SS 11: Notes from Friday, 4 March

Today we had a review of the nature of the Cold War, and discussed the occupation and eventual partition of Germany after the Second World War.  We were introduced to words such as: denazification, Potsdam Conference, satellite state, Bizonia, DEFCON, and many allusions to "brinkmanship."  We learned about the Berlin Blockade (1948-49) and heard about the Korean and Vietnam wars.  More on those two, soon.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE CHAPTER SIX QUESTION SHEETS BEFORE CLASS ON TUESDAY.

ANYONE WHO HAS NOT WRITTEN THE SECOND WORLD WAR UNIT TEST WILL DO SO ON TUESDAY, EITHER AT LUNCH OR IN CLASS.

Have a relaxing weekend - the weather is supposed to improve.

En 12: Blog topic #3

Please take time to comment of the following prompt related to 1984:

When is war a morally just response?

En 12: Blog topic #2

Please take time to comment of the following prompt related to 1984:

What should citizens value most?

En12 Blog Topic #1

Please take time to comment of the following prompt related to 1984:

What is the role of the police?

Hist 12: Notes from Fri 4 Mar

Today we started by playing "Put 32 Events from the Russian Revolutions in Order" in timed groups.  We recognized that just like using the "signpost states" to order the countries in Europe, we can identify "signpost events" in Russian history: Bloody Sunday, WW1, March Revolution, and November Revolution.  From there, it's just a case of deciding "before and after."  The reason we do this activity is not to "memorize" a long list of events, but rather to have a list that is long enough that we must recognize "cause and effect" relationships, rather than being able to learn by rote.

We also reviewed the answers to Lenon's "Call to Power" (ex #16)  On Monday, we'll watch the end of the "Russian Revolution" VHS documentary.

En 12: Notes from Thursday, 3 March

Today, I returned the paragraphs on the articles written that used biased language and were written about the tar sands issue.  We also finished our "privacy" essays.  If you did not finish yours in class, you should do so for homework.  Next Tuesday we will write the objective test and on Wednesday we will write our final 1984 essay (except for a piece on an essay by Orwell).  On Thursday and Friday I plan to watch the DVD.

En 11, 1-2: Notes from Thurs, 3 March

Today, it was story time.  I read "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (pp. 33-37) and then we discussed what it meant to be a Mittyesque character.  Remember, Mitty is a daydreamer who tries to escape his inadequacies in a life that is run by an over-bearing wife.  Next, we discussed the narrative techniques that Thurber used in the creation of his story.  Finally, students embarked on a new conclusion to the story that should start off in media res (in the middle of the action) during the final firing squad scene, and then move on to two or three more daydream/reality sequences.  Your story should be about a page and a half of double-spaced prose.

Have fun: this is a departure from much of the writing we uually do.