Macbeth Blogs

As we read Macbeth, we will be focusing on the imagery in the text. As you read, look for these images (or near variations of them):

• sleep
• disease
• clothing/sewing
• planting
• doubles
• shadows/darkness
• strangeness

You will need to post a blog for each section of reading that is assigned. In these posts, you will comment upon where in the reading you noted these images and what the significance might be. You do not need to discuss every single occurrence of the images, but you do need to provide a thoughtful analysis of those you do mention.

Blogs for the entire week will be checked on Friday afternoons at 3:00 (or Thursday at 3:00, if we don't have school on Friday). You will also need to leave a minimum of one comment for a classmate each week. Extra comments translate to extra credit, up to 15 points per semester.

Schedule of blog homework:

Friday, October 31: read Act 1, Scenes 1-3 and blog
Monday, November 3: read Act 1, Scenes 4-7 and blog
These two blogs will be graded on Thursday, November 6 at 3:00.

Thursday, November 6: read Act 2 and blog
Wednesday, November 12: read Act 3, Scenes 1-3
These two blogs will be graded on Friday, November 14 at 3:00.

Thursday, November 13: read Act 3, Scenes 4-6 and blog
Monday, November 17: read Act 4, Scenes 1-2 and blog
Wednesday, November 19: read Act 4, Scene 3 and blog
Thursday, November 20: read Act 5, Scenes 1-4 and blog
These four blogs will be graded on Friday, November 21 at 3:00.

Blog Guidelines

Guidelines:
• You will post a blog response for each reading assignment.
• Your topics will be posted to our class blog at http://tgibritlit.blogspot.com.
• Posts should be 200 words or more.
• All entries for the week must be posted by 3:00 pm on Friday.
• If you for any reason post after 3:00 pm on Friday, you must email me to let me know to check your work. You should also be aware that your work will be graded as late.
• You will respond to the entries of your classmates—at least one per week. This should be a well-developed, thoughtful response.
• You will receive credit for the quality of your posts, as well as your responses.

Basic Reminders:
• You must reflect on the reading and develop significant ideas, not simply recount the reading.
• Be aware that all posts are public domain. Anyone can see what you write. Accordingly, if you should have a personal or sensitive response to a certain portion of reading or assignment, you may email me that day’s entry instead of posting it to the Internet.
• Because this is a classroom assignment, please be respectful and adhere to the core values of University High School.

Extra Credit:
• You may earn extra credit for posting additional comments to your classmates’ blogs.
• Your responses must be to entries which have been posted in the current week.
• In this manner, you may earn up to 15 extra points per semester.

Top 5 Movies

I chose to do Top 5 Disney movies:
1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Mulan
3. Cars
4. Robin Hood
5. Cinderella

"Popular Mechanics" writing assignment

First, read the story "Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver. Then, complete this writing assignment on your blog.

Start by thinking more deeply about the characters in this story. Choose one (either the man or the woman) that you would like to analyze. Use your imagination and create details to flesh out the character. On your blog, develop a character description.

1. What is his or her name?
2. What does he or she do for a living?
3. What is his or her height/weight/hair color and style/body type?
4. What type of clothes does he or she usually wear?
5. Best qualities?
6. Worst qualities?
7. How does he or she come across? Easygoing? Short-tempered? Etc.
8. Weaknesses?
9. What or who does he or she hate?
10. What or who does he or she love?

Then spend some time rewriting the incident in the story from your character’s first person point of view. Your story should start when the man is leaving the bedroom and end when the baby gets ripped in two. You need to do it in the head of one of these characters.

Try to make your character sympathetic without making us think that their actions are okay.

"How to Read"

This is the first post for our unit on High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. After reading Hornby's article entitled "How to Read," complete the following assignment:

In a few sentences, summarize Nick Hornby's philosophy of reading in this essay. What do you think about this advice? How does it match or not match your reading style? Discuss some boks that have been very enjoyable for you to read and some that have been painful. What made the experience good or bad? I expect a thoughtful consideration of what makes for an enjoyable read.

200-300 words

Thanks for the Title, Parker

Welcome to your wonderful new blog for British Literature, period 7. You will find links to all your blogs in the right-hand navigation bar. I'll also post the assignments on here in case you need them. As always, email me (ding!) if you have questions.