AP English Literature Practice Exam Reflection

Directions: Take some time to think about your first practice exam and respond in a thoughtful narrative:

1. How many questions were you able to answer in a one hour period? Divide this number by 60 minutes to find out the number of questions you answered per minute. What does this number tell you about your reading pace, if anything?

2. Which questions were the easiest for you to answer? Questions about poetry? Prose (everyhing other than poetry)? Questions about an author's style? Syntax? Diction? Figurative Langauge? Main idea or argument?

3. Which questions were the most difficult for you to answer? Questions about poetry? Prose (everyhing other than poetry)? Questions about an author's style? Syntax? Diction? Figurative Langauge? Main idea or argument?

4. Which reading strategies did you use? Did you annotate the text? Re-read? Read the questions first? Use process of elimination to find best answer?

5. What skills would you like your instructor to focus or include in her instruction upon return from break, based on taking this practice exam?

We will continue the exam on Friday, if needed and will go over the correct answers. You will write responses in which you discuss why you make the answer selections you did.

AP English Lit Homework/Great Books

1. Read the Packet: Revise for Evidence-- mark it, annotate it; sleep with it! (Great Books, you have not gotten the packet yet)
2. All classes: Read over your returned essay. Reflect on the comments I made and construct a response that answers the following: With which aspect do I agree (in terms of comments from my teacher)? With which, if any do I disagree? With with aspects of the reading (Revise for Evidence) are most important for my paper?
3. AP Lit: Be sure you can identify the types of evidence that are listed in the packet and understand how they serve the purpose of being evidence.
4. Both classes: next writing: Song Comparisons

English 10 & American Literature Assignments

English Ten: Complete Antigone Corssword; We will review for Antigone Exam upon return. Independent Reading Assignment Options:
1. Create a T-Shirt or Bag for you book. Decorate A T-Shirt or Bag with theme words, images and symbols from your novel. Remember, a symbol is something that has value aside from its inheirent value. Your T-Shirt or Bag must have an original summary of at least 100 words written on the back. You must have images that reflect the conflict, major characters and setting of the story.
2.Create a soundtrack for your novel. Create an artistic CD or cassette cover that highlights the conflicts, major characters and resolution of your novel. Then, create a CD of no fewer than two songs per chapter that are appropriate for the conflict, a major event, or turning point for that chapter in the novel. You must use a total of three distinct genres of music-- rap and hip-hop count as the same genre. R&B counts as rap and hip-hop if a rapper does a guest appearance.
Option 3. Write a chapter of your novel-- this might be the prologue (chapter before chapter 1); chapter after the final chapter; or a a chapter in between. Your chapter must be at least four pages handwritten and be original. It must have a creative title, and feature the name of at least two of the characters in the text.
Option 4. Create a series of paintings of drawings of the most signficiant points in the story. You must have at least five drawings. You must use either pastel, marker, or paint. Do not attempt if you are not an artist.
Option 5. Create a dramatic monologue based on one of the most intense, moving or signigificant scenes of your novel. Memorize or perform dramatically. Must be at least 15 lines.
Option 6. Dont see an option for you? Respond to my blog your idea. If approved, I will contact you.

Period 2, 3, 6 American Literature & English Ten
1. Remember to continue writing in your journals
2. Period 2-- Read Shame MAy Not Be So Bad After and answer the questions as assignmed
Period 2&5 Read Puritan Punishments
3. Per 2- Create the letter of the person you would shame.
4. Period 5- Remember to read about the Salem Witch Trials and complete the assignment on your half sheet.

