Jump Off
--Please place your evidence of having thoroughly completed either the "Orwell's Allegory and the United States of America--Supporting an Argument" or the "Orwell's Allegory and the United States of America--Writing a Counterargument (Method #1)" on the floor next to your desk. Then, attend to the rest of this "Jump Off" as I check your work prior to today's discussion activities. If you finish the "Jump Off" before I finish passing through, take out your free reading book or pick up a copy of Upfront and read until I have finished.
--I would like to remind you of the following passage from Chapter 3 of George Orwell's Animal Farm. This passage exists after the animals realize that the pigs have been taking the milk for themselves and also taking all of the extra apples:
--Please place your evidence of having thoroughly completed either the "Orwell's Allegory and the United States of America--Supporting an Argument" or the "Orwell's Allegory and the United States of America--Writing a Counterargument (Method #1)" on the floor next to your desk. Then, attend to the rest of this "Jump Off" as I check your work prior to today's discussion activities. If you finish the "Jump Off" before I finish passing through, take out your free reading book or pick up a copy of Upfront and read until I have finished.
--I would like to remind you of the following passage from Chapter 3 of George Orwell's Animal Farm. This passage exists after the animals realize that the pigs have been taking the milk for themselves and also taking all of the extra apples:
"Squealer was sent to make the necessary explanations to the others.
'Comrades!' he cried. 'You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Surely, comrades," cried Squealer almost pleadingly, skipping from side to side and whisking his tail, "surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?"
Please be prepared to share your thoughts with regard to this quote as a precursor to today's discussion of Animal Farm.
--Please SEE ME before leaving class today:
--Please SEE ME before leaving class today:
- Ian W.
S. the C.
--a note about the blog and Google Classroom
--Beginning with the end in mind:
End-of-Unit Assessment Writing Prompt:
Write a text-based, grammatically sound, tightly-written response of two to three paragraphs. In your response, respond to the following question so as to reveal a theme statement (central idea) of Animal Farm: What is George Orwell's "thesis" about human nature as revealed in the story he tells? Then, analyze how Orwell's use of symbolism helps develop his "thesis" about human nature. Use at least three pieces of strong textual evidence spanning the entire text to support your analysis, and be sure to tie back to your claim often.
--really beginning with the end in mind!--the Essential "Question" that overarches our course:
--briefly discuss thoughts stemming from the "Jump Off"
--agenda/HW
Discussion Preparation -- Animal Farm--Beginning to End
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpYQfFcPUkM
Discussion -- Animal Farm--Beginning to End
--engage in discussion as per the bulleted list above until about 10 minutes remaining in class
Transition
--a note about the blog and Google Classroom
--Beginning with the end in mind:
End-of-Unit Assessment Writing Prompt:
Write a text-based, grammatically sound, tightly-written response of two to three paragraphs. In your response, respond to the following question so as to reveal a theme statement (central idea) of Animal Farm: What is George Orwell's "thesis" about human nature as revealed in the story he tells? Then, analyze how Orwell's use of symbolism helps develop his "thesis" about human nature. Use at least three pieces of strong textual evidence spanning the entire text to support your analysis, and be sure to tie back to your claim often.
--really beginning with the end in mind!--the Essential "Question" that overarches our course:
Why do people say what they say, do what they do, etc.? What are human beings really like? By nature, are human beings inherently evil or good or...?
--agenda/HW
Discussion Preparation -- Animal Farm--Beginning to End
--view the following clips, bearing in mind both the claim written on the front board and the quotation shared/briefly discussed to kick off today's class:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpYQfFcPUkM
--spend 8 minutes finishing preparing for today's discussion geared around the following:
- supporting/refuting the claim written on the front board (focused mostly here in Block 4 ACE)
- academic argument vs. typical argument/quarrel
- taking it to text
- source awareness/credibility
- arriving at rough theme statements for Animal Farm
- human nature
- the parallels between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution
--engage in discussion as per the bulleted list above until about 10 minutes remaining in class
Transition
--Please re-column the desks and pick up the following items from the front table:
- a good-smelling marker or two
- a sheet of computer paper
--First, take down your poster currently hung on the greenboard. Then, open up your notebook to a clean sheet of paper. Date the page (12/7/2017 [ACE] or 12/8/2017 [BDF]) and label this section of your notes "My Current Answer to the Essential 'Question'". Then, thoughtfully respond to the following questions:
- What is your current answer to the Essential "Question" that overarches our course? (Here are the related questions: Why do people say what they say, do what they do, etc.? What are human beings really like? By nature, are human beings inherently evil or good or...?) After some thought--I encourage you to look through any notes you have taken over the course of the past few weeks during our work with Animal Farm--, write your updated claim about human nature in your notebook. Re-read and revise your claim as necessary; then, write your claim neatly in marker on your sheet of computer paper. (Please note that if time permits, you will be invited to share your claim with me and the rest of the class! :) )
Closure -- Ball Toss (time permitting)
--Complete a total of 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM on Thursday, 12/7. If you fail to appropriately train between now and the administration of Vocabulary Quiz #4, you will not be permitted to take the quiz until you catch up (see the "Membean Routine" document).
--Complete another 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM on Thursday, 12/14. If you fail to appropriately train between now and the administration of Vocabulary Quiz #4, you will not be permitted to take the quiz until you catch up (see the "Membean Routine" document).
HW (Class Preparation)
--You are expected to select your next free reading book by the beginning of NEXT class (Monday, 12/11 [ACE]/Tuesday, 12/12 [BDF]). Please see me if you would like help and/or a recommendation! ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS!
--If you have already selected a free reading book, aim to read at least 10 pages between now and next class. "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body" (Joseph Addison).
- What is your claim?
- What do you find yourself thinking about, picturing, etc. as your claim continues coming together in your mind?
- How might you support your claim?
- What would naysayers say?
--Complete a total of 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM on Thursday, 12/7. If you fail to appropriately train between now and the administration of Vocabulary Quiz #4, you will not be permitted to take the quiz until you catch up (see the "Membean Routine" document).
--Complete another 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM on Thursday, 12/14. If you fail to appropriately train between now and the administration of Vocabulary Quiz #4, you will not be permitted to take the quiz until you catch up (see the "Membean Routine" document).
HW (Class Preparation)
--You are expected to select your next free reading book by the beginning of NEXT class (Monday, 12/11 [ACE]/Tuesday, 12/12 [BDF]). Please see me if you would like help and/or a recommendation! ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS!
--If you have already selected a free reading book, aim to read at least 10 pages between now and next class. "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body" (Joseph Addison).
