, and a short story) cope the problems they face because of society?

Provide examples from TWO of the following to support your response: A) the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime by Mark Haddon, or B) the film Life, Animated featuring Owen Suskind, or C) the short story, "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" by A.C. Doyle.

Once written, copy and paste your paragraph as a comment to this blog entry. Remember to only use your New Trier email account, and first and last names when posting. Depending on your firewall settings, you may have to post as a guest, which is fine—only submit your name and school email.

Then, read the other paragraphs written by students in 2nd and 4th period. Choose the THREE that you feel BEST answer the question (yours should NOT be one of the three). We will discuss the “best” three in class on Thursday.

Final Assignment for Semester 2

Your final today is in a few parts. The links follow these directions:

First, read and annotate Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 65.” In the poem, the speaker discusses the nature of love, and how love endures (or not). As always, circle words, write out questions you have as a reader, and keep notes on the theme of love.

Second, read and annotate the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, an ancient Greek love story. As with the poem, circle words, write out your questions, and take notes on the theme of love.

Third, watch the short film, “Star Crossed.” It is a modern version of Romeo & Juliet set on an English beach. Again, take note of the questions you have as a viewer, and keep notes on the theme of love (you can write these notes on the last page of “Orpheus & Eurydice”).

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 65

“The Story of Orpheus & Eurydice”

“Star Crossed”: A Short Film (Won’t play? Try this mp4 version.)

After reading, watching, and annotating, write one-to-two paragraphs that answer the following question. Use evidence from TWO of the THREE sources above. Use everything we’ve studied about writing and paragraph structure to craft your response. Take time to pre-write and organize your ideas before drafting your response. If possible, leave time to proofread your response and to read your draft out loud, and make changes accordingly.

What do these texts teach a modern reader/viewer about love?

You should submit your annotations (both on the myth and poem) and your paragraph to canvas. The annotations should be submitted as a file (either notability pdf, or a picture of your paper and ink notes. The paragraph should be submitted as text, copied and pasted into the text submission box.

Questions? Mr. Easton will be in the classroom Zoom room during the final, should you have questions about how to submit your work.

¶ on The Moon is Down

“What does the phrase, ‘The flies have conquered the flypaper,’ mean?”

Post your paragraph as a comment to this blog post. Remember, it should answer the following question, using the body ¶ structure that we have studied first semester. Include your MLA citation (Steinbeck #) with the quote mark after the last quoted word, and the end mark after the last parenthesis mark.

Final for Semester 1

Your final today is in two parts.

First, read and annotate the short story, “Star Food” by Ethan Canin. It is a narrative about a young boy working at his parents’ California grocery store. He struggles to discover what he wants in life, trying to balance his mother’s expectations for his future with his father’s expectations.

Remember when annotating, you should a) circle vocabulary, b) write out your questions, and c) keep thematic notes in the margins. For this text, take notes on passages about a)) his study of the nature while on the roof, and b) how that connects to what he wants to become in life.

Audio for the story is here.

PDF of the story is here.

Second, write a paragraph that answers the following question. Use everything we’ve studied about writing and paragraph structure to craft your response. Take time to pre-write and organize your ideas before drafting your response. If possible, leave time to proofread your response and to read your draft out loud, and make changes accordingly.

What does the narrator “discover” in the story?

You should submit both your annotations and your paragraph to canvas. The annotations should be submitted as a file (either notability pdf, or a picture of your paper and ink notes. The paragraph should be submitted as text, copied and pasted into the text submission box.

Questions? Mr. Easton will be in the classroom Zoom room during the final.

Denmark in WW2

The Dutch Resistance Fighters

¶ on "Black Enough"

Remember to use the hamburger body paragraph structure that we’ve been practicing in class.

• Before posting, make sure you have:

• a complete claim that includes the author, title, and type of text;

• a direct quote that includes MLA format;

• commentary that explains your idea, and gives additional examples IYOW

• does not have language from the prompt (After reading…the most important idea…knowing this, we should realize)

¶ on "The Wrong Lunch Line"

After revising your claim in class on Wednesday, write a paragraph that explains the most important lesson from the story that readers should take away into their own lives.

Use the hamburger body paragraph structure that we’ve been practicing in class.

Before posting, use the checklist in Canvas to make certain you’ve revised and corrected some of the stylistic errors we’re learning to avoid.

Post your paragraph on "Raymond's Run"

Submit your draft of the paragraph about “Raymond’s Run” here. Remember, your body paragraph should have four parts: a) topic sentence that states your claim, b) a context sentence that sets the quote up, c) a direct quote with MLA citation, and d) commentary that explains how the quote illustrates your idea.

Once you have posted your paragraph, begin reading ALL the paragraphs posted as comments. Your aim is to identify the three (3) BEST paragraphs. Your criteria should include: a) paragraphs that include all the above parts, b) paragraphs that state an interesting claim in topic sentence, and c) paragraphs that are well written and free of errors.

Review Body Paragraph Structure