Propaganda

"Harrison Bergeron" 

Here in the United States, we are founded on principles of equality - but what does it truly mean to be "equal"? Where does personal identity/individuality come in to play? For the next few days, we will be reading a short story about the dangers of propaganda and "complete equality." Here are your requirements:

1.  Read "Harrison Bergeron"

2.  Write a one page report answering the following questions:
      A. What is the propaganda (the lie) in the short story?
      B. How is the propaganda spread in the story?
      C. How does it affect the characters?
      D. Why is the propaganda so effective in the story?

3. Create your own piece of propaganda about an issue in our school. Pretend it will be seen and
    spread throughout the campus. You can:
     A. Write a letter or newspaper article of propaganda
     B. Make a propaganda television ad with an iPad
     C. Make a propaganda poster
 

World behind The Year of Impossible Goodbyes

More Than Just a Story

For the next several days, we will be researching the world behind our novel The Year of Impossible Goodbyes. Your group's job will be to research, write, and present a lesson on your topic. Here are your requirements:

A) 1.5 page research report on your topic; MLA format; two authentic sources with
     parenthetical citation

B) Three part lesson: Activator, Keynote Presentation, and Summarizing Activity

C) An essential question that will be the focus of your lesson and tie everything together

Here are the topics: 
1. NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA 
A. History between North and South Korea
B. Differences between North and South Korea
C. North and South Korea Today

2. WORLD RELIGIONS
For each religion: What is it? Its principles and practices? History of it? Practiced today still?
A. Shintoism
B. Confucianism
C. Buddhism
D. Catholicism

3. THE KOREAN WAR
A. Causes of the War
B. Describe the War
C. Some Effects/Outcomes of the War
D. Describe Three Famous Battles During the Korean War

4. KOREA UNDER JAPANESE RULE
A. Describe Life for Koreans under Japanese Rule
B. No Gun Ri Massacre
C. Describe Life of Korean Refugees in Korean War
D. Biography of Sook Nyul Choi (the author) 

5. COMMUNISM 
A. Describe and Define Communism
B. History of Communism: Who countries have tried it? How has it worked? Why was it 
     important to the Korean War?
C. The Origin of Communism/ Bio of Karl Marx
D. Describe Communism Today in Our World

Movie Test

Test for Under The Same Moon

For your test on the movie, you will be working with one other classmate to write an in-class four paragraph essay (typed or written). This will be a test grade; here are your requirements:

1. You and your partner need to work together to write a four paragraph essay. It's up to you and your
    partner to decide how you'll write this essay. You can take turns, dictate to each other, etc.

2. Choose one of the following questions to write an essay on:
    A. Compare and Contrast the Theme of Home in the book to the movie.
    B. Compare and Contrast the Theme of Feminism in the book to the movie.
    C. Compare and Contrast the Theme of Family Bond in the book to the movie.
    D. Compare and Contrast the Hispanic culture/women and men in the book to the movie.

3. Your essay will be graded on the same aspects as your other papers: grammar, formal tone,
     analyzing vs summarizing, etc.

4. Follow this essay guideline for your four paragraphs:

    I. Introduction
        A. Generalization
        B. Thesis

    II. First Body Paragraph
         A. What are the aspects that you are comparing between the book and movie that similar?

    III. Second Body Paragraph
          A. What are the aspects that you are contrasting between the book and movie that are different?

    IV. Conclusion Paragraph
          A. Summarize your thesis and two body paragraphs briefly
          B. End with a lasting statement

Topics for Your Paper!

Feminism
Personal Identity/ Growing Up
Home
Latina Identity
Esperanza

Case Study Poster

For the next few days, you will be working on an individual case study on our book. It will be on a social issue in our book that is present in our world today. Here are your requirements:

1. Choose a character in the book

2. Focus on a social issue in the book that is present in our world today. Here are some to think about:
    A. Growing up too fast (teen pregnancy, toddlers and tiaras, etc.)
    B. Broken homes
    C. Stereotypes/ Racial Stereotyping
    D. Low-Income/ At-risk Children
    E. Neflectful Parents
    F. Sexual Predators
    G. Home Abuse

3. Make a poster. It needs the following info on it:
     A. What are some statistics of your issue? (authentic source)
     B. What are some studies on your issue? (authentic source)
     C. What is the connection to the book?
     D. What are some solutions or answers to the issue? (authentic source)
     E. Interview someone relevant to your study and put your interview on your poster. Make up your
         own questions. 

Vignettes of Your Life

Our book The House on Mango Street is written in the form of a collection of vignettes. It may seem like the chapters have no connection with each other, but every chapter gives us a look - a glimpse - into a certain part of Esperanza's life that is important and meaningful. It's the small things in our life that make the biggest difference. For the next few days in class, you each be making your own vignettes about YOUR life. Here are your requirements:


1. Write FIVE (or more) vignettes about your life. Try to write it like the author is writing The House 
    on Mango Street

2. Come up with a creative chapter title for each vignette.

3. Focus each vignette on ONE specific memory or aspect of your life.

4. Here are some areas to write about in any of your vignettes:
    A. childhood memory about something
    B. a certain family member and something about them that sticks out to you
    C. description of your house or neighborhood
    D. stories about how you met a friend, a time you were playing
    E. scary memories or memories where you learned an important lesson
    F. school or church

5. Make a cover for your book of short vignettes - come up with a creative title

Grammar Review!!!

