The Final Fishbowl!

It's our last one--make it our best!

Try getting into a hotseat, and as always, explore your ideas thoroughly and bring in lovely textual passages when possible.

Enjoy, my dears!

Gatsby Fishbowl #7: Chapter 8

Reminder: If you're not caught up with the reading, take this time to read quietly. When you are caught up, add an extended comment with a textual passage to this blog; e-mail your comment to me as well.

For those of you who ARE participating today, remember that you're aiming to bring in a passage or two from the reading. Take your time with your comments and explore your thoughts carefully.

You're almost through the end of The Great Gatsby--finish strong!

Gatsby Fishbowl #6: Chapter 7

Reminder: If you're not caught up with the reading, take this time to read quietly. When you are caught up, add an extended comment with a textual passage to this blog; e-mail your comment to me as well.

For those of you who ARE participating today, remember that you're aiming to bring in a passage or two from the reading. Take your time with your comments and explore your thoughts carefully.

Keep up your wonderful work!

Gatsby Fishbowl #5: Chapter 5

Hello, outer circle!

You have a challenge today! You must incorporate AT LEAST ONE QUOTATION into at least one of your responses to Chapter 5 today. This will make you both feel and appear quite intelligent.

Enjoy! Remember that you're aiming for 4 or 5 thoughtful comments here. If you do not have a reading ticket, you need to be taking notes right now; respond to the blog later when you are caught up with the reading.

Gatsby Fishbowl #3: Chapter 3

Relax and enjoy your discussion. Never hesitate to ask questions or to challenge someone's interpretation--just do it with respect and professionalism.

Gatsby Fishbowl #2: Chapter 2

As you discuss Chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby, slow down a little...pull in quotations from the chapter that you think are significant, lovely, or confusing.

If you're responding to someone, remember to use his or her name in your response. As always, maintain your professionalism.

Enjoy, and I look forward to reading this over spring break!

And have a fantastic, safe spring break, by the way!

Gatsby Fishbowl, Chapter 1

Enjoy a stimulating discussion of The Great Gatsby, Chapter 1! Remember to go into depth, bringing in quotations when applicable. Maintain your professionalism, including proper grammar and spelling.

Class Definition of the Harlem Renaissance

Think about "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain," "I, Too," "Theme for English B," and the two paintings we looked at today in class. Based on these pieces, what is the essence or the purpose of the Harlem Renaissance?

Try to form your response in the format of a good thesis statement (clear and eloquent, specific, debatable, and provable). Make your ideas original; go a little beyond what we've discussed in class...push a little further past the ideas that have already been posted.

I Hear Arapahoe Singing

Think about what you and your partner analyzed today while reading Walt Whitman's poem "I Hear America Singing."

As a class, we're going to compose our own version of "I Hear America Singing"; our version is called, "I Hear Arapahoe Singing." Please add your own verse in your own voice to this poem. You can add a single line, or you can add an entire stanza. The tone is up to you.

Enjoy!

Valentine Vocabulary

Please post your obsessive, vocabulary-filled letters here.

The Final Fishbowl: "A Good Man Is Hard To Find"

Hello, outer circle!

A few suggestions for our final fishbowl:

1. Avoid repeating what has already been said; when the conversation gets repetitive, it's time to start a new thread of conversation.

2. As we near the end of the discussion, try to address the work's larger themes. What does the author want us to take from this story? What was her intent in writing it? What is this story really about?

3. Enjoy!

Fishbowl: A Rose for Emily

Voice your opinion but stay respectful of others' opinions. Remember that we argue with an idea, not a person.

Also, bring a passage from the story into at least one of your comments.

Gothic Fishbowl: "The Lottery"

Wonderful job last time, American Literature Scholars.

Keep bringing in quotations when possible, remember that this is your way of showing me your understanding of the story, and get yourself into a hotseat!

Gothic Fishbowl: "Young Goodman Brown"

Keep up your strong work with our fishbowl discussions. I have two new tasks for you to tackle today:

1. Bring a quote from the story into at least one of your responses.

2. Try to get into a hotseat today, even if it's only for a moment.

Enjoy!

Fishbowl #2: "The Minister's Black Veil"

Enjoy your discussion of "The Minister's Black Veil" today. Remember the following:

1. Double check your spelling and grammar; your posts should be professional.

2. Bring in passages from the story when possible.

3. Remember that this is your way of showing me your entire understanding of the story; your questions and comments should be unique.

4. Hit F5 to refresh.

5. Enjoy!

Fishbowl #1: "Fall of the House of Usher"

Have an enriching discussion about Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" while the inner circle discusses similar topics out loud.

A few reminders:

1. Hit F5 to refresh your screen (new comments do not automatically pop up).

2. Show professionalism by using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation; remember that the world will be looking at our blog.

3. If you are responding to someone directly, reference them in your comment.

4. Bring in quotations when possible.

Enjoy!

The Stanford Prison Experiment

Please click on this link to read about one of the most controversial experiments of our time: The Stanford prison experiment. Read meticulously, as some of the most fascinating (and disturbing) elements of this experiment are in the little details.

When you have finished reading, I'd like you to use the blog to respond to what you have read. I'm not going to give you guiding questions this time; instead, I'd like you to ask your own questions and offer your own, authentic responses. On Monday in class we will be connecting this experiment to The Crucible, so feel free to start making those connections right now.

Remember that the blog is space to have a conversation, so read others' comments, respond to others' questions, and react to others' reactions.

Note: The image above was taken from wikipedia.org

First Blog: Checking In

Hello, American Literature scholars! For your first blog, please tell me a little bit about yourself. Here's what I would like to know:

1. What are you scared of?
2. What's one thing about you that's kind of quirky?
3. What do you like to do when you're not at school?
4. What are your thoughts about your future--any possible careers in your future?
5. Where is your favorite place in the world?