Day 80!

Questions pages 94-139

1. Why doesn’t Willy take the job working for Charley? Why will he take money from him, but not a job offer?
2. Charley says an important line when he states, “Willy, when’re you gonna realize that them things don’t mean anything? You named him Howard, but you can’t sell that. The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell.” What can you infer from this statement?
3. At the restaurant, Happy urged Biff not to tell Willy the truth about what happened with Mr. Oliver. Do you think this was the best time for Biff to choose to finally be honest with his father? Why or Why not?
4. When we first meet Stanley at the restaurant, he demonstrates values that are similar to Happy’s. But, after the boys leave, how does Stanley show that he is superior to Happy
5. Linda finally blows up and tells the boys she wants them away from the house forever. What are her motives in doing this? Do you agree with her actions?
6. What ideas, values, or motifs run through these final scenes?
7. In what ways has Biff changed? Explain the irony which ties the new Biff to causes for Willy’s suicide.
8. Ben says, “Time!” and it is as though Willy’s time is up. Ben now seems to be purely an extension of Willy, and the two characters blend together. How would this be appropriate?
9. What is meant by “Requiem”?
10. Linda points out the lack of people at the funeral. It is at this point that some people consider her to be a truly pathetic figure of a woman. Why might they say that?
11. Explain one example of irony from the final scene. 
12. Why do you think Arthur Miller chose a salesman?
13. How does this play relate to our world and to our lives? What societal values embodied in this play still exist today?
14. How can we avoid Willy’s lifestyle, values, and problems?How important are an individual’s dreams? Should our dreams influence all aspects of our lives? Explain

Day 78!

Happy Tuesday!

Today we will begin with our quiz over Act I of Death of a Salesman.

Then, we will check over your quiz and  discuss the questions that you were to answer for today.

AFTER THAT, we will move on to Act II! It's going to continue to be awesome!

Death of a Salesman

Act II pages 71-94 Discussion Questions

When we read the exchange between Willy and Howard, we notice that Howard treats Willy in the same way that Willy treats Linda. Why do you think Miller (the author) developed this parallel relationship? What does it tell us about Willy?

1. On page 81, Willy gives his speech about Dave Singleman. This speech shows Willy’s motivation for the choices he has made and it shows his value system. Why is this speech so important for the audience to understand Willy?
2. What does Willy mean when he says that Dave Singleman died “The death of a salesman”? Why is this so important to Willy? Why is this death significant in regards to theme?
3. What does Willy mean when he says, “You can’t eat the orange and throw away the peel”? Is Willy justified to feel this way? Why or Why not? Do you agree with this sentiment?
4. How does the mood in this scene differ from the mood in the opening scene in Act I?
5. In this scene we return to Willy’s past and are reintroduced to Ben. Ben comes to see Will when Willy is at his lowest points; why is this? What does Ben represent to Willy?
6. At the beginning of this act, Willy says he’d like to buy some seeds to plan in the backyard. Later, when Ben appears in Willy’s imagination, he asks Willy, “What are you building? Lay your hand on it. Where is it?” What is the connection between these lines?
7. Both Charley and Ben represent everything that Willy wants to attain. Willy sees Ben as an idol, but he treats Charley with distain. Why do you think he treats both of these men differently?
8. Foreshadowing occurs between Willy and Bernard. Bernard tells Willy that after failing Math, Biff had been all set to go to summer school and retake his exam--but that something happened that killed Biff’s will to succeed. That something, Bernard suspects, happened when Biff went to visit Willy in Boston. What do you think is being foreshadowed?

Day 76!

Happy Friday!

Today, we will continue reading Death of a Salesman. We will read through page 37 and talk about the remaining questions.

Then we will keep moving forward. As we finish through Act I, we will answer the next set of questions:

1. What do we learn about Willy at the beginning of these pages? Who is The Woman?
2. Who is Ben? In this scene, Willy bounces back and forth between reality and memories again, based on Willy’s interactions with Ben, what do you think Ben might represent for Willy?
3. What point is made about the American Dream through Ben’s frequent references to time and to “jungle”?
4. What does the mock fight with Biff show about Ben’s values?
5. Do you agree with the way the boys are being raised? Why or Why not?
6. How are Charley and Ben similar and how do they differ?
7. What explanation is given for Willy’s confused values?
8. How does Linda feel about the way her boys live and how they treat their father? 55-57
9. Unlike the others, Linda faces reality at times. What serious reality does she face in these pages?
10. What alternative lifestyle does Biff suggest as this scene comes to a close? How does Willy react?
11. How does Willy now regard Bernard?
12. What events in the play so far allude to Willy’s ultimate demise? How could this be prevented?

Day 74!

Today is the day we have all waited for! Death of a Salesman project presentation day! Yay!

We will finally get to see the marvelous work you all have been doing over the past several days!

Once we have finished with that, we will begin reading the play! Whoop Whoop!

Our goal is to read pages 11-37 for tomorrow; then we will talk about the following questions.

