Day Eighty-Five / 01.28.10

Today we started by presenting our "Your Pearl" projects. Then we watched the video below:

We discussed how the video related to the "pearl" in our collective conscience. Finally, we analyzed Bruno Mars' "Grenade" lyrics for their literary value.

Day Eighty-Four / 01.27.10

Today we started with a question: Does Steinbeck give greater value to traditional behaviors and even primitivism or to modern conveniences and, in particular, those who have luxuries?

Then we looked at images that may be "pearls" in today's culture:

Then we drew and wrote on what our own pearl would be. We wrote two paragraphs: 1. What power would your pearl give you? And 2. What drawbacks would it bring with it?

Day Eighty-Three / 01.26.10

Today we started by sharing our journal responses. Then we looked at the below picture:

We discussed whether or not our culture was as greedy as the doctor, albeit in a different way.

Day Eighty-Two / 01.25.10

Today we started with the final 2 presentations, then we discussed the journaling topic, and journaled for the remainder of the period.

Day Eighty-One / 01.24.10

Today we presented our presentations.

Then we wrote on a quote from Steinbeck: "As with all retold tales that are in people's hearts, there are only good and bad things and black and white things and good and evil things and no inbetween anywhere."

We wrote on why our stories become "black and white," and whether that is a good or a bad thing.

Day Eighty / 01.21.10

Today we started by going to the computer lab. Then we began our presentations and went over the extra credit opportunity. See below:

Creative Collection Book

Day Seventy-Nine/ 1.20.11

Today we started with a quote from George Santayana: "There are books in which the footnotes or comments scrawled by some reader's hand in the margin are more interesting than the text. The world is one of these books."

We asked the question, how does this work? What would it look like to "scribble in the margins of the world"?

Then we went to the computer lab to work on our presentations.

Day Seventy-Eight/ 1.19.11

Today we turned in our scripts. Then, we went to the computer lab to work on our projects.

Day Seventy-Seven / 1.18.11

Today we started with a piece by All Things Considered, on Google's poetry translator. It is here.

Then we started our unit on the Pearl, by John Steinbeck. We began with a walk around the room, filling in our prior knowledge. We looked at the following slides.

PearlBackground

Then, we began research in groups on our particular topic.

Day Seventy-Six / 1.14.11

Today we started with another VOTD, Kilian Martin's skateboarding. You can see the video here. We journalled on whether this was art or sport, and what elements made it more artistic.

Then we looked at the end of my script. Click the link for the ending, or see below for the whole thing.

Outer Space (Full Script)

Day Seventy-Five / 1.13.11

Today we started with a VOTD (Video of the Day):

Then we watched the ending of The Royal Tenenbaums.

Day Seventy-Four / 1.12.11

Today we started with a POTD.

We discussed our initial responses to the picture, then wrote on what it might mean, considering this is a commissioned self-portrait.

Then, we went over the ending of The Royal Tenenbaums.

Day Seventy-Three / 1.11.11

Today we started with Art Masters. Then, on to a quote by Charles Wright:

"Our dreams are luminous, a cast fire upon the world.

Morning arrives and that's it.

Sunlight darkens the earth."

We wrote on whether our dreams or reality were more exciting, and whether our dreams can cast fire upon the world.

Then, we went over my sample of a climax and turning point. It is below. After that we worked in the lab.

Climax and Turning Point

Day Seventy-Two / 1.10.11

Today we started with three quotes by Walt Whitman.

"Every moment of light and dark is a miracle."

"Be curious, not judgmental."

"And your very flesh shall be a great poem."

We chose one and wrote on it, then evaluated what we could learn about Walt from his lines.

Then we analyzed the climax section of Royal Tenenbaums, then watched the clip.

Day Seventy-One / 1.07.11

Today we started with: "The whole race is a poet that writes down / The eccentric propositions of its fate." (Wallace Stevens)

Is poetry a log of our destiny?

Is the poets job to understand/interpret our fate/destined state?

Then we went over the lyrics to "Fix You," and wrote our own lyrics.

Day Seventy / 1.06.11

Today we quickly covered my own script introduction, then went to the computer lab to work on your own scripts.

If you have formatting questions, check out this site.

Day Sixty-Nine / 1.05.11

Today we started with a QOTD: "If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." (Rudyard Kipling)

We journalled on:

Do you remember stories better than facts?

Do you learn more from stories, even if they’re fiction?

Then we worked on the openings to our script project.

Day Sixty-Eight / 1.04.11

Today we started with a POTD (Picture of the Day).

We wrote on the importance, to us, of the new governor, and what this picture, compositionally, says about Jerry Brown, being governor, etc.

Then we discussed our script project. See below:

Script Project

Day Sixty-Seven / 1.03.11

Today we started with a new seating chart. Then we shared stories from our holiday break. Next, we watched scenes from the opening of The Royal Tenenbaums, and we discussed characterization and how scripts translate to the screen. The full Tenebaum script is here.