Today, we want to review the grammar rules we have learned before we move on to new lessons. In your group, you will make the following for a certain grammar rule we've learned:

1. Keynote Presentation
     A. Definition of the rule
      B. Examples of the rule

2. Exercises for Your Group to Do
     A. Come up with practices the group can do for your rule
     B. Go over the answers with your group


I. Independent Clauses vs Dependent Clauses
II. Simple and Compound Sentences
III. Complex and Compound-Complex Sentences
IV. Four Ways to Fix a Run-on Sentence

(If you're a group of three, then II and III are combined)

Family Ties

Exploring Personal Identities within the Family

Your first group project will be to explore the different personal identities within the family unit. In our novel so far, we've read about many strained and seemingly dysfunctional relationships in Okonkwo's family. The relational issues in his family are present in our world today. Here are your requirements:

1. STEP ONE: Written Report
A. Each member of the group needs to write a 1 page report
B. Each member will choose one of the sub-topics underneath the major topic given to each group
C. Report needs to be MLA format (Times New Roman, Font 12, Double Spaced)
D. Report needs two authentic sources AND have parenthetical citation throughout

2. STEP TWO: Class Presentation/Lesson
A. There are three parts of your class lesson your group needs to create based on the information in
     your reports:

     * Part One: Activator - You need to come up with an opening activity to do with the class that
                                           prepares them for your lesson. This can involve writing, discussion,
                                           brainstorming, etc. Perhaps there are pictures/clips you want to use to
                                           stimulate the class' thinking. However, it needs to be more than just
                                           showing a video clip.

     * Part Two: Main Lesson - Your main lesson should be a Keynote presentation of your group's
                                                 reports. Work on becoming familiar with your information so you are
                                                 not reading off of your paper the entire time. Keep in mind slide
                                                 design (PICTURES vs WORDS). Practice speaking loudly, clearly,
                                                 and to the audience, maintaining eye contact throughout. Ask
                                                 questions to involve the class throughout.

    * Part Three: Summarizing Activity - After your main lesson, your group should have a follow up
                                                                 with the class that summarizes the important points of your
                                                                 Keynote presentation. This can be involve a handout that the
                                                                 class has to fill out during your main lesson that you
                                                                 follow-up on afterwards, etc.


Each group will be assigned one of the following familial personal identities to research. Underneath each section are the letters you need to assign to your group. Each member writes their 1.5 page report off of their letter:

1. Child under Abusive/Alcoholic Parents (Nwoye and Okonkwo, Unoka and Okonkwo) 
A. Describe Nwoye and Okonkwo's relationship
     What is life like for a child under abusive/alcoholic parents? (emotionally, physically, mentally)?

B. Describe Unoka and Okonkwo's relationship
     What do children under alcoholic parents grow up to become? Do they become like their parents?

C. Explain what you think Nwoye's future will be like after growing up under Okonkwo's abuse.
     What is the future careers and lives like for children who grew up under abusive/alcoholic
     parents?
     How does their horrible childhood affect their future families?

D. Explain where you think Nwoye could run to if he wanted to leave his abusive father. Could he?
     What happens to children who are rescued from abusive homes?
     Where do they go? What are their lives in their new homes like?
     

2. Problem Child in a Foster Home (Ikemefuna and Okownkwo)
A. Describe how and why Ikemefuna was sent to Okonkwo's home.
     What is the definition of a foster home?
     Why are some kids even in foster homes in the first place?

B. Describe how Ikemefuna felt being sent to Okonkwo's home.
     What is life like for a kid in a foster home?
     Do they become used to the family or feel alienated?
    
C. Describe how Ikemefuna was treated in Okonkwo's home.
    How are foster children treated in their new homes?
    What are the future lives like? How often do trouble kids move from home to home?


3. Child under the Burden of Parent's Success (Nwoye and Okonkwo)
A. Describe how Nwoye did not live up to Okonkwo's expectations.
     What is life like for a child living under their parent's heavy expectations/success?

B. Describe how Okonwkwo's parenting style with Nwoye.
     What are the different parenting styles? (Controlling, etc.)
     Which seems to be the best? Why?

C. Explain how you think Nwoye will grow up living under his father's heavy expectations.
     What is the future life like for a child growing up under their parent's expectations?
      Do they grow up to become happy people? content with their lives?
    
4. Wife in an Abusive Relationship (Okonwkwo and his wives)
A. Describe how Okonkwo treats his wives.
     What is an abusive relationship? What are the different types? (emotional, verbal, physical)

B. Describe how Okonkwo's wives act in his family.
     What is life like for a woman in an abusive relationship? How do they live? (mental, emotional
      state)

C. Explain why you think Okonkwo's wives do not leave his family.
     Why do some women continue to stay in abusive relationships? Why don't they leave?

D. Explain what you think the future of Okonkwo's wives will be.
     What happens to women who refuse to leave an abusive relationship?
     How many women eventually leave? What makes them finally leave their abusive partner?

5. Wife in a Polygamous Marriage (Okonkwo and his wives) 
A. Describe Okonkwo's family with multiple wives. How does that work with more than one wife.
     What is a polygamous marriage? What is the history of it?

B. Explain how Okonkwo's wives must feel being one of many. Does he play favorites?
     How do women end up in a polygamous marriage? Why would they choose this lifestyle?

C. Explain how Okonkwo treats his multiple wives. How does he have a relationship with all of them
    at once?
    How are women in polygamous marriages treated? What is their life like?

Potential Paper Topics

Theme
Clash of Culture
Cultural Identity
Personal Identity
Colonialism 

Characters
Okonkwo
Nwoye

Assignment for Today, 10/5

First Task of Class:
Come up with a potential thesis for your next paper. It will be on Things Fall Apart, obviously. You should still have that handout with a list of verbs that you can use to make sure your thesis is an analyzing statement and not summary/moralizing.

Rest of Class Time:
Many of you are behind in your reading of Things Fall Apart. After you have come up with a potential thesis for the book, actually FINISH reading the book. You should have it all read by next Wednesday!