AP English Lit/Great Books Thanksgiving Break Assignments

I apologize for the delay in uploading the study questions for Oedipus at Colonus. BE sure you have read the entire short play,and have answered the following study questions. The first two sets are due Monday and will be stamped; the second set is due Tuesday. YOu will have a quiz on the reading up to the end of the second set of questions. Be ready to engage in discussion and writing about the play.
Great Books and AP English Lit Answer the questions that follow:
1. What has Oedipus learned from his years of begging and wandering in exile?
2. Where do Oedipus and Antigone tread at the beginning of the play?
3. How does the Citizen react to the strangers in the sacred grove?
4. What prayer does Oedipus offer after the Citizen leaves?
5. How does the Chorus react at first to the news that someone has trespassed on the sacred grove?
6. How does the Chorus react when Oedipus, haggard and blind, reveals himself?
7. How does the Chorus react when Oedipus gives his name?
8. How does Oedipus shame the Chorus into accepting him?
9. What news does Ismene bring?
10. How does Oedipus react to Ismene’s news?

1. What ceremony does the Leader of the Chorus explain to Oedipus?
2. How does Oedipus react when the Leader finishes explaining the ceremony?
3. What do Ismene and Antigone say after their father speaks to the Leader about the ceremony?
4. Why does the Chorus want Oedipus to recite the details of his life?
5. Why does Oedipus yield to the curiosity of the Chorus when the men press him for the details of his life?
6. Why does Theseus offer protection and the full rights of citizenship to Oedipus?
7. What gift does Oedipus promise to Theseus?
8. Why is Creon searching for Oedipus?
9. Why does Creon seize Ismene and Antigone?
10. Why will Creon be Theseus’ prisoner until the women are returned?

1. How does Theseus win back Ismene and Antigone?
2. How does Oedipus react when he is reunited with his daughters?
3. What promise does Theseus reaffirm to the family after the reunion?
4. Why does Polynices want to see his father?
5. How does Polynices begin the dialogue with his father?
6. How does Antigone feel about the visit from Polynices?
7. Oedipus reacts to Polynices how?
8. What happens between Oedipus and Polynices as their conversation continues?
9. What curse does Oedipus repeat to Polynices?
10. What promise does Polynices wrest from Antigone?

AP English Lit: (1) Download both songs to your MPS player or CD Player. You will write about in class. (2) Have your independent reading novel. You will begin reading this week, to have first literature circle meeting.

Great Books: Be sure to have your text on MOnday for the Discovering Great Books Assignment

Back on The Grind...Anyway The Wind Blows

Welcome back to Teacher Talk! The 2010-2011 school year is under sway, and I am swept off my feet by myself, my students, my colleagues and the school year! I am so ready to read, write, think, connect, teach; teach reading, writing, thinking, connecting! I am overwhelemed and exhilerated all at the same time. I ponder aligning this blog to its title--teacher talk, making entries about what makes me tick as an educator, and creating another blog for my students. In any case I am excited about the new year--especially the chance to teach Great Books. More on that later!

The Stranger

The Stranger Comprehension Questions
Read The Stranger-- I mean it this time!!! Be sure to answer each.
1. What infleunces Meursault to think that he could possibly be married?
2. What do Meursault's neighbor's say about him?
Part 1 Chapter 6 through the end of the novel.
3. Where do Meursault, Raymond and Masson go after lunch?
4. Describe the scene when Meursault confronts the Arabs? That is, describe the weather and Meursault's reaction to it.
5. What charge is Meursault's counsel (lawyer) concerned with? What does his lawyer feel about his (Meursault's case)?
6. What goes through Meursault's mind as he speaks with the magistrate? What might we expect or want a criminal to do or think?
7. When does Meursault's trial begin? What types of questions does the judge sask Meursault?
9. What does the doorkeeper say about Meursault during the trial?
10. How many times does Meursault refuse to see the chaplain? Is this in line with his character?
11. HOw does Meursault spend his nights in his cell?
12. What happens when the chaplain touches Meursault's shoulder?

The Stranger Finale

Finish Reading The Stranger and prepare ten questions that you have for the novel, the author, Meursault as a character, the setting. Be prepared for a reading quiz on the entire novel. REad and annotate carefully and now what happens in the novel.

