FRESHMEN: The Hobbit

It's a pretty easy book, but if you have questions about what is going on, especially now that Bilbo and the dwarfs have finally reached the mountain and come upon Smaug. Ask away!

SENIORS: Brave New World Questions

Please post any questions you may have about the readings you have to do over the break. Remember, by now John the Savage is back in the World State and there will be a great amount of adjustment on both sides. It might be slightly confusing, so ask away!

SENIORS: Brave New World Essay

As promised, here are the guidelines again for the essay I will be expecting by January 6 at midnight.

Times New Roman font, size 11. Not double spaced, please one and half (1.5) times spacing.

2-3 pages.

Your topic? Is our world, in 2007, on the path to becoming the Brave New World? Yes or No?

Take a side, do some light research, and email me the essay you write. Please embed the essay text in the email message itself; NO ATTACHEMENTS!

The email address is mrejameson@yahoo.com.

Ask if you have specific questions.

Enjoy!

SENIORS: Macbeth & Shakespeare

Our next work of literature is Macbeth, by the immortal bard, Shakespeare. He has a very poor reputation, in that it is commonly thought to be very difficult for most people to work through and understand Shakespeare. But if that was the case, why do they keep doing Shakespeare in plays, in schools, and in movies? My question is what have your experiences with Shakespeare been like? Do you like his work, or try to avoid it whenever possible? Hard to understand or do you know what to do?

FRESHMEN: Prepare for M&M

No, not the candy-shell covered chocolate candies, nor the white rapper from Detroit. Of Mice & Men is the next novel we are going to be reading in class. One of the central themes of the novel is that of friendship. So I ask you, what does friendship mean to you? What is a friend?

Seniors - The Pardoner's Tale

The first of two tales we will look at from The Canterbury Tales, the Pardoner's Tale, is a morality tale about greed. The Pardoner tells stories of greed to scare people from their money, so that they will give their money to him. He says that "Money is the root of all evil." Do you agree? Disagree? Why?

Seniors - Cultural Perceptions of Jobs

As you are now going through the Prologue of Canterbury Tales, you are seeing the views of certain vocations during the Middle Ages. Lawyers, for example, weren't loved back then either. What do you think the top 5 most respected/loved jobs are? What do you think are the Top 5 Least Respected jobs are? Provide at least a bit of reasoning for your opinions.

Seniors - Cultural Inaccuracies?

We've been talking about how pop culture reflects the social values and morals of the society that creates said pop culture art. We talked about how violence in particular is an accepted part of our culture and how it is in many of our films, television shows and even in our music. A gunshot is okay, but a bare buttock isn't. Contrasted with Europe, where the opposite is general true.

Are there examples of where you think this isn't true? As in, do you think perhaps there are examples of pop culture values that aren't the real values of America? Adultery and cheating for example; it's common in film, but is it common in real life?

Post your comments and react and respond to each other.

Extra Credit Chances

These opportunities for extra credit are valid the entire school year; from Labor Day to Memorial Day. Each one, unless otherwise noted, is worth the same value as a single homework assignment. If you are unsure, always ask me before going if it will count for extra credit.

Plays. Community theatre, college productions, professional plays and the productions of Walnut High School are all valid. Attend, get your ticket stamped or signed by a teacher there, and attach that ticket to your half-page or better review of the play. It is a review. What did you like, and why. What did you not like, and why. Should others attend the play?

Museums. Los Angeles has a wealth of museums covering all sorts of subjects. Modern art, dinosaurs, cowboys, even TV. Attend the museum, and again, attach a ticket stub or receipt or other proof of attendance with your report. The report also must be at least a half page and must tell me what you did and saw. It must also tell me at least one thing you learned that is new to you.

Zoos and aquariums. I treat these the same as museums. I am currently inclined to accept these for extra credit, but that may change, especially if there is a run of people going to Sea World in an attempt at extra credit.

And finally, the Renaissance Faire. This event occurs in the spring and I will talk about it more at that point.

Go out, get culture and extra credit at the same time!

Welcome!!

Welcome to the 2007-2008 school year at Walnut High School. Some of you reading this are seniors, some of you have had me as a teacher previously, some of you are freshmen and some of you are still learning English (PLL). Regardless of who you are, welcome. I am hoping we can all have fun and learn a thing or three.

First rule of the blog is as follows. When I post for a particular class, please do not comment unless you are a part of that class. So seniors, no teasing the freshmen, okay?

This blog is intended as another way for us to communicate. Not only will I be posting homework on the blog, but I will be asking additional questions and additional commentary for you to read and respond to. That is one of the main points of this; it's another chance for you to participate in class and interact with your fellow students. I will be checking the blog commentary every time I post. If anything is inappropriate, I delete it and if possible, track down who posted it. Otherwise, I'm simply taking note of who is commenting...and this will be a factor in your participation score. So if you are painfully shy, this is a chance to contribute to the class without having to raise your hand if it terrifies you.

Overall, this is merely an extension of my classroom. Please respect me, please respect each other. Enjoy the year!