08/15/11

What we do in class

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08/22/11

What we do in class

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08/29/11

What we do in class

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09/05/11

What we do in class

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09/12/11

What we do in class

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09/19/11

What we do in class

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09/26/11

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10/03/11

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10/10/11

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10/17/11

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10/24/11

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11/07/11

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11/14/11

What we do in class

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11/21/11

What we do in class

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11/28/11

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12/05/11

What we do in class

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12/12/11

What we do in class

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12/19/11

What we do in class

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12/26/11

What we do in class

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01/02/12

What we do in class

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01/09/12

What we do in class

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 01/16/12

What we do in class

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01/23/12

What we do in class

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01/30/12

What we do in class

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02/06/12

What we do in class

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02/13/12

What we do in class

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02/20/12

What we do in class

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02/27/12

What we do in class

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03/05/12

What we do in class

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03/12/12

What we do in class

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03/19/12

What we do in class

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03/26/12

What we do in class

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04/02/12

What we do in class

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04/09/12

What we do in class

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04/16/12

What we do in class

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04/23/12

What we do in class

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04/30/12

What we do in class

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05/07/12

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05/21/12

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Appendix A: Extra Credit Film Opportunities:
Watch and write about the following films.  Write a movie review.  Be a movie critic.  (See samples on the internet.)  Examine how these films relate to the texts we are reading at any given time.  Discuss the film's literary devices and explain how the film enhances your understanding of what we read.  How does this movie help you create more meaning?  What connections can you make?  You may earn up to five points for each.

"Pretty Woman" (1990) with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere: Pygmalion
How is Vivian like Eliza?

"The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006) with Will and Jaden Smith: Pygmalion
How is Chris Gardner (un)like Eliza?

"Snatch" (2000) with Brad Pitt and Jason Statham: Pygmalion
How is the boxer (un)like Eliza and other "lower class" people?

"Fargo" (1996) with William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi: Pygmalion
How do accents affect things?

"Overboard" (1987) with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell: Pygmalion
How are people treated like objects?

"She's All That" (1999) with Rachael Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze, Jr.: Pygmalion
Can people really make big changes in themselves?  What is the source of the change, others or the individual?

"Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" (1994) with Robert De Niro and Kenneth Branagh: Pygmalion
How is Dr. Frankenstein like Henry Higgins?

"Mannequin" (1987) with Kim Cattrall and Andrew McCarthy: Pygmalion
How are the women possessions?

"Trading Places" (1983) with Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis: Pygmalion
Can people truly change?  How does one's environment control the inhabitants?

"Crash" (2004) with Brendan Fraser, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon: Mango Street, Pygmalion

"The Terminator" with Schwarzenegger or "The Matrix" with Reeves: Cuckoo's Nest

"Changeling" with Angelina Jolie: Cuckoo's Nest

"To Sir, With Love" (1967) with Sidney Poitier: Pygmalion, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Does a lack of linguistic skills result in a lack of ability and opportunity?

"The Cell" (2000) with Jennifer Lopez and Vince Vaughn: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Why do people dream, hallucinate?  How are the film's fantasies like Chief's?

"Secret Window" (2004) with Johnny Depp: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
What happens to our minds?

"Freedom Writers" (2007) with Hilary Swank: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How is the teacher like McMurphy?  How do they inspire?

"Cool Hand Luke" (1966) with Paul Newman and George Kennedy: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How is Lucas Jackson like R.P. McMurphy?

"Full Metal Jacket" (1987) with Matthew Modine and R. Lee Ermey: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How is the drill sergeant like Nurse Ratched?

"A Beautiful Mind" (2001) with Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
What is "real"?  Is it "the truth even if it didn't happen"?

"Grizzly Man" (2005) with Timothy Treadwell: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Would Kesey and Treadwell agree about nature?

"Don Quixote" (2000) with John Lithgow and Vanessa Williams: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Does hoping and dreaming too much have its consequences?

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004) with Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Who is in control of the psyche?

"Hamlet" (1990) with Mel Gibson: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Othello
How do authors get us to consider our own mental processes?

"The Shining" (1980) with Jack Nicholson and Scatman Crothers: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
What is the mind capable of?

"Apocalypse Now" (1979) with Martin Sheen and Robert Duvall: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How does the mind become corrupted?

"The Doors" (1991) with Val Kilmer: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How is this novel a door?

"Of Mice and Men" (1992) with John Malkovich and Gary Sinise: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How is Lennie like Chief?  How is George like McMurphy?

"Office Space" (1999) with Ron Livingston: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
What is maddening in your world?  Is Peter crazy?

"The Color Purple" (1985) with Whoopi Goldberg: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How can an individual be made to feel small?  How is Celie controlled?  How does she grow?

"Boys Don't Cry" (1999) with Hilary Swank: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How does society enforce conformity?

"The Lazarus Project" with Paul Walker:  One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

"Monster's Ball" (2001) with Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton, and Heath Ledger: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
How much do people need to be loved?  In what ways?

"Stepford Wives" (2004) with Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
What is fake in your world?  How are people becoming fake, more than ever?

"Half Nelson" (2006) with Ryan Gosling: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Where do we get our motivation?  How can we help others grow?

"9" (2009): One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Why are we obsessed with the (wo)man vs. machine / natural vs. unnatural theme?

"O" (2001) with Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett, and Julia Stiles: Othello
Can Shakespeare be made contemporary?

"Hotel Rwanda" (2004) with Don Cheadle: 1984
How does hate spread?

"Lord of the Flies" (1963): Lord of the Flies
Are there similarities and differences?  How is the film effective, good, or bad?

"1984" (1984) with John Hurt: 1984
Are there similarities and differences?  How is the film effective, good, or bad?

