"Chelkash" Paragraph

Now that you have recorded yourself reading your paragraph, and have revised your paragraph, it’s ready to be shared with other students at New Trier and the larger academic community.

What does Gorky want the reader to realize or learn as a result of “Chelkash”?

Post your paragraph here as a comment to this blog post. Remember, if you sign in as a guest, include your first and last name, but also use your New Trier email address for the contact information. Please leave the URL prompt BLANK.

Once posted, begin reading other students paragraphs.

¶ on "By the Waters of Babylon" by Stephen Vincent Benét

Scholars: Discuss (with your parent(s)/guardian(s)) the aformentioned story. What is the MOST important, LESS obvious lesson for the reader?

After discussing, write an argumentative paragraph that a) states your claim, b) sets up your claim with one sentence of plot summary, c) includes a fitting direct quote, and d) explains your idea (your commentary—this can include additional examples IYOW, alternative interpretations, connections to our lives).

Remember to write this elsewhere, on paper or on a google doc. THEN copy and paste it into the HTML comment box below. (And check punctuation before posting!)

Modern Times

A link to the scenes from the film, to be watched in class.

After reading Roger Ebert’s 1972 film review of the re-release, watch the followng scenes from Charllie Chaplin’s iconic 1936 American film Modern Times (to watch, click on the image to the left).

While watching, take notes on a blank sheet of paper. How does the main character interact with “the machine”?

Finally, when done watching, write a poem that answers this question: How do machines effect [our] lives? Use the imagery of the film as a basis for your poem.

The criterea for your poem, which is due Tuesday, 10/4, is as follows. The poem should:

• contain sensory images (descriptions the reader can see/hear/feel/taste/smell)

• use connotative language (words that have a feeling that matches your tone—and similar to what you want your reader to feel)

• show distillation of language (get rid of small words that add little, i.e.: articles, conjunctions, pronouns)

• be at least 20 lines long, but shorter than one page (each line must be at LEAST 8 words each)

These are to be typed and stapled to your notes on Modern Times, to be collected Tuesday 10/8.

Paragraph on "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas"

After revising your body paragraph using the “What’s YOUR problem?” feedback on the last paragraph, post a new draft here.

Remember to post with your first and last names, and your New Trier email address, should you need to post it as a guest.

documentary on ursula k. le guin

Click on the author’s image above to access the documentary, “The Worlds of Ursual K. Le Guin”

Joseph Campbell's "Hero Journey"

Joseph Campbell, seen below in the 1950s, breaks reporter Bill Moyer’s brain in an interview about his “hero journey” concept.

Paragraph on "Doors Opening, Closing Upon Us..."

As a comment, post your entire paragraph about the aforementioned poem, one that explains what the poem means. Remember, your paragraph should include a direct quote! After posting, read other students’ paragraphs, selecting the three best paragraphs (IYO).

Second Semester Final, Easton's 3 Level English

Your final assignment is in two parts.

First, read and annotate the short story, “ Vaccine Season” by Hannu Rajaniemi. It is a science-fiction short story about a (dystopian or utopian, depending on your p.o.v.) teenaged Norwegian boy who enjoys the benefits of mandatory vaccination, and wants his grandfather to live a longer, more perfect, and happy life, too.

Remember when annotating, you should a) circle vocabulary, b) write out your questions, and c) keep thematic notes in the margins. For this text, pay attention to what the writer says about how technology changes the way we live. Are these medical advancements improving society, or destroying what it means to be human? Is the main character’s decision an act of mercy or one of selfishness?

Audio for the story is here.
PDF of the story is here.

Second, write a multi-paragraph response 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.

Does the Grandfather’s decision to leap into the churn—saving his grandson, and becoming “infected” the vaccine—change your view of whether or not it was right for the boy to come to the island in the first place?

You should submit both your annotations and your written response as separate assignments on Canvas. The annotations should be submitted as a file (either notability pdf, or a picture of your paper and ink notes via Genius). The written answer 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. ALL submissions are due NO LATER THAN 12:15 pm today (that’s 1.5 time, in case anyone has extended time via an IEP or 504).

Remember, these will only be graded IF THESE IMPROVE YOUR SEMESTER GRADE OVERALL.