The Stranger

AP English Literature Homework:
(1) Read The Stranger Chapters two and three answer the following:
Chapter 2
1. Find another incident, event, thought or action that reveals Mersualt's detachment from his mother's death.
2. Who is Marie Cardona?
3. What type of movie do Marie and Mersault see? How is this choice odd, considering what has happened to Mersault?
4. What "routine" do Sundays interrupt for Mersualt?
5. Why does Mersualt no eat at Celeste's?
Chapter 3
6. What does Monday represent for Meursault? and does Mersault's employer treat him upon his return back to work?
7. How is Meursault's reaction to Celeste awkward for us, but in line with Meursault's character?
8. Describe the other tenants in Meursault's building including Emmanuel; Raymond Sintes; and Old Man Salamano.
Read: The Myth of Sisphysus (google it--read the actual myth; not the essay.
Read "The Myth of Sisphysus" by Alber Camus (The essay given you in class on Thursday). Be prepared for reading quiz on the actual myth of Sisyphus and connections to the essay by Camus and Chapters 2-3 of The Stranger.

Journal Reflection

Part of being a good student and strong writer is demonstrating the ability to self-analyze and judge the work of peers. You were asked to keep a reading journal of your reading of The Kite Runner. For this assignment, do the following:
Select any three of your best journal entries. Highlight the date or Chapters for the three entries so that they are visible when I look into your journal. Then, for each, write a one to two paragraph reflection answering the following: This journal is one of my best because of the way I.....
Be sure that you select journals that are considered your best because they are well-written or poignant or funny, or lengthy or... Do Not simply select a journal because you like the quote or passage excerpted from The Kite Runner. Bring your three to six paragraphs tomorrow.

AP English Language Spring Break Assignments

1. Read your novel- be sure to respond in your journal for approximately every twenty pages of reading.
2. Complete your annotated bibliography. Due on Tuesday, April 6, 2010. Be ready.

The Kite Runner Questions and AP English Lit Assignment for SpRinG BreAk!!

I hope that you all have had some time to rest! And Now, the questions and assignments as promised:
Poetry Assignemt: Using your Perrine literature text, find one poem that you really like or find challenging. Type this poem out, include the poet's name, the title of the poem, and the page number from the text. Your poem must come from the Perrine's literature text, not online, not from another book. Bring to class on Tuesday, April 6th. Be sure you have read it.
The Kite Runner Assignment:
1. Finish reading and responding to The Kite Runner and writing in your journals. Answer the following on a separate sheet (or sheets of paper):
1. Explain how Baba's handling of his diagnosis was typical for him (how was his behavior in line with what you know about his character? Be sure to include adjectives or decriptive words to remind me that you know about his character).
2. Chapters 15 and 16 are in many ways expository an fill in details of what happens in Afghanistan with the fall of the Northern Alliance and teh rise of the Taliban. Why were many Afghans initially happy that the Taliban took control? What soon happened afterwards?
3. What does Amir learn when he goes back to Afghanistan from Rahim Khan? That is summarize Chapter 16.
4. Why is Amir's conflict with Assef significant? Why does Hosseini have Amir find Sohrab in the way and place that he did?
Preparation for Return:
We will discuss overarching themes found in The Kite Runner by way of Whole Class Discussion. You will write about The Kite Runner. You will prepare the Literary Archetype Essay Discussed before Break as a culminiating task. You will taste poetry and learn some of the terms associated with it. You will read a non-fiction article that relates to The Kite Runner. You will take more practice AP Exams in class. We will begin our next novel, probably The Stranger or The Song of Solomon or Chronicle of A Death Foretold during April 12th.

