Welcome back, everyone!
Are you ready for some questions? The great debate on ambiguities in The Scarlet Letter takes place this Tuesday. Moderators need to share possible questions with the characters on Monday so that the character representatives can thoroughly prepare for the debate. Everyone will need to submit a one- to two-page paper after the debates. Please refer to your worksheet for any details.
If anyone would like to work ahead over the break, grab a copy The Crucible by Arthur Miller and start reading. See if you can draw any parallels between the 1950s and the Salem Witch Trials.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Final Week Before the Big Break!
Monday: In-class writing prompt
Tuesday and Wednesday: Negotiating Ambiguities within The Scarlet Letter (40 points)
For the debate, students are randomly assigned to moderate the debate or to a group representing one of the five major characters: Hester Prynne, Pearl, Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, and the Puritan Society. Each group becomes an expert on its assigned character, and then each group selects one person to represent its character during the debate. Posing as their characters, the student representatives debate the various issues of the novel, prompted by analytical questions formulated by a panel of students who are not assigned to a character. Among the issues they debate are the role of guilt, who is the hero/villain of the story, symbolic significance of names and characterization, and redemption. Finally, as a conclusion write a review of the debate arguing that your assigned character is the victor.
Part I: Character preparation (20 points) or debate questions (20 points)
Collect information about your character by considering the following issues:
physical appearance/changes in;
motivation/goals;
guilt/redemption;
related symbolism/imagery;
relationships/roles in the novel;
key quotes; and
additional information.
Create a chart to record this information.
Next, select a member of your group to represent the character. This student needs to have a strong understanding of the role and motivations of the character. Groups should prepare their representatives by asking sample questions and coaching the representatives on their responses.
The panel of student moderators will formulate debate issues/questions to pose to the characters. These questions can be directed to the entire group or to one character.
For example, questions may include:
Who is the villain of the story?
Who is the hero of the tale?
Chillingworth, do you ever gain fulfillment from your attack on Dimmesdale?
Society, do you take any responsibility for this tragedy?
Part II: Debate
The person chosen to portray the character may use notes. In addition, his team may
hold up signs to assist with responses. The moderators will take turns asking questions.
Moderators are also free to open the debate up for a “town hall” session, asking for volunteers or randomly calling on audience members to question the debaters.
Part III: Written review (20 points)
After the debate, write a one- to two-page commentary and “spin” the debate, showing how your character won. Spin is usually a pejorative term signifying a heavily biased portrayal in one's own favor of an event or situation. Spin often implies, though not always, disingenuous, deceptive, and/or highly manipulative tactics.
One way to argue for a particular winner is to emphasize the good responses of the assigned character and overemphasize the weaknesses or poor responses of all the other characters.
The written review is due the day after the debate. It must be typed.
Tuesday and Wednesday: Negotiating Ambiguities within The Scarlet Letter (40 points)
For the debate, students are randomly assigned to moderate the debate or to a group representing one of the five major characters: Hester Prynne, Pearl, Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, and the Puritan Society. Each group becomes an expert on its assigned character, and then each group selects one person to represent its character during the debate. Posing as their characters, the student representatives debate the various issues of the novel, prompted by analytical questions formulated by a panel of students who are not assigned to a character. Among the issues they debate are the role of guilt, who is the hero/villain of the story, symbolic significance of names and characterization, and redemption. Finally, as a conclusion write a review of the debate arguing that your assigned character is the victor.
Part I: Character preparation (20 points) or debate questions (20 points)
Collect information about your character by considering the following issues:
physical appearance/changes in;
motivation/goals;
guilt/redemption;
related symbolism/imagery;
relationships/roles in the novel;
key quotes; and
additional information.
Create a chart to record this information.
Next, select a member of your group to represent the character. This student needs to have a strong understanding of the role and motivations of the character. Groups should prepare their representatives by asking sample questions and coaching the representatives on their responses.
The panel of student moderators will formulate debate issues/questions to pose to the characters. These questions can be directed to the entire group or to one character.
For example, questions may include:
Who is the villain of the story?
Who is the hero of the tale?
Chillingworth, do you ever gain fulfillment from your attack on Dimmesdale?
Society, do you take any responsibility for this tragedy?
Part II: Debate
The person chosen to portray the character may use notes. In addition, his team may
hold up signs to assist with responses. The moderators will take turns asking questions.
Moderators are also free to open the debate up for a “town hall” session, asking for volunteers or randomly calling on audience members to question the debaters.
Part III: Written review (20 points)
After the debate, write a one- to two-page commentary and “spin” the debate, showing how your character won. Spin is usually a pejorative term signifying a heavily biased portrayal in one's own favor of an event or situation. Spin often implies, though not always, disingenuous, deceptive, and/or highly manipulative tactics.
One way to argue for a particular winner is to emphasize the good responses of the assigned character and overemphasize the weaknesses or poor responses of all the other characters.
The written review is due the day after the debate. It must be typed.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Reading Schedule for Week of December 14
Monday: chapters 12 and 13
Tuesday: chapters 14 and 15
Wednesday; chapters 16 and 17
Thursday: chapter 18 and 19
*Friday: finish the novel*
Have you fed the fish?
Tuesday: chapters 14 and 15
Wednesday; chapters 16 and 17
Thursday: chapter 18 and 19
*Friday: finish the novel*
Have you fed the fish?
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Scarlet Letter - Week of December 7, 2009
Monday's topic: Introduction to Feminism in literature
Homework: Read chapters 6 and 7. Be sure to take notes.
Tuesday's topic: Examining Hawthorne's treatment of female characters
Homework: Read chapters 8 and 9. Prepare for a fishbowl discussion of those chapters.
Wednesday: SNOW DAY! Go back to sleep. Read when you wake up. Have a nice day.
Thursday's topics: The role of men in the text and applying SIFT to the text
Homework: Study for tomorrow's quiz.
Friday's Quiz: The format includes multiple choice, true/false, passage identification, and open-ended responses.
Homework: Read chapters 10 and 11. Be sure to take notes.
Homework: Read chapters 6 and 7. Be sure to take notes.
Tuesday's topic: Examining Hawthorne's treatment of female characters
Homework: Read chapters 8 and 9. Prepare for a fishbowl discussion of those chapters.
Wednesday: SNOW DAY! Go back to sleep. Read when you wake up. Have a nice day.
Thursday's topics: The role of men in the text and applying SIFT to the text
Homework: Study for tomorrow's quiz.
Friday's Quiz: The format includes multiple choice, true/false, passage identification, and open-ended responses.
Homework: Read chapters 10 and 11. Be sure to take notes.
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