D. Brosius’ Virtual Classroom

We had a busy week last week and an even busier week coming up.  Make sure you are keeping up with the pace of the class; ask questions when you are confused and or come in before or after school to play catch up.  If you are absent it is your responsibility to catch back up- I will not come and seek you out to collect your work but I will keep the zero in the grade book until the missed work is turned in.  Make sure you are using someone in your class/period to keep you informed of the missed work.  The website is a great resource but it is not a replacement for a living breathing body in your class.  This week is “Say No to Drugs” week, show your support by participating in the following activities:

Monday- Sock it to drugs (wear socks)

Tuesday- Black out drugs (wear black)

Wednesday-Team up against drugs (wear your red griffin gear)

Thursday-sweat out drugs (get comfy in those sweats)

Friday-Drugs are shady (wear your shades)

Seniors- Your Philosophy of Life essays were thought provoking! I appreciate the fact that many of you made a concerted effort to consider John Ashbery’s piece and work in your own life’s philosophy- your work reflected thought, more importantly, effort.  We have established the fact that our literature has changed radically over time because of our societies philosophical ideals.  This week we will investigate modern thinkers that theorized the psychological development of man.  After last week’s brief  author study on Sigmund Freud you have a foundation to move forward in his theory.  We will zoom in and analyze Freud’s theory of psycho sexual development. Keeping in mind that discussing the process of development and coming of age rituals will help you better understand the very popular themes used in modern literature.  Prepare for a week of intense study of stages of development.  I think you will find the information fascinating in the application to literature and to your own life.

Juniors- You should have some rhythm of our class by now.  We start each week with a test of understanding over words and concepts read in The Scarlet Letter. Some time, not much so you really should not waste it!!, is devoted to your Symbols Book assignment. Works from various authors are analyzed, focusing on, first and foremost, main idea, analyzing rhetorical strategies and effective devices.  Last week we differentiated modes, methods, strategies, and devices- be prepared to show what you know in your rhetorical analysis essay- coming sooon!!!  This week we will continue our study of The Scarlet Letter, and further discuss the various critical reading/ writing strategies.

Wow!! Seven weeks has already passed us by! Amazing how time flies when you are enjoying your job!  Thank you for making my job so enjoyable… A great homecoming game behind us- Yeah- Griffin football for putting another win to our name.  The game was very exciting, the band was EXCELLENT, cheerleaders were  AWESOME,  but most of all the crowd was a  great representation of students, parents, staff, and community pulling together to cheer on a common cause- being the best on and off the field.  Shout outs to all that participated in the  homecoming activities this week.  Enjoy your dance, make good choices, and represent LAHS.

Seniors- You should at the least be comfortable, if not feel like an expert, with the literary movements: Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Modernism, and Post Modernism. Your group presentations, power point lectures, visual tours, selected readings, and a unit test pounded the theory into your understanding. In the upcoming week we will move on to the focus of our course-reading and comparing literature from various literary movements. We discussed briefly how philosophies change as the culture changes- this week we will delve into a close examination of our own philosophy of life, by first looking at a great American Modern poet, John Ashbery’s “Philosophy of Life”.  Asbery’s poem has many elements of Modern Literature- such as staccato structure syntax, followed by long elaborate diatribes, interspersing line of stream of consciousness, and abstract meanderings.  The poem is a tough piece of literature, but chewed slowly and thoroughly really captures a valid philosophy many actually live by today.  You will have the opportunity to try your hand at a reflective piece that will essentially mold into your own philosophy of life. Stop rolling your eyes, and get excited about this, I assure you you will gain new insight into modernist techniques as well as take ownership in your philosophy of life.

Juniors- Our first set of quiz/test for The Scarlet Letter are tucked away into the grade book. If you did not do well, then turn it up a couple notches. Come see me for clarification, and possible study suggestions. You really should be working the study guide, the reading, and the vocabulary hand in hand. If you are completing them separately you are probably doing more work then necessary. Read, discover meaning of the words within the context of the novel and let the study guide questions help you focus your attention to specific details.  Last week we continued to focus on multi tasking as you read.  Remember first and foremost you are reading for understanding, then you are noticing the authors word choice, sentence structure, imagery, details, etc. all the components of the work that are clarifying the meaning of the text.  Do not read for entertainment, read for appreciation of the written work. Like art- don’t notice all the pretty colors, rather notice how the colors evoke meaning.  Yeah… Yeah… I know I sound like a broken record…pretty soon you’ll be hearing my mantras whispering in the back of your head as you are reading and it will CLICK!!  Next week we are going to put our paragraph writing skills and move it into essay writing- EXCITING huh?!

It is Homecoming week- The theme is Cirque De LA I realize how the concept of circus life is far removed from most so here is a little help to wrap your brain around the idea.

circus theme

The whole Circus du Soleil concept may help when thinking about costumes; just make sure you keep it school appropriate. Tickets for the dance are on sale all week. Seniors, it is your last homecoming so enjoy!

Below is the schedule for the week; show your school spirit and participate in the dress up days…

Monday Oct. 05-  MIX MATCH MONDAY

Tuesday Oct. 21 find someone that looks like you or has similar style and call them your twin for Twin Day!

Wednesday Oct 07 get out of bed and get to school no need to dress because it is Pajama Day!

Jersey Thursday Oct 08 wear your favorite team jersey

Free Friday Oct 09- you have a free day off enjoy!!!

***********************************************************************************************

Seniors- After a week of group presentations, and LOTS of review- through questions and group discussions, are you ready for the unit final tomorrow?? Click on the literary movement below to view the group power point presentations. Remember you can use one page (front side only) of notes on the final.

Romanticism

Naturalism

Realism Realism

Postmodernism

Juniors-Continue to read The Scarlet Letter, and stay caught up on vocabulary, study guide and Book of Symbols.  We will move forward on perfecting our rhetorical analysis strategies, and blend in the study of argumentation. Remember you are expected to be studying rhetorical terms, such as tone words, and working on grammar and writing exercises that you need for your own personal training (see AP exercise central). Utilize the side bar resources- I didn’t include them to make our page look pretty!!