JOURNAL TOPIC:
My favorite elementary school announcement: "Free Play!" Little did I know then that "Free Play"is also a philosophical concept
created by Jacques Derrida. Derrida argues that when there is no
"center" or structure, that all ideas/actions are relative and "play"
off of each other. Does your head hurt yet? No? Then let's apply this
to Shakespeare: when Harry gives the pre-game speech at the Battle of
Agincourt, he depends on established rules ("Obey your king") and mutual
understanding of abstract concepts (honor, e.g.). These shared
structures are the reasons why none of the soldiers say, "Oh man, who
cares? Who died and made you king? What's the point of existence
anyway?" It's clear that everyone understands the rules of engagement
and the central purpose for the fight, and the only question is whether
they can rise to the occasion. If they were in a state of "free play"
the soldiers would be free to invent roles, use their organization for
an altogether different purpose, or strike off on their own for any
reason real or imagined (or absolutely no reason at all).
To
summarize: to a child on a playground, "free play" means a fun
opportunity for independent decision-making. To a philosopher, "free
play" means that everything is relative and lacks structure.
When
do you think structure is important, and when do you think lack of
structure is important? You may consider this in the context of
literature, learning, or life outside the classroom.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Derrida's concept of Free Play
3. Discussion/application
HW:
1. Study. For tomorrow (Friday, 2.1) you should have a solid handle on the two Dickensian lectures, this week's lit terms, your lit analysis book, and Derrida's concept of structure/free play [*update: given today's in-class tech snafus, just know the general ideas and keep your notes ready to add next week.]
2. Be prepared (with ideas, materials, and your phones/tablets/laptops) to discuss and/or work on your Big Question, Collaborative Working Group, and/or your personal study plan/SMART goal in class tomorrow.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
January 30
JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Alligator Story" by Louis Armstrong; "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" by The Beatles; "Wedding Rain" by Liz Story]
In thinking back on the literature analysis you should be finishing up this week (and/or consulting your active reading notes), describe 2-3 literary techniques the author used. What purpose(s) did these techniques serve? How would a Dickensian character, theme, or plot line complement or disrupt the structure/tone? Be sure to include the title and author.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Free play: literature analysis, lit terms, Dickens novels, AP practice questions, CWGs, Big Questions
HW:
1. Take the afternoon off.
2. REMINDER: SPRING LIT ANALYSIS #1 is due by COB tomorrow, Thursday, 1.31
In thinking back on the literature analysis you should be finishing up this week (and/or consulting your active reading notes), describe 2-3 literary techniques the author used. What purpose(s) did these techniques serve? How would a Dickensian character, theme, or plot line complement or disrupt the structure/tone? Be sure to include the title and author.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Free play: literature analysis, lit terms, Dickens novels, AP practice questions, CWGs, Big Questions
HW:
1. Take the afternoon off.
2. REMINDER: SPRING LIT ANALYSIS #1 is due by COB tomorrow, Thursday, 1.31
January 29
JOURNAL TOPIC: (today's tunes: "Taking Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive; "Taking Care of No Business" by Jimi Hendrix)
What is it about routine that makes our lives both easier (more efficient) and harder to change (put down that third bag of Hot Cheetos!)? Describe a routine you want to start, describe a routine you want to stop, and describe a routine you want to continue.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lecture: Great Expectations
HW:
1. Read this quote:
"What is it that makes you want to write songs? In a way you want to stretch yourself into other people's hearts. You want to plant yourself there, or at least get a resonance, where other people become a bigger instrument than the one you're playing. It becomes almost an obsession to touch other people. To write a song that is remembered and taken to heart is a connection, a touching of bases. A thread that runs through all of us. A stab to the heart. Sometimes I think songwriting is about tightening the heartstrings as much as possible without bringing on a heart attack." -Keith Richards
2. Answer this question in a post to your blog entitled WHAT'S THE STORY?
Why did Charles Dickens write the novel you're reading/reviewing? What in your analysis of literary techniques led you to this conclusion? (Make sure to include textual support illustrating Dickens' use of at least three techniques we've studied/discussed this year.)
3. Watch Dr. Tony Williams's Gresham College lecture on A Tale of Two Cities (below); take notes and post them to your blog (Title: Tale of Two Cities Lecture Notes)
What is it about routine that makes our lives both easier (more efficient) and harder to change (put down that third bag of Hot Cheetos!)? Describe a routine you want to start, describe a routine you want to stop, and describe a routine you want to continue.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lecture: Great Expectations
HW:
1. Read this quote:
"What is it that makes you want to write songs? In a way you want to stretch yourself into other people's hearts. You want to plant yourself there, or at least get a resonance, where other people become a bigger instrument than the one you're playing. It becomes almost an obsession to touch other people. To write a song that is remembered and taken to heart is a connection, a touching of bases. A thread that runs through all of us. A stab to the heart. Sometimes I think songwriting is about tightening the heartstrings as much as possible without bringing on a heart attack." -Keith Richards
2. Answer this question in a post to your blog entitled WHAT'S THE STORY?
Why did Charles Dickens write the novel you're reading/reviewing? What in your analysis of literary techniques led you to this conclusion? (Make sure to include textual support illustrating Dickens' use of at least three techniques we've studied/discussed this year.)
