Eng: Prejudice & Stereotypes

Today we spent the day talking and writing about prejudice and stereotypes in preperation for our short unit on antisemitism, and Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.

AAAAARRGGGGHHHHHH!

For the last week students have been focused on important battles from WWII. Students created powerpoint presentations about specific battles and then presented to the class.

Animal Farm Essay

Today we worked on the Animal Farm essay response in class. Remember, I am expecting at least a good long paragraph for number 1 and several good paragraphs for number 2. Use your notes on the film and the book.
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1. Compare the ending of the film to the ending of the book. How is the ultimate message of the film different from the book? Why do you suppose this change was made? Explain in detail.
2. Consider the differences between the book and the film. Were the changes made by the filmmakers effective in conveying Orwell’s message? Why or why not? Be sure to support your arguments with the details from the film AND the novel.

Eng: Animal Farm Film

Today we started the Animal Farm film and took notes. We will finish the film tomorrow and begin the essay.

History: Mea Culpa

Okay..... I've been a little lame in my latest posting efforts. So, I've decided to turn the page and start fresh. Basically the academy students have been working on the Animal Farm/Totalitarianism project for the last few weeks. At this point students should have some sort of finished product that meets some of the project objectives.

Today, March 31, we'll be doing a timeline that explains events that led up to WWII.

Animal Farm Faces

Students wrapped up chapter 10 questions and started their Animal Farm Faces projects. Faces projects are due Friday.

Eng

Today we finished chapters 6 & 7 and the discussion questions.

Eng: Animal Farm

Today we finished chapter 6 aloud and then continued with chapter 7 silently. Some students started chapter 6 & 7 questions.

History: Mar. 11, 12, 13, & 14

March 11: We discussed the situation in the Soviet Union after Lenin died. We discussed the differences between Stalin and Trotsky. Students drew faces for each and explained their differences in writing.

March 12, 13 and 14:
We watched the film Swing Kids. Students will write an essay next week in class about the film. On 3/13 we took notes on the rise of the Nazi party.

Eng: Piggy Propaganda

Today we looked at the pigs' use of propaganda in the first half of the book. There was an assignment collected.

Eng: Chapter 5

Today we read, took notes on, and discussed chapter 5 of Animal Farm.

Eng: Chapter 3 & 4

Today we finished, and I collected, the chapter 3 & 4 questions.

Eng: Animal Farm Chapters 3 &4

Today we continued reading and taking notes on Animal Farm. We read chapters 3 & 4 and started some questions (available in class).

History: March 5,6,7 and 10

March 5: We worked on illustrating the Communist Theory of Karl Marx.
March 6: I lectured about Vladmir Lenin and then students finished the Communist Theory drawing, and also finished the maps and the grid about the former Soviet Union.
March 7: We went to the park.
March 10: Students registered with the counselors for next year.

Eng: Into the Allegory

Today we started Orwell's Animal Farm, reading most of chapter 1 and taking notes.

Eng: Propaganda Intro

Today we finished our intro to propaganda. We start Animal Farm tomorrow.

History Feb. 27 - Mar. 4

Over the course of the last 5 classes we have:
1. Watched (and answered questions) a video about "Russia's Last Tsar."
2. Worked on the Russia/Break Away Republics grid.
3. Discussed the Communist Manifesto of Karl Marx.
4. Did a reading guide about the Russian Revolution.

Eng: Talking About Tools

Today we did a bit of history in class, looking at the five tools totalitarian dictators use to gain and maintain control. This builds upon our work with media analysis in preparation for Animal Farm next week.

Eng.: Media Analysis

Today, after a review of Allegory and Fable, we did a media analysis exercise using the bits of persuasive media students brought in. It was collected. The questions are below.

Notice/Focus Media Analysis, Part 1

1. Make a list of at least 10 things that you notice about your advertisement or piece of media. What stands out? 5 minutes
2. Choose three things from your list. What makes these things particularly significant or interesting? Explain in detail. 5 minutes

Notice/Focus Media Analysis, Part 1

Compare notes with a partner, and add responses to the following questions to your previous notice/focus work. 10 minutes

1. What things do your media have in common? Do the media’s creators use similar techniques to get their message across? What are those techniques?
2. What are the messages of your media?
3. Who are the targets of these messages? (e.g. women, men, teens, children, etc.) How do you know? Be specific.

