Wednesday, December 9, 2015

2nd Antithesis Essay Assignment--Worth 30 Gold!

Your second antithesis essay assignment is due the Friday before Winter Break, 12/18. Many of you are REQUIRED to write this essay in order to demonstrate proficiency in antithesis writing. If you are not required to write the essay, you may still write one in order to earn the 30 gold, but it will not be assessed unless requested. Students who are REQUIRED to complete the 2nd essay will have their first essay score removed if the second essay demonstrated proficiency. The assignment explanations and resources are available below.

Antithesis Essay 2 Assignment

Antithesis Outline Frame (extra help, if needed)

Here is a partially filled in frame outline for the Jason Letter that may help you in the 2nd antithesis assignments.

Help Sessions:

Every morning: McElliott is available at 7:00 in room 113.

Wednesdays:

McElliott is available in room 113 from 2:30 -3:15
Lilly-Davison is available in room 114 from 3:15-4:00

Mondays:

McElliott is available in room 113 if there's no staff meeting
Lilly-Davision is available from 3:15-4:00

Friday, December 4, 2015

Unit 2 Test Wednesday, December 9

Your Unit 2 Exam covers the follow stories: The 8 Tales of Lovers, Polyphemus, Narcissus, Hyacinth, Adonis, Jason, Phaethon, Bellerophon, Otus and Ephialtes, Daedalus and Icarus, Jason, Persues and Theseus.

It will consist of a multiple choice test the covers some character names, plot events, literary devices, vocabulary in context, and antithesis writing concepts.

The documents available here and here are a good reminder of all the character names you should review. Please make flash cards, flippy charts, or use quizlet to help you study with accountability.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Homework over Thanksgiving

Finish Perseus columns (if necessary).

Finish any unit 2 homework, including Jason antithesis letter (if necessary)

Finish "extra gold" Golden Mean story, as explained below:

Write a one page parable (educational story) showing the virtues of following the “Golden Mean.” For the Greeks, the Golden Mean meant no excesses and that everything must be done in moderation. You will want to have three characters that do an activity in different extremes in your story. The characters who do too much or too little of this activity will suffer, and those that do the activity in moderation will have a fantastic life. The activity and characters can be modern, but must be school appropriate. Your final product will probably be 3/4 to 1 page in length.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Jason Concern Letter Outline

The full concern letter assignment is available here. Remember, we'll be writing it in class on Monday, so the letter itself is not homework.

You should complete an outline of your letter over the weekend where you list the specific evidence you'll be using as support for your paper. I'll list the entire paper's structure, but the part in BOLD is what you need to specify on your outline. Please note that the outline does not include required elements like topic and summary sentences and transitions.

Introduction:

-Explain who you are and experience of watching movie
- List your antithesis statement

Antithesis Paragraph (Good things about movie that are not gender role issues)

- First good thing about movie
- explain why it's good

- Second good thing about movie
-explain why it's good

- Third good thing about movie
-explain why it's good

Thesis Paragraph (Concerns about Gender roles in the movie)

- First summary from book
- How it happened in the movie
- explain concern about gender role stereotype

- Second summary from book
- How it happened in the movie
- explain concern about gender role stereotype

- Third summary from book
- How it happened in the movie
- explain concern about gender role stereotype


Concluding paragraph:

-Restate main ideas
- propose a solution
- Thanks yous

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Jason Interactive Reading Questions

Jason Interactive Reading

Directions: Read the story of the “Quest of the Golden Fleece” stopping to write responses to the following questions as you are reading. Page numbers are provided for the big book, so it might be easiest to make up the assignment using on of those.

159- Title: What associations do you have with the words
• Fleece
• Golden
• Quest

160- The line “sailors…had to face what dangers” is an example of what literary device?

160- Pause after “was afraid of her two children, especially the boy” Why does Nephele fear for Phrixus?

160- What dilemma does the king face?

161- The Hellespont gets its name from this story. What other stories provide examples of geographical names?

161- Stop at the break on page 161. What has been the purpose of the story so far?

161- Stop after “In due time one such man came to the land.” Who do you predict this man will be?

162- What does Jason’s physical description emphasize?

162- What do we find out about Jason’s character/personality?

163- What is the importance of Hercules leaving? How would the story have been different if Hercules stayed around?

164-Summarize the encounter with the harpies.

167- Summarize the encounter with the clashing rocks.

168- Predict: How will the king’s daughter falling in love with Jason help him?

169- What does abashed likely mean in “amazed and abashed, she stole back to her chamber”? (Use context and/or word components)

170- What literary device is used in the paragraph starting with “returned to the ship” that is when we know something that Jason doesn’t.

171- What literary devices do we see in the sentences beginning with “they stood face to face?...”

Monday, October 26, 2015

Due Wednesday! Worth GOLD!

Antithesis Basics

Antithesis statements allow you to express an opinion, while acknowledging the other side of the argument.

They often start with transitional words like:

Although
While
Whereas
Even though

The formula of an antithesis statement is as follows:

Antithesis transition word + side of argument you don’t believe + side of argument you do believe + reasons for your opinion.

Even though kangaroos are cute animals, penguins are better because they waddle and have better markings.

Your task:

1. Create an antithesis statement for the following prompt.

Of the 8 Tales of Lovers which is the best story?

2. Create a paragraph in support of your antithesis idea that starts with, “To a certain extent…” Then, provide THREE reasons why the story you don’t like as much has some good qualities.


