February 22nd, 2013

2/22/13

In Class:
Journal--  "The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic." - Joseph Stalin

Mini-lesson on proper research citation in MLA format.

Students worked independently on research, composition, and revision for final projects.

Reviewed important due dates:
Final project essay due Wednesday, February 27th.
Golden Lines due Wednesday, February 27th.
Presentations completed on or before Wednesday, March 8th.
All missing work submitted by Wednesday, March 8th.
Final journal collection on Thursday, March 9th, at 3:00 PM.

Exit ticket: What percentage of your golden lines have you finished?

Homework:
Finish golden lines by Wednesday.
Finish essay by Wednesday.

February 20th, 2013

2/20/13

In Class:
Journal--  The Judeo-Christian model of moral behavior, the Ten Commandments, identifies 10 essential rules of virtue and goodness: You shall...
...have no other gods before me.
...not make for yourself an idol.
...not take the Lord’s name in vain.
...remember the Sabbath day.
...honor your father and mother.
...not commit adultery.
...not steal.
...not lie.
...not kill.
...not covet.
Which of these standards are enforced by our legal code? Which are enforced by our social standards? Do you consider these ideas to be essential to being a ‘good person?’

Defined and discussed terms of morality in sociological context: norm, folkway, more, taboo, law, moral, immoral, amoral.

Read "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathon Swift. Discussed the social construction of morality, especially in relation to 'orthodoxy' in 1984.

Addressed questions on final projects so far.

Exit Ticket: When is your essay due?

Homework:
Keep working on final.
Polish golden lines.

February 13th, 2013

2/13/13

In Class:
Journal--  Respond to the following quote: "Hate the sin; love the sinner." - Mahatma Gandhi

Read and discussed "You and the Atomic Bomb" by George Orwell in context of 1984 and the Cold War.

Reviewed final project deadlines: essay due two weeks from today! (Wednesday, February 27th)

Exit ticket: Who should be allowed to have an atomic bomb?

Homework:
Finish 1984 by Wednesday.

Note: we will not have class on Monday, February 18th (President's Day). We will meet instead on Wednesday and Friday next week.

February 11th, 2013

2/11/13

In Class:
Journal--  Revisit Goldstein's discussion of "War is Peace" (164-77). What is the purpose of sustained war in Oceanic society?

Class jigsaw activity in Russian Revolution history covering Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, The Bolsheviks & the October Revolution, and Russian Civil War (1917-1922). Discussed information and relevance to the establishment of the USSR. [Get notes from a classmate.]

Exit Ticket: Why does 'hope lie in the proles'?

Homework:
Read through p 232 of 1984 by Wednesday.
Make sure you are keeping golden lines!

February 4th, 2013

2/4/13

In Class:
Journal--  Describe how Julia is simultaneously orthodox and unorthodox by the standards of Big Brother. Do you think this is more or less effective than direct rebellion?

Seminar discussion of 1984.

In-class time to work on project proposals and research.

Exit ticket: List at least three terms/words from 1984 that are unique to the book (e.g., doublethink). Think of terms especially that you might be having trouble understanding.

Homework:
Read through p. 178 of 1984 by Wednesday.
Make sure you have all 8 journal entries by Thursday at 3 PM.
Project proposals due Wednesday by 10:40 AM.
Catch up on any missing work.

Midterm and Final Project

Modern Literature – Final Project

Due dates:

Proposal — Wednesday, February 6^th, 2013 (*Note: This will be your ‘midterm’)

Essay — Wednesday, February 27^th, 2013

Presentation — on or before March 6^th, 2013

In order to expand your knowledge of literature’s context in our culture, you will engage in a research project and presentation on 1984 by George Orwell. This exercise will both extend your interpretation of the novel and also foster your growth in critical thinking overall.

Assignment:

For this project, you will identify and research an actual oppressive, overreaching, authoritarian, or totalitarian government from history or from the present. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

·      Republic of Sudan	·      Democratic People’s Republic of [North] Korea
·      People’s Republic of China	·      United States of America
·      Republic of Cuba	·      Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
·      Islamic Republic of Iran	·      Greater German Reich
·      State of Libya	·      United Kingdom/British Empire
…and many more.

You should choose a country and government you are interested in learning more about; while many countries have very interesting histories of government, find one that you genuinely care about.

Part One: Proposal

By Wednesday, February 6^th, you must submit a proposal for your project outlining your initial thoughts. The proposal should include the following:

·      The country and time period you plan on researching

·      A brief description of the oppressive government

·      A brief description of at least one clear connection to 1984

If you do not submit a proposal by February 6^th, you will see an ‘IP’ on your reports, regardless of your performance prior. You can still earn a passing grade on the project and in the class, but only if you catch up.

Part Two: Essay

Your project will include a traditional essay which compiles your research, analyzes your findings, and connects the actual government to Oceania in 1984. Be sure to include:

1)    the history and establishment of the government.

2)    the manner in which it is oppressive, overreaching, authoritarian, or totalitarian, including specific examples.

3)    the details of important leaders in the government.

4)    the response to oppression from the people (or lack thereof).

5)    the connection to 1984.

Your essay must use MLA format. If you have any questions, consult the MLA Handbook, Purdue OWL (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/), or Shane.

There is no page maximum or minimum; you should use as much writing as is necessary to demonstrate your new learning—to prove that you’re an expert on this government. If you need a number, though, shoot for three pages.

Part Three: Presentation

Your project will also include a presentation to the class on your chosen government. You should address the same ideas you tackle in your essay; this presentation is an opportunity to showcase what you’ve learned and to educate your peers about it.

Multimedia presentations are highly encouraged: you should consider using a slideshow, YouTube, a poster, a song, or other resources that will enhance your material.

Tips for Success on this Project:

·      Start early and take your time. The more time you allow yourself, the better your research and analysis will be.

·      Ask questions; submit drafts; get help from others. I’m here to support you throughout this project—you are absolutely welcome to ask for help, to bounce ideas off me, or to just chat.

·      Choose a country that really interests you: it will be obvious whether or not you care.

Important Note on Research: It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL that you document your sources. You must know where your information is coming from. Failure to document your resources properly will result in a severely decreased performance on the project.

January 30th, 2013

1/30/13

In Class:
Journal--   Describe the Party’s stance on sex in 1984. Why is it viewed this way? What does this say about Oceanic society? Try to use specific examples from the book.
        OR
Reflect on the Party’s slogan, “Who controls the present controls the past; who controls the past controls the future” (30).

Seminar discussion of sex and romance in Oceanic society in 1984.

Introduced midterm/final project (see separate post).

Homework:
Read through p. 158 of 1984 by Monday.
Compile terms unique to 1984 (e.g., doublethink, thoughtcrime) for a running vocabulary list.