1. What are your initial impressions of Willy and Linda? Why?
2. What conflicts do you see developing in the Loman family? 
3. What seems to be the problem between Biff and Willy? Are Willy’s feelings justified? If you were Biff or Willy how would you react to this conflict?
4. Describe the mood/atmosphere of the play so far
5. Choose three adjectives to describe each character thus far
6. What are your initial impressions of Biff and Happy?
7. What conflicts do they face in their lives? Why do you think these conflicts have arisen?
8. What “flaws” do you detect in their attitudes and personalities?
9. Do you think Biff’s plan to visit his old boss will prove to be successful for him? Why or Why not? What important background information do we learn in this scene?
10. Why is being well-liked valued by Willy and his sons?
11. What is Willy’s relationship like with each of his sons? How does he treat each son? What values does he impart on them?

Day 73!

Good afternoon all!

I apologize for missing class today, and I am sorry if that makes any of you cry.

Today, please finish with any remaining work that you have yet to do on your group presentations. We will give those tomorrow at the beginning of class.

Once you are finished with that, please begin reading your new free reading books! There is a new question on the Reading Workshop Blog. Please take the last 5-10 minutes to answer that question; it is due on Thursday!

Have a good day!

Day 66!

Wednesday! Early out! Exclamation points!!!

Today, as promised, will be a work day for you Reading Workshop Book Projects. If you have yet to finish reading your book, today should be used for speed reading! You can find the book project options posted on the "Useful Documents" page of the Reading Workshop Blog.

If you were absent yesterday, you will be taking your test over Oedipus Rex today! Whoop whoop!

Day 64!

As promised, today will be a review day for our test over Oedipus Rex tomorrow!

You will have the entire period to complete the study guide for the test. You may work with as many people as you wish to complete this.  You can use any resources you see fit to complete the study guide. You may reference my introduction Greek Tragedies KeyNote as well as your classmates' pre-reading presentations to help you as well. Any question from this study guide or the discussion questions we did in class (see your Guided Reading Worsheets) is fair game for the test.

Classmates' Presentations:
Ancient Greece
Greek Tragedy
Greek Theatre

Also remember that your book projects are due next Monday! I will give you as much time as possible this week to work on these, but don't count on getting it all done in class!

Day 63!

Happy Friday!

Today we will begin by discussing the questions you filled out about the Exodus of Oedipus Rex at the end of class yesterday.

THEN we get to have some fun! Sometimes, believe it or not, I run out of creativity (I know, crazy to think about). So, I am enlisting your help to figure out how you want to be assessed over this play and over Greek Tragedies in general. So, together, we will hopefully come up with a really awesome way for you to show that you know your stuff.

On this assessment, you should demonstrate that you have knowledge of:

• Ancient Greece
• Greek Theater
• Greek Tragedies
• Sophocles & his Theban Plays
• Oedipus Rex
• plot, characters, themes, tragic flaw, catharsis, dramatic irony, verbal irony, etc. 

I think we can come up with something great!

If we have any extra time at the end of class, you may work on your book projects! 

Day 61!

We will continue on with yesterday's plan since we did not get to complete it as intended!

Remember, your Reading Workshop Questions were due yesterday, so if you have not already turned yours in, please do so ASAP!

After we have finished reading and discussing Scene 4- Ode 4, we will do a brief journal exercise.

Respond to the following prompt, and then submit your answer using the form below.

Oedipus Journal: 

Imagine that you are any character up to this point in the play. Create a journal entry from that character’s point of view. In your journal, discuss your reaction to the play so far. How do you feel about the things that have been happening? How do you feel about the way Oedipus has treated those who have delivered information to him (Creon, Tieresias, Messenger from Corinth, Shepherd, Jocasta)?How do you feel about Oedipus in general? What do you think about Oedipus’ birth? Do you believe the oracles? How do you think this will end? Keep in mind that you are writing from the perspective of a person in ancient Greece: the language should match. 

*If you choose to write from Oedipus’ view, detail how you’re feeling about everything that is going on. How do you feel about all of the information you’ve been given thus far? Who do you trust and why? What is your plan for the future?

Characters to Consider: 

• Jocasta
• Oedipus
• Creon
• Corinthian Messenger
• Tieresias
• Choragos
• Other Thebans
• Shepherd

Day 60!

Happy 1/3 of the school year! Congratulations on surviving this much of English IV!

I'd like to start today by thanking all of you for your helpful feedback on yesterday's teacher report card. I saw a couple of comments more than once, and I will work to include more base jumping in the future.

Today we will continue reading Oedipus Rex.  We will start class by discussing the questions from yesterday, and then we will move forward with Scene 4- Ode 4! I can't wait!! It's about to get crazy!

Oedipus Rex-: Scene 4-Ode 4 Questions

1. Sophocles creates both ambiguity and irony by having Oedipus say he does not “know the man” who enters, at the start of Scene 4, because on some level Oedipus does recognize the Shepherd. On what two prior occasions has Oedipus seen this man?
2. At especially tense points in the drama, Sophocles uses what the Greeks called stichomythia, or rapid-fire dialogue, in which the characters speak only one line each. Why does he use such dialogue in this scene?
3. Oedipus threatens to torture the old Shepherd. What does this reveal about his character?
4. What is the dilemma the Shepherd expresses in line 1094?
5. What seems to be the Chorus’ main idea in lines 1128-1131?
6. Here Oedipus’ fortunes are completely reversed. What does the Chorus say is to blame? Do you agree?