An interesting, albeit frenetic, overview of Greek myth in popular culture

Finny Paragraph

EARLY IMPRESSIONS OF FINNY

How does Finny confound social order? He both follows and defies Devon’s rules, walking the line between disrespect for teacher’s authority and embracing the school’s zeitgeist. How does Finny do both? In-class writing day. Your paragraph should be posted before Winter Break.

You should follow the standard organization for argumentative paragraphs: a) claim; b) sentence setting up quote; c) direct quote; d) your commentary. Remember that part D is at least half the paragraph. In your commentary, you not only explain your idea, you also include other examples from the text in your own words (I.Y.O.W.), explore counter-examples, develop the depth of your claim (topic, debatable thesis statement, whatever you want to call it). A few logistics:

• Include in the first couple of sentences: Knowles’ novel A Separate Peace;

• Include after “the quote the citation” (Knowles #).

• Don’t write directly into Squarespace, because web sites crash. Write it elsewhere, then copy and paste it.

• Use Phineas or Finny, and be consistent.

• Avoid rhetorical language like, “One quote that illustrates this is…” or “An example of this is…” or “This quote shows that….”

• Pay attention to verb usage. When possible, use active verbs, avoiding: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, do, doing, does, should, could, would.

Post your paragraph as a comment to this thread.

What makes for a good emblem?

Finny dons a pink shirt as his emblem, even though his peers might find it offensive because of of LGBTQ connotation (which is an anachronism for our novel…such a term did not exist in America in the1940s). Why does Finny don the shirt as his emblem? What is he trying to adopt when he wears the shirt to Mr. Patch Withers’s soiree?

The following article describes some emblems that are associated with companies, institutions, cities, sports teams, even comic book heroes. What makes for an excellent emblem? Later this quarter you will design your own emblem, and the following definition(s) will be useful for that project:

Exploring Pink

From Mr. Easton’s refrigerator: a Van Gogh painting, “Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase,” featuring pink. Click on the image above to watch a short segment from Sunday Morning on the color pink.

More on van Gogh’s painting:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436525

Some other articles to explore:

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-history-pink

 https://www.history.com/news/pink-triangle-nazi-concentration-camps

Paragraph on "Chelkash"

You should post your first draft of the “Chelkash” writing assignment here, whether that’s one longer paragraph or a couple of paragraphs.

Remember to submit first and last names. That should work automatically if you’re logged into the free squarespace account.

Problems posting? Send me an email, and I can help you troubleshoot.

Paragraph on "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas"

Please post your paragraph here. Remember, if you log into squarespace as a guest, please include your name and SCHOOL email address.

Revision of Paragraph on "Doors opening"

After signing up for a squarespace account (use your New Trier email address), log-in and attempt to post your revised paragraph as a comment to this posting.

The theme of power within The Wizard of Earthsea

Sparrowhawk does battle with his Shadow.

My colleague and friend Mr. O’Connor suggested this theme to me. He said that he was interested in exploring the dynamics of power within Le Guin’s novel. Who, in this world she has created, has power? To what end is that power used? Who is powerless within the society? How do they struggle as a result?

He asked his classes the following: “Who holds power? What are the means of obtaining power? The limits, duties, and obligations of power? Who is denied power and why?”

Identify and post as a comment to this blog entry ONE quote from WOE that says something on the theme of power. Include quote marks, and add citation inside parenthesis, using this format:

“ Xxxx x x xxx xx x x xxxx x x x xx x x xxxxx xxxx xxxx” (Le Guin 23).

Our Last Syllabus

WHY DOES SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO & JULIET withstand the test of time? What are the timeless lessons for us as a) young people in love; b) friends who have other friends facing a crisis; c) family members who want to help our relatives; d) leaders whose job it is to counsel those younger or more inexperienced; e) parents who know their children are making a mistake, or; f) children who want our parents to let us make our own mistakes?

MONDAY: GREY DAY/OFFICE HOURS

• Today is a grey day, and you can meet with me during Zoom office hours 12:50 and 1:50 pm. Check Canvas for the link to Zoom.

Wednesday, May 27

• Starting with a Zoom meeting. First period will meet at 10:10 am, and second period at 11:20. Links are posted on the Canvas syllabus.

• Discussion of soliloquies in Romeo and Juliet;

• We will also watch a few versions of these performed.

• Presenting summer reading for this year.

• HW: Watching a film version of the play for our next class.

Friday, May 29

• No Zoom meeting today.