"The Island" (2005) with Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson: 1984
How much control is necessary?  How much deceit?

"Final Cut" (2004) with Robin Williams: 1984

"Enemy of the State" (1998) with Will Smith and Gene Hackman: 1984
Do you trust our government?

"The Truman Show" (1998) with Jim Carrey: 1984
How is Truman like Winston?

"V for Vendetta" (2005) with Natalie Portman: 1984
How much has this graphic novel and film borrowed from Orwell's masterpiece?

"Total Recall" (1990) with Arnold Schwarzenegger: 1984
Do corrupt leaders manipulate?

"Blade Runner" (1982) with Harrison Ford: 1984
Are we cyborgs already?

"The Matrix" (1999) with Keanu Reeves: 1984 and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Are we fooled to believe anything, to pacify us?

"The Thirteenth Floor" (1999): 1984

"Minority Report" (2002) with Tom Cruise: 1984
Is technology good for us?

"I, Robot" (2004) with Will Smith: 1984
Do we need technology at all?  Will we ultimately succumb to it?

"The Big O" (1999) anime series: 1984

"The Lives of Others" (2006): 1984

"Children of Men" (2006) with Clive Owen: 1984

"A Scanner Darkly" (2006) with Keanu Reeves: 1984
Has supervision changed the world?  Has technology changed people?

"Schindler's List" (1993) with Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes: 1984, Auschwitz and After
How is an entire culture brainwashed?

"Swiss Family Robinson" (1960): Life of Pi
What is it in people that sparks survival skills?

Appendix B: Artistic Extra Credit Opportunity
For all my classes: Consider creating a visual piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.) that relates to what we have read/will read this year.  You may earn up to 10 extra credit points (or more, if it's extraordinary) if you create something and allow me to keep it for future use in the course.  See the work of L. Wright, J. Doty, S. Zobrist, D. Nelson, K. Anderson, M. Nelson, M. Ageton, Z. DeBoer, L. Meyer, J. Alvarez, J. Weber, J. Graham, C. Molla, J. Albertson, M. Diehl, D. Milner, L. Roemen, T. Kutz, D. Nuss, C. Bodoh, A. Hanson, S. Henson, E. Lenz, D. Coughlin, S. Jonnes, T. Thomes, R. Speiser, and J. Wright in my room.

Appendix C: Performance at the Washington Pavilion Extra Credit Opportunity

Appendix D: Brandon Valley Challenger Publication Extra Credit Opportunity
If students write about pressures, challenges, temptations, or other reflections, they can be published in the Brandon Valley Challenger.  Students who submit work to Mr. Christensen may earn up to 10 points for their contribution and will very likely be published in Brandon's community newspaper.  Length and topic may vary, but the document should be based on the "teenage/adolescent experience" and the important decisions that must be made during that duration.

Appendix E: Musical Extra Credit Opportunity
If students perform instrumental or vocal music in class that correlates with a mood, theme, symbol, tone--or other literary device--expressed in something we read, they can earn up to 10 extra credit points.  They must also talk a bit, explaining how their performance enhances the reading experience for the pertaining text.  The music should pertain to what we are studying at the moment; further, this performance should be arranged with Mr. Christensen a few days in advance.

Appendix F: YouTube Experience Extra Credit Opportunity
If students go to YouTube.com and search authors, texts, or topics we study in class, they can write how this YouTube experience has helped their understanding of said author, text, or topic.  Each document submitted may be worth up to five points.  You will be utterly amazed at how many relevant clips exist for the authors, texts, and topics.  Basically, you react to what you see and explain how this short clip adds to your educational experience.  It is best, of course, to connect this YouTube experience to something specific from class.

Appendix G: Reading Recording
If students read from any text we read for class, they can earn extra credit by recording themselves.  This can be done on audio alone (CD), or visually (DVD).  Readings should be performed with enthusiasm, of course.

Appendix H: Zoo/Circus Experience Extra Credit Opportunity
If students go to a zoo (Great Plains in Sioux Falls, Henry Doorly in Omaha, or other) or the circus and make connections to Life of Pi, they can write how this experience illuminates concepts in the book for them.  Each document submitted may be worth up to 10 points, with the ticket stub included.  Consider these questions: What about animals fascinates us?  Do we see ourselves in them?  How does the lion tamer control so many lions, who could easily defeat him?  Are zoos good places for animals?  Must humankind control the natural order?  What about Richard Parker keeps Piscine Molitor Patel sane and alive?

Appendix I: Blog Contribution Extra Credit Opportunity
If students go to my blog (http://scholarlynx.blogspot.com/) and respond intelligently--and not to the required comments--they may earn points for each erudite remark of some length and depth.

Appendix Z: Book Recommendations, (re-)read recently and not taught in class:
The Virginian by Owen Wister
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Schopenhauer's Telescope by Gerard Donovan
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol
Democracy Matters by Cornel West
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Unequal Childhoods by Annette Lareau
The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler
Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Curriculum Leadership: Development and Implementation by Allan A. Glatthorn, et al.
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
I Read It, But I Don't Get It by Cris Tovani
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
Beginning Theory by Peter Barry
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
From Russia With Love by Ian Fleming
Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
The Corrections by Jonathan Frantzen
The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Man-Eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett
What Great Teachers Do Differently by Todd Whitaker
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman
Mythologies by Roland Barthes
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison
The Philosophy of Language by A.P. Martinich
Why Does Language Matter? to Philosophy by Ian Hacking
Jealousy by Alain Robbe-Grillet
Steps by Jerzy Kosinski
Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
The Stranger by Albert Camus
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Spotted Horses, The Bear, Go Down, Moses, The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien
 

Film Deconstruction Unit: No Country for Old Men

blakeloosli.com
 

1984 by George Orwell
 

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

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