Day 59!

Happy Monday!


Today we will start with a little grading session--for me. This will be your opportunity to "grade" me as a teacher. On the form below, please provide honest feedback so that I can work to make myself the best teacher I can be!

After that, we will continue with Oedipus Rex! Yay for fun times! 

Don't forget, your Reading Workshop question is due tomorrow!!

Day 29! Whoop WHOOP!

Today we will watch any Powtoon videos that we did not get to view yesterday...GET EXCITED.

Then, we will finish up with the Commonly Confused Words that we started yesterday.

After that, as promised, you will have a reading day! Your first question is also posted on the Reading Workshop Blog. Your answer is due by the end of school tomorrow! You can use the last few minutes of class to work on your answer; be sure you are meeting all of the requirements described on the response rubric!

Day 28- Tuesday, September 24!

I've been really bad at this for your class-- I apologize. But, you would totally be proud of my English III postings. I'm getting pretty good! :)

Today, we will present our Creation Myth Powtoon movies in class. That should take us about 15-20 minutes providing that everyone has finished everything on time!

Once we have finished with that, we will finally do our second set of Commonly Confused Words! I can't believe you guys have been forgetting to remind me to do these!

If we have time after that, you may free read your Reading Workshop books. Tomorrow will be a reading day, so be sure to bring your books, and be prepared to answer our first question!

See you in class!

Here are the words for this week!

Commonly Confused Words:

1. farther, further

farther (adv)- at or to a greater distance (used to refer to measurable distance)     
example: Texas is farther west that Louisiana.

further (adj or adv)- greater in time, degree, or extent; additionally    
 example: Frankly, I have no further interest in arguing with you over such trivia.     
example: The further you go in the study of psychology, the more fascinating it becomes.

1. The company has suspended (farther, further) negotiations for the contract
2. The evidence was extensive and offered (farther, further) proof of the defendant's guilt.
3. I rode my bicycle (farther, further) down the road than Maggie did.
4. Hawaii is (farther, further) away than Alaska is.
5. There is no question we need (farther, further) review to be ready for the exam.

2. hang, hanged, hung

hang (vb)- to fasten above with no support from below; to suspend; to attach to a wall; to suspend by the neck until dead.

Hang has two past forms and two different past participle forms, hang, hanged, hung and hang, hung, hung.  Hanged is used exclusively in the sense of causing death. Therefore, do not use hung when referring to capital punishment or suicide.   

example: The four pictures were hung along the stairway leading to the balcony.  
example: In some states, prisoners are hanged for capital offenses.

The prisoner was schedule to be (hanged, hung) at dawn. Just before dawn, the warden received an important call from the prisoner's lawyer. He told the warden that Judge Clements was trying to stop the inmate from being (hanged, hung).  Before he (hanged, hung) up, the lawyer told the warden to expect a call from the governor. The warden (hanged, hung) his badge on his shirt and proceeded to the gallows area to wait The prisoner, head (hanged, hung) low, entered. Suddenly, the phone rang. After the warden (hanged, hung) up, he announced a stay of execution had been granted. The prisoner would not be (hanged, hung).

3. its, it's

its (pronoun)- owned by; belonging to   example: A horse uses its tail to swat flies and other insects.
it's- contraction of it is     
example: I don't want to go into any more detail about your birthday present; it's a secret.

1. The camel stores water in (its, it's) body for weeks, requiring less fluid than most animals.
2. (Its, It's) clear that the answer to the problem is quite complex.
3. One can easily identify the lilac because of (its, it's) distinctive odor.
4. (Its, It's) interesting how the male pheasant shows off (its, it's) plumage by fanning (its, it's) tail feathers.

EHS Recommended Reading List

Reading List

Day 12 !

I apologize that I have been negligent the past few days!

Today we will talk about what you read on Monday (we have been MAP testing since...in case you were wondering). We will go over the answers to you worksheet, and then create a sequence map of how the Greeks believed the world was created. Actually, we already did that since I am posting this as you are sitting in my room!

Here is a picture of the sequence map that we created together! Use it to help you remember and to study!

Day 4!

Yay for day 4, and yay for Monday!

Today we will spend a little time talk more about where mythology came from. We will discuss and take notes about different theories that attempt to explain why people of various cultures created myths, and why some of these myths are similar across cultures.

When we have completed the notes, you will have some time to complete your next reading assignment! This is a good one...you get to meet all of the gods in this one! If you're gone, you're going to want to read pages 24-35 and fill out the Who's Who on Mount Olympus worksheet that you can get from me.

See you soon!

Wednesday, August 14...FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!

Welcome back to school! I hope you all had a great summer and that you are excited to be back to classes! I am so pumped to see you in class today!

Today, we'll just take care of some basic house keeping things. It's going to be super entertaining!

We'll talk about the class syllabus and expectations, our class blog, and then we'll spend some time getting to know each other!