Things Fall Apart AP English Literature

Carefully read Things Fall Apart up till the end of Part One (Chapter 14) Answer the study questions below to help you make sense of the many cultural events described in these chapters. Remember they are included for a specific purpose. Additionally, write one other character analysis-- give yourself no more than 35 minutes to write. Bring to class Monday. Additionally, begin to review the following terms: tragedy (all the lecture notes), freytag's pyramid, literary terms: metaphor, allusion, simlie, rhetorical question, apostrophe, the conventions of fiction, personification, the plot graph. Start reviewing the stories from The Bible, Job, for your final exam.
Chapter 11
1. Why don’t the birds want Tortoise to join them at the feast in the sky?
2. How does Tortoise convince the birds to allow him to join them at the feast?
3. How is Tortoise able to fly with the birds of the sky?
4. What are some of the hard things Tortoise’s wife takes out of the house to prepare for Tortoise’s fall?
Chapter 12
5. The members of Obierika’s extended family sit in a half-moon. When his in-laws arrive, they complete thecircle. What is the significance of the seating arrangement?
6. What purpose is served by involving the reader in a traditional Nigerian wedding?
Chapter 13-14
7. What is the name of Okonkwo’s village?
8. Why does Okonkwo shudder when he learns of Ezedu's death?
9. What does the one-handed spirit mean when he asks Ezeudu to come again the way he came before?
10. What horrible accident happens at Ezedu's funeral and why is it significant to Okonkwo?
11. Why does Obierika begin to wonder about the justice of the Earth goddess?
12. What do the elders mean when they say “If one finger brought oil it soiled the others”?

The Fall of Rome (AP English Language)

Carefully read Chapters 1-3 of The Fall of Rome. Answer the following questions either as you read, or following your reading. The questions require depth and understanding; most require multiple sentence responses:
1. Articulate Mr. Washington's philosophy of being an African-American teacher in a predominately Caucasian, elite private school.
2. What impression do you get of Mr. Washington by the comments and remarks he makes of his only African-American student, Rashid?
3. Summarize Mr. WAshingtons comments on page 12
4. Is it important that on page 13, Mr. Washington is surprised when Mr. Bryson raises his hand?
5. Describe Kofi and the impact that he has on his younger brother, Rashid. What happens to Kofi?
6. How then is Rashid additionally burdened and set apart from his peers at Chelsea?
7. Why had Ms. Hansen come to Chelsea to teach?
8. Explain the author's choice of having the novel told directly by Mr. Washington (Chapter 1; an all knowing narrator for Rashid- Chapter 2; and from Ms. Hansen in Chapter 3?) (What purpose does it serve to have the novel told this way instead of from an all-knowing narrator?

AP English Literature- Things Fall Apart

#1 Reflection- On which of the three essay choices do you think you did your best? (Meaning, your felt beest prepared in terms of your reading, discussion, etc.)? Which one of the questions posed challenged you most to think of the text Things Fall Apart (characters, situations, etc.) differently?
Continue reading Chapters 6-8 of Things Fall Apart, carefully reading and underlining in pencil each proverb from each chater. Although I have begun to shy away from many study questions, I would like you to note the significance of several events, hence study questions:
1. How does Okonkwo demonstrate fondness for Ikemefuna (this was from Chapter 5)?
2. How does Okonkwo display his temper in Chapter 5?
3. Why is Okonkwo so fond of Enzima, and what does his relationship between her show about him?
4. For how long had Ikemefuna lived in Okonkwo's household? Identfy at least two ways that he postiviely impacts Nwoye's behavior (even, if only outwardly).
5. Were you surprised by Okonkwo's particpation in the acts at the end of the Chapter? Why or why not?
6. How had Ikemefuna come to stay in Umuofia in the first place?

Things Fall Apart

Be Sure you have carefully read Chapters 1-4 of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Since Tuesday is a 90 minute block period, we will have time to review/quiz your reading and understanding of why the events and characterizations matter. Answer the following in addition to the questions given you on Friday. I will not accept one, two, or three sentence answers. Answers require thought---they can not be found in one section of the text:
1. In what ways is Okonkwo a respected leader of his village? Give three examples.
2. Describe the homestead of Okonkwo (with his three wives and childen) What does it illustrate about Igo culture? Do not write--it illustrates that a man may have more than one wife.
3. Explain the Ibo concept of "chi" and how this concept relates to Okonkwo's desire for success (remember there is a glossary in the back of your novel. Also it is mentioned in your reading).
4. Discuss the symbolic meaning of The Week of Peace for the Igbo people and how Okonkwo violates it.