3. Create a paragraph that begins with a restatement of your whole antithesis/thesis statement. Then, provide THREE reasons why the story you do like has good qualities.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Due Monday Newspaper Article 5 Land!

Newspaper Article

Directions: Write an article in the style of a newspaper using formal voice in which you retell the story of one of the myths we have read or discussed so far in class.

Voice elements
 Formal voice in main text; school appropriate informal voice can be in quotations (slang, etc)
 No first person or second person in main text; first person appropriate in quotations
 Average to long sentences

 Length: 1- 1 ½ pages

Suggested myths:

 Struggle between the gods (Uranus, Cronus, Zeus)
 Demeter and Persephone
 Dionysus
 Creation of Mankind—Metals
 Prometheus and Epimetheus
 Prometheus and Io

Example:

The world was shocked yesterday by the sudden abduction of Persephone and her subsequent kidnapping down to the realm of Hades. Witnesses say that lord of death himself suddenly appeared on his chariot and snatched the innocent Persephone who was simply wandering in a field looking for flowers.
“I could see him in the distance,” a witness said. “He didn’t give Persephone any choice about whether she wanted to come with him. I was like so terrified.” Investigators into her disappearance are still not sure what Hades’ motives were. (Continued…)

Friday, September 18, 2015

Due Monday

Your "betrayal" structured paragraph is due. Remember you are writing a three support structured paragraph on examples of betrayal in the Greek creation story.The notes that we took in class are available below.

Writing a Structured Paragraph

Topic Sentence/Summary Sentence:
Requirements: states paragraph topic and thesis

Thesis: attributes of Greek gods
Paragraph topic: betrayal

Example Topic Sentence: One of the attributes that the Greeks assign to their Gods in the story of creation is betrayal.

Topic sentence comes first in your paragraph, and the summary sentence comes last.

Transitions
Transitional phrases move one’s reader smoothly from supporting details to supporting details.
o Firstly, secondly,
o First of all,
o For example,
o Additionally,
o In addition,
o Furthermore,
o Finally

Ideas/Content
(Elaboration of Evidence)

Your evidence should consist of:

 Summary of an example of betrayal
 Explanation of how this shows betrayal



Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Due Friday

Please return a signed copy of the course syllabus. A copy is available here.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Additional Unit 2 Assignment

Here are the "Phaethon/Bellerophon contructed response questions if you need them.

Phaethon/Bellerophon Constructed Response Practice




Prompt: Phaethon

It is a common trait in human nature that young people often believe that they know better than their elders. Support this trait using specific examples from the text.




Prompt: Bellerophon

The Greeks used the word “hubris” to describe characters who suffered because they possessed too much pride. Use specific examples from this story to support this idea of “hubris”.


Monday, April 27, 2015

Statue Antithesis Assignment

Late work for the Unit 2 Writing Task is also due by May 1st!


Unit 2 Writing Task


Imagine that your community is thinking of putting up a statue to celebrate either Jason, Perseus, or Theseus and the community leaders have chosen a hero that you DO NOT agree with.

You have decided to write a letter expressing your concern over their poor decision and recommend that they make a different choice. Your letter should approximately follow the format below:

 Greeting/Salutation

 Overview of your concern and proposal.

 Evidence supporting your concern over their choice.

 Evidence supporting your proposal

 Summary and acknowledgments

 Your name and information

In order to make your argument believable, you must use both direct (quotations) and indirect (summary) evidence for your side of the issue.

Apply what you know about strong writing from our work with structured paragraphs to help your writing.

Monday, April 20, 2015

MAKE UP WORK DEADLINE

All make up work from units 1 and 2 must be turned in no later than May 1st. No exceptions!

If you will need to complete past assignments in order to earn your credit, they must be turned in by this time.

As a convenience, I am posting some assignment descriptions from the first two units below. These lists may not be complete, and you still need to personally conference with me to make sure that you have all the information you need to complete your assignments.

Unit 1 Assignment Info
Unit 2 Assignment Info





Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Golden Mean Parable


Write a one page parable (educational story) showing the virtues of following the “Golden Mean.” For the Greeks, the Golden Mean meant no excesses and that everything must be done in moderation. You will want to have three characters that do an activity in different extremes in your story. The characters who do too much or too little of this activity will suffer, and those that do the activity in moderation will have a fantastic life. The activity and characters can be modern, but must be school appropriate. Your final product will probably be 3/4 to 1 page in length.

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Jason Antithesis Letter Assignment



Here is the information for the Jason Antithesis Letter assignment. The previous post has the basics of how to write an antithesis paper.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

8 Tales Antithesis Practice

Antithesis Basics

Antithesis statements allow you to express an opinion, while acknowledging the other side of the argument.

They often start with transitional words like:

Although
While
Whereas
Even though

The formula of an antithesis statement is as follows:

Antithesis transition word + side of argument you don’t believe + side of argument you do believe + reasons for your opinion.

Even though kangaroos are cute animals, penguins are better because they waddle and have better markings.

Your task:

1. Create an antithesis statement for the following prompt.

Of the 8 Tales of Lovers which is the best story?

2. Create a small paragraph in support of your antithesis idea that starts with, “To a certain extent…” Then, provide reasons why the story you don’t like as much has some good qualities.


3. Create a small paragraph that begins with a restatement of your whole antithesis/thesis statement. Then, provide reasons why the story you do like has good qualities.