3. Watch Dr. Tony Williams's Gresham College lecture on A Tale of Two Cities (below); take notes and post them to your blog (Title: Tale of Two Cities Lecture Notes)
Monday, January 28, 2013
January 28
JOURNAL TOPIC: (today's tunes: "Creativity in Action/I'm In the Mood For Love" by Steve Martin; "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" by the Temptations)
What's the difference between writing fiction and telling a lie?
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lit terms/Dickens
HW:
1. In a post on your course blog entitled DICKENS MAP (my caps, you don't have to post in caps :), please describe: 1) your reading schedule to complete your reading/review of the book by Monday, February 4; 2) five AP questions (with source URLs) that you intend to be able to answer by the time you finish; and 3) how you think you should be tested on these ideas, and/or how you intend to demonstrate your expertise on your blog.
What's the difference between writing fiction and telling a lie?
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lit terms/Dickens
HW:
1. In a post on your course blog entitled DICKENS MAP (my caps, you don't have to post in caps :), please describe: 1) your reading schedule to complete your reading/review of the book by Monday, February 4; 2) five AP questions (with source URLs) that you intend to be able to answer by the time you finish; and 3) how you think you should be tested on these ideas, and/or how you intend to demonstrate your expertise on your blog.
BACK UP YOUR BLOGS THE EASY WAY
I know that this course blog is on borrowed Internet space, and that the Blogger/Google powers-that-be can blink it out of existence at any moment.
I know that I should back up each and every post, comment, and template feature just in case the worst happens and I need to recreate this blog from scratch.
But I don't back up nearly as often as I should, because I have a million other things to do and I haven't made it a habitual part of my routine.
And, now, thanks to Josh, I don't have to worry about it. There is an easier way. Take three minutes (max), follow the directions here, and enjoy the peace of mind.
I know that I should back up each and every post, comment, and template feature just in case the worst happens and I need to recreate this blog from scratch.
But I don't back up nearly as often as I should, because I have a million other things to do and I haven't made it a habitual part of my routine.
And, now, thanks to Josh, I don't have to worry about it. There is an easier way. Take three minutes (max), follow the directions here, and enjoy the peace of mind.
Friday, January 25, 2013
January 25
JOURNAL TOPIC: (today's tunes: "Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll" by Blue Oyster Cult; "Better Things" by The Kinks)
If you are reading Tale of Two Cities, describe the conflict in the novel at each level you perceive it-- within the characters' minds, between the characters, and in the broader society.
If you are reading Great Expectations, describe the relationship between class and "good/evil" characters. What role do you think wealth/materialism plays in the ways Dickens portrays his characters? Do you see evidence of tone here?
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lit terms quiz
3. Discussion: journal topics
4. SMART goals & next steps
HW:
1. Work on your literature analysis/remix
2. Consider your SMART goal and post to your blog (*if you didn't get your SMART goal proposal yet, please email dpreston.learning@gmail.com over the weekend)
3. Head start for next week: 25 (more) lit terms in post entitled "LIT TERMS 31-56"
If you are reading Tale of Two Cities, describe the conflict in the novel at each level you perceive it-- within the characters' minds, between the characters, and in the broader society.
If you are reading Great Expectations, describe the relationship between class and "good/evil" characters. What role do you think wealth/materialism plays in the ways Dickens portrays his characters? Do you see evidence of tone here?
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lit terms quiz
3. Discussion: journal topics
4. SMART goals & next steps
HW:
1. Work on your literature analysis/remix
2. Consider your SMART goal and post to your blog (*if you didn't get your SMART goal proposal yet, please email dpreston.learning@gmail.com over the weekend)
3. Head start for next week: 25 (more) lit terms in post entitled "LIT TERMS 31-56"
literature analysis remix
This semester, in addition to choosing what you'll read, you can choose how best to represent the answers to the Literature Analysis Questions (please be sure to consult the link before each Literature Analysis-- the questions are the same for January, but they'll change for February and March).
Last semester we talked about remix (you can review the resources here), and the fact that remixing is a way of creating new messages out of previously produced material. When you remix you are sending a message-- you're teaching your audience. And to teach something, you have to learn it twice.
So, whether you use elements of the text, audio, pics, video, traditional paragraphs, all of the above, or something else altogether, make sure your blog viewers can easily get the information they need by consulting your LITERATURE ANALYSIS REMIX #[1, 2, 3...] posts.
The first one is due next Thursday, January 31.
Last semester we talked about remix (you can review the resources here), and the fact that remixing is a way of creating new messages out of previously produced material. When you remix you are sending a message-- you're teaching your audience. And to teach something, you have to learn it twice.
So, whether you use elements of the text, audio, pics, video, traditional paragraphs, all of the above, or something else altogether, make sure your blog viewers can easily get the information they need by consulting your LITERATURE ANALYSIS REMIX #[1, 2, 3...] posts.
The first one is due next Thursday, January 31.
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