History: Feb. 25 & 26

Monday Feb. 25: Tapestry discussion about drug abuse.

Tuesday Feb. 26: Introductory lecture: What is Totalitarianism. Students also researched some statistical data about Russia and the break-away republics.

Eng.: Allegories and Fables

Today we started a short look at allegories and fables as a part of our run up to Orwell's Animal Farm.

Eng.: In Class Essay

Today as a culmination of our WWI unit, students wrote an essay in class on a piece of WWI poetry.

History: Feb. 14 and 15

Feb. 14: We discussed the Treaty of Versailles. Map of post WWI Europe.

Feb. 15: WWI open notes test. Packets collected.

Eng: WW1 Poetry Project, Part 2

Today we started this:

Choose a line or two from your favorite of the World War I poems your group has studied and present it artistically. Your art may be literal (i.e. an actual image or event described in the poem) or symbolic (i.e. a symbolic representation of an emotion, feeling, or idea the poem evokes). USE THE WHOLE PAPER.

Include:

• The poem title;
• The author’s name;
• The line of poetry (clearly and legibly of course);
• The correct heading information (on the back).

We will finish this tomorrow.

History: Feb. 7, 8, 11 & 12

Feb 7: Students worked on drawing a freehand map of Europe.

Feb. 8: We went to the park. Thomas blocked my shot once.

Feb. 11: I lectured about 5 important battles of WWI. Students began writing a letter from the trenches.

Feb. 12: Students graphed statistical data from WWI, and finished the letters from the trenches.

History: Feb. 5 and 6

Tues. Feb. 5: We attended an assembly about Black History/Black History Month.

Wed. Feb. 6: Students filled out the weapons matrix, watched a short segment about life in the trenches and took notes on life in the trenches.

History: Feb. 4

Today Paula Arrowsmith talked about the services available to teens at the Rape Crisis Center/Suicide Hotline.

Jan. 31 and Feb. 1

Jan. 31: Students took a quiz on WWI causes. After the quiz we watched a portion of the film "A very long engagement" to see the conditions in the trenches in WWI.

Feb. 1: Student teams created a powerpoint about a weapon from WWI.

History: Jan. 31, Feb. 1

Jan. 31: Students took a WWI causes quiz and finished the spoke diagrams.

Feb. 1: Teams of two students created powerpoints about the different weapons that were used during WWI.

History: Jan. 30

Today students worked on finishing the causes spoke diagram.

WWI causes quiz Thursday.

History: Jan. 28 & 29

Jan. 28: We reviewed the causes matrix and filled in as a class. Students then began work on the Causes of WWI Spoke Diagram assignment (see back of causes matrix for directions).

Jan. 29: We discussed the implications of the failure of the German Von Schlieffen Plan. We watched a segment of "A Very Long Engagement" to see the conditions in the trenches. Students then worked on the spoke diagram. 

Eng: WWI Poetry Project

Today we wrapped up our look at the CAHSEE practice test and I introduced our next project on WWI poetry. We will start this tomorrow.

History: Jan. 24

Today students worked on a map that illustrated Europe before and during WWI. We also discussed the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and how that led to the outbreak of WWI.

History: Jan. 23

I finished the lecture on the 5 great powers before the outbreak of WWI. Students also watched a dvd segment on Kaiser Wilhelm II (leader of Germany during WWI), and continued working on the Europe before WWI map.

History: Jan 22

Today students divided the point totals for the now completed Imperialism project.

I began a lecture that helps explain the origins of WWI. Assignment title: 5 great powers.

History: Jan. 9

We discussed the results of the N.H. primary. Then students continued working on the Imp. project.

History: Jan. 8

Today students worked on the imperialism project. Maps, timelines and bio-sheets should now be completed. 

Xtra Credit Option: Analyze the New Hampshire primary that is occurring today. Answer: Who won for each party? What does that mean for the candidacy of the winner, and what does a loss mean for the candidacy of the candidates who lose today. 

Eng: Imperialism Project

Handouts are available online. Get them here.

History: Jan. 7

Today students got a packet of information that covers the final project of the semester- the Imperialism project. Students selected a project option and worked on a project description for the option that they chose.