that left a good taste in our mouths

Thanks to everyone who shared their recipes and stories with us-- what a sweet way to end the semester.

for the win/ter break

Please comment to this post and let us know what Big Question you're thinking about!

FALL SEMESTER FINAL

Welcome to the last day of our semester.  I look forward to sharing what we've prepared with each other.  In the process, please make sure to complete the following:

1. Turn in your self-assessment (items on the white board in class)
2. Have your grade conference (optional)
3. Comment to the FOR THE WIN/TER BREAK post with your Big Question

4. POST to your blog with your Big Question topic and your intention for the winter break (title: FOR THE WIN/TER BREAK)

Reminder: I will be posting to the course blog intermittently over the break.  Every time you comment to a post, you will earn credit.  (Think of it like Instagram, but less vapid and more lucrative.) 

Whether you spend the break working, playing, celebrating, or resting, I wish each of you a terrific, restorative few weeks-- see you in 2019!

finals schedule

Just in case anyone else gets as confused as I do:

Winter Finals Bell Schedule... by on Scribd

december 18

Today we are janitors and we are creators.

AGENDA:

1. Clean up.  Think back on any assignments you missed, or any opportunities for credit that you can still take advantage (like literature analyses or your blog or [?]) -- and get to work.

2. Build something beautiful. Think about your Big Question and write an essay that explains it.

december 17

AGENDA:
1. Discussion (topic: the connection between love and quality)
2. Plan the week
3. Return graded essays

ACTIONS:
1. Menu/story sign-up
2. Revise and post essay on your blog
3. Post your notes on today's discussion (title: WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?)

december 14

JOURNAL TOPIC: (do this AFTER you write the essay)
How well did you do on the essay?  Why?

AGENDA:
1. Final essay exam
2. Journal

december 13

JOURNAL TOPICS:
We remember big life events like weddings, births, and deaths, and we remember cultural events like holidays, but do we remember the little moments in our lives?  Describe a moment from your life that you remember clearly, but that others may not remember or even know about.  What makes this stand out in your mind?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. A final final review: lit terms + essay

POST:
How well will you do on tomorrow's exam?  (title: CALLING MY SHOT)

december 12

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What is the meaning of the saying, "The early bird gets the worm"?  Why do you think people think this is an important concept?  What if they're wrong?  What if the early bird shows up and the worm turns out to be bait, and the early bird is eaten by the cat, who happens to be a friend of the late bird, who is still sleeping in the nest and doesn't even like breakfast?  Huh?  What about that?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Anatomy of an essay
3. Practice

december 11

JOURNAL TOPIC:

This morning I ran across a letter from a famous poet by e.e. cummings (a man who hated capital letters as much as he hated fear).  The letter is called "Advice to Students," and this part got my attention:

To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.

This sounds a lot like Emerson, and it reminds me of Montag.  It's a powerful, inspiring idea-- partly because it can be so damned difficult.

In today's journal entry, please describe how you interpret these ideas.  These authors -- cummings, Emerson, Bradbury -- are acknowledged as giants of American literature, and their philosophies on individuality is one reason why they are so widely respected.  That doesn't mean they're right, so explain whether you agree or disagree with them.  Is it important to be yourself, is it important to be the person others expect you to be, or both, or do you have a different perspective?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Prepare for essay final
3. Lit terms final

FINAL ESSAY PROMPT

In the novel Fahrenheit 451, some of the characters are static and some are dynamic.  What makes a character dynamic?  Choose a dynamic character from Fahrenheit 451.  Explain at least three ways this character changes throughout the book and be prepared to support your points with textual evidence (such as a quote or an event in the plot).  Why does this character change?  How does this character's evolution reflect the overall theme and tone of the book?  *NOTE: Please remember to include at least five lit terms in your analysis of the text.

december 10

George Bernard Shaw was a famous author who wrote more than sixty plays and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his writing.  He was known for having a pretty sharp wit, and at some point he decided to take teachers down a peg by saying, "Those who can't do, teach."

Now, I love a good saying as much as anyone, and heaven knows some teachers earn more respect than others, but it just so happens that Shaw was dead wrong.  Before I prove it to you, however, two questions:

1. If you could pick one teacher to do the work s/he assigns, who would it be?  Why?

2. What do you think is easier-- doing something well or teaching someone else to do it?  Why?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Fahrenheit 451 essay by an author I know really well
3. Notes on writing essays & gathering evidence for the essay final

TONIGHT:
Know thy lit terms.

december 7

JOURNAL TOPIC:
In the background of Fahrenheit 451, there is a war looming -- eventually (spoiler) there will be a bombing.  It's fitting to mention this, since today is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.  Before 9/11 Pearl Harbor was the biggest attack on the United States; unfortunately there are many examples of this sort of destruction throughout history.  Why do you think people resort to this type of violence?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Conferences on demand
3. Fahrenheit 451
4. Lit terms

THIS WEEKEND:
1. Read the rest of the book.  
2. Study lit terms.
3. Catch up on your blog and anything else you're missing.

december 6

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Why does Montag want to get in touch with Faber?  (Consult the book if you need to refresh your memory.)

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. We need a plan
3. Fahrenheit 451

POST:
What plans do Montag and Faber make?  Where do you see this leading?  (title: FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL)

december 5

JOURNAL TOPIC:
The pressure on Montag is increasing.  For some of you, as the semester ends, the pressure is also increasing.  How does the feeling of pressure influence Montag's thoughts and actions?  How does it influence your thoughts and actions?

AGENDA:
1. Journals
2. Lit circles/ read to p.100
3. Individual conferences

POST:
Why does Montag go to visit Faber?  What do they plan to do?

december 4

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Montag appears to be heavily influences by his relationships with other people.  What influences you more, your relationship with yourself or your relationship with others?  Why?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Fahrenheit 451

POST:
In the book, Montag gets "sick" and doesn't want to go to work.  Now that he is reflecting on what firemen do and why, it's more difficult for him to justify doing this for a living.  What do you think about what Montag does?  How would you feel having to do something that hurts other people?  Are there more important values that should guide what we do in our working lives, or is it just about the paycheck?  (title: IS IT JUST ABOUT THE JOB?)

december 3

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Dr. Seuss once wrote, "How did it get so late so soon?  December is here before it's June.  My goodness how the time has flewn. [sic]  How did it get so late so soon?"

Here we are.  It's December.  In the blink of an eye, we'll be on Winter Break, and then-- but, wait.  Let's slow things down for a moment.  One of the things I love about reading is how the author's ideas sometimes connect with what I'm thinking, or feeling, or experiencing.  Sometimes connecting the dots takes a little effort, but the effort is always worthwhile, because whatever I'm reading becomes more meaningful in those moments.

So, here is today's journal question: what idea/s from Fahrenheit 451 can you apply to real life?  What have the characters done or said that make you think about yourself, people you know, or the bigger issues we all deal with in 2018?

AGENDA:
1. Journal (extended time; treat this like a practice essay for our final exam)
2. Reading + questions

POST:
Set a goal for the end of your semester.  What do you want to learn or accomplish between now and finals week?  What grade are you aiming for?  What do you plan to do over these next couple weeks to achieve your goal?  (title: MY SEMESTER GOAL)