• Today you should watch Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet! I'm posting two options for you:

  1. The musical, more contemporary Baz Luhrmann version starring Claire Daines and Leonardo DiCapreo, can be accessed on this google drive link.

  2. The more traditional, BBC version featuring Prof. Snape and Hans Gruber actor Alan Rickman as Tybalt, is on this google drive link. 

  3. These are large files. Depending on the device you're accessing the movie with, you may have to download the file, watch, and then delete the file.  

Tuesday, June 2

• Starting with a Zoom meeting. Check the syllabus on Canvas for a link.

• Q&A on the film version of Romeo and Juliet.

• Reviewing directions for our last assignment (advice to next year’s freshmen English class).

• HW: Record and upload a video of yourself, sharing advice on a) surviving Mr. Easton’s English class; b) surviving life at New Trier High School, and; c) how to get along during Covid-lockdown. NOTE: You can drop the video files to the shared Google folder, linked from the Canavas syllabus.
  

Friday, June 5

• Official last day of school.

• Individual conferences with students, but only as required (for missing or incomplete work)

Week 7 Syllabus: May 18

WHY DON’T—OR CAN’T—PARENTS UNDERSTAND? That’s the core issue as our play opens. Romeo is helplessly in love with Rosaline, but nobody—certainly not his parents, and not even his friend Mercutio—can understand the depth of his love. When Romeo shakes off that love for another, Juliet—the misunderstanding increases double-fold. Because not only is Romeo’s love exaggerated—it’s hypocritical, as he ditches one true love for another “true-er” love. Do we empathize with Romeo? Should we? How about Juliet? Are these characters sympathetic, or pathetic?

MONDAY: GREY DAY/OFFICE HOURS

• Today is a grey day, and you can meet with me during Zoom office hours 12:50 and 1:50 pm. Check Canvas for the link to Zoom.

TUESDAY: BLUE DAY

• Starting with a Zoom meeting. First period will meet at 10:10 am, and second period at 11:20. Links are posted on the Canvas syllabus.

• Today students are taking the STAR reading assessment.

• HW: Finish this assessment by class on Thursday.

WEDNESDAY: GREEN DAY

• No class today.

THURSDAY: BLUE DAY

• Starting with a Zoom meeting. Check the syllabus on Canvas for a link.

• We will watch a documentary on the life of William Shakespeare. Students will take notes.

• HW: Finish the R&J_Act_1_Image assignment, and read through Act 2 of the play.
  

FRIDAY: GREEN DAY

• No class.

Remote Learning Feedback

I want to invite all scholars from 1st and 2nd period to write about their experience with remote learning. What has worked well? What hasn’t worked well? What ideas do you have to improve remote learning?

As New Trier plans for next year’s classes, we would like student input on this experiment we’ve undertaken.

And as Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is prone to say, “Pray, be precise as to the details.”

Week 6 Syllabus: May 11

WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD LOVE STORY? We turn from one of the oldest love stories with a happy ending, to one of the most famous love stories with a tragic ending. Unlike Odysseus and Penelope, Romeo and Juliet never have a happy reunion, get to experience wedded bliss. Like them, they are bonded by a love so deep that neither war nor impossible odds can keep them apart. But their love has a much, much shorter arc than the ancient Greek king and his wise and crafty queen. Nonetheless, like Odysseus and Penelope, their pure love becomes a legend that transcends place and time. Keep the themes of forbidden love, fate, and death in mind while reading selections from Shakespeare’s first tragedy.

MONDAY: GREY DAY/OFFICE HOURS

• Today is a grey day, and you can meet with me during Zoom office hours 12:50 and 1:50 pm. Check Canvas for the link to Zoom.

TUESDAY: BLUE DAY

• Starting with a Zoom meeting. First period will meet at 9 am, and second period at 10:10. Links are posted on the Canvas syllabus.

• We will watch all of the part one crash-course.

• We will read, carefully, the prologue to the play.

• HW: Read the introductory materials to the play in Canvas files, “R&J_Intro.”

WEDNESDAY: GREEN DAY

• No class today.

THURSDAY: BLUE DAY

• Starting with a Zoom meeting. Check the syllabus on Canvas for a link.

• We will watch a thirty minute documentary introducing approaches to reading Shakespeare’s R&J.

• HW: Read Act 1 of the graphic, serialized version of the play off Canvas.
  

FRIDAY: GREEN DAY

• No class.