December 13, 2010 - December 17, 2010

Weekly Agenda for 9th Grade English Honors

Monday, December 13th:

Read THE ODYSSEY

A Boy Searches for His Father

Telemachas goes on a journey to look for his father.

Tuesday, December 14th:

Vocabulary Assignment:

Break into groups of four, choose five words and create a scene, a rap or a song and dance using the words. Be sure your group uses all five words, that the words are used in sentences that illustrate their correct usage and that the definitions are included in the group's project.

Read THE ODYSSEY

Book 4; Odysseus on the Isle of Calypso

Assignment: Draw a picture of Calypso's cave.

This will be due on Wednesday.

Wednesday, December 15th:

Gallery walk of your art work

Read THE ODYSSEY

Read Princess Nausicaa and the Court of Alcinous.

Thursday, December 16th:

Read THE ODYSSEY

Read the Isle of Cicones, the Bag of Winds, and the Lotus Eaters.

Friday, December 17th:

Present your vocabulary projects!

Read THE ODYSSEY

Read The Isle of Polyphemus the Cyclops

Subordinate and Independent Clauses:

Independent Clauses have the following:

It has a noun.

It has a verb.

It expresses a complete thought.

I set my alarm.

Although I set my alarm.

How you determine what the subject is – you take the verb (in this case it is “set”) and you ask yourself who or what is doing the verb or the action.

Subordinate clause cannot stand alone. It does not express a complete thought or it lacks a noun or a verb.

Subordinate means of lesser importance.

Sentences that begin with these words are subordinate clauses:

Although

Since

That

When

Which

Predicate: is that part of the sentence that has the verb in it. Everything that is not the subject.

The cat walked over to her bowl to eat.

The cat: is the subject

The predicate: walked over to her bowl to eat.

Predicate nominative: is the noun that is in the predicate and that refers back to the subject.

Anna is a charming and delightful student.

Anna is the subject.

Is a charming and delightful student is the predicate.

Student would be the predicate nominative.

This charming and delightful assignment will be due on Thursday, December 2^nd.

Write out the entire sentence, underline the italicized part and then identify if the italicized part is a subordinate clause or independent clause.

Persuasive Essay

Thesis statement:

Topic sentence but with an attitude – in other words, you must take a position on the subject.

Video games are fine in moderation when monitored by adults.

Video games are fun and exciting and children should be allowed to play without interference from parents.

Most of the articles in the district assessment booklet are opposed to the use of video games by children.

Some of the articles are in between – they believe that with moderation and adult supervision most video games are fine.

Some of the articles seem to imply that most children are using video games immoderately and without adult supervision.

Some of the evidence provided in the district assessment booklet:

Average game buyer is 37 years old.

Percentage of time parents are involved with purchase or rental of games is 83%.

90% of games are purchased by adults.

Percentage of parents who monitor their children’s use of video games – 92%.

10% of the games are still unmonitored.

There are still many people who are under 37 who are using video games.

Opposing arguments:

How do we know the 37 year old is a parent?

The number of 37 year olds who are buying video games may cause the game inventors to create games for 37 year olds which are inappropriate for children.

17% of parents are not involved with the purchase of video games.

What does the "percentage of time involved" mean? How is percentage of time involved calculated and by whom?

How did the researchers get the 92% statistics that parents monitor their children? Don’t people lie on surveys to make them appear better than they are?

These are the components of the persuasion essay one must have in order the pass the test:

T: thesis

TP: thesis addressed the prompt

Aee: analyzed and evaluated the evidence

DP: developed the prompt

CC: Counter claim

If your thesis statement is anti-video games: they are destructive and harmful to children, then you would might want to go to page 12, “Video Games May Help Relieve Pain”, to find your counter claim.

Rebuttal: to knock down the counter claim.

Development of the Prompt: one must write additional sentences about the thesis. One does this using anecdotes, statistics, supporting evidence.

Thesis position:

Video games should be banned because they are harmful to children.

What do you mean by video games? What kinds of games?

What do you mean by banned?

How are they harmful and in what way?

What do you mean by children?

Body of the paragraph:

Mini topic sentence

Make sure you write at least two sentences to develop your mini-topic sentence.

Make sure you use at least one piece of evidence per paragraph to support your claim.

In the fourth paragraph put the counter claim and then your rebuttal.

In the final concluding sentence, which ties up the paragraph in a neat little package, quickly reiterate your main points - one sentence or clause per point - and then write a final concluding sentence which restates your position. Do not introduce new information or ideas in the final paragraph.

This essay will be due on _____________.

NOVEMBER 29, 2010 - DECEMBER 3, 2010

Weekly Agenda for 9th Grade Honors English:

Monday, November 29th:

Go over your persuasion essays.

Go over format for persuasion essays

Thesis statement

Development

Citation

Supporting evidence

Comments

Redo essay for higher grade. Depending on how well you do, we will either begin THE ODYSSEY or work on more persuasion essays ;-(

Tuesday, November 30th:

Please bring your HOLT'S HANDBOOK (the grammar book)

Today pages 98 - 100, Exercise 1: "Identifying Independent and Subordinate Clauses" will be assigned; this will be due on Thursday, December 2nd.

Begin reading THE ODYSSEY

Wednesday, December 1st:

Read THE ODYSSEY

Watch the video

Please bring your vocabulary book to class today; Unit 2 will be assigned. Unit 2 will be due on Tuesday, December 7th.

Thursday, December 2nd:

Your grammar homework is due today: HOLT'S HANDBOOK; Exercise 1: "Identifying Independent and Subordinate Clauses"

Read The ODYSSEY

Watch the video

Friday, December 3rd:

Warm-up: Using your vocabulary words from Unit 2, write five sentences with subordinate

clauses.

Read THE ODYSSEY

Watch the video

Persuasive Essay

Anna:

Although video games are a good thing and fun to play, they are holding kids back from attending school every day and getting good grades; it is the parents’ job to limit their children’s excessive use of video games.

According to a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Science in 2000, video games have a definite connection with high school students’ absences in school.

This shows that too many students are too busy playing video games and that they do not get enough sleep to go to school the next day. This can affect their grades.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thesis statement:

There is nothing inherently wrong with video games; with adult supervision, teens should be able to have access to video games.

Source or evidence:

According to the graphs compiled by the Entertainment Software Association, the average game player’s age is thirty and the average game buyer’s age is thirty seven.

Your words which show that your evidence supports your thesis statement:

These statistics show that most of the game players are not young kids, but rather mature adults. Most of the thirty seven year old game buyers are either buying these games for themselves or for their young children. This shows that most children are using these games under adult supervision.

In a letter from a concerned student, Nicco Josephs states the following:

In a response to an editorial, “Violent Video Games Cause Violence in Children”, a concerned reader writes,”

Counter claim:

Counter: against

If your thesis statement is that video games are dangerous, promote violence and should be severely restricted then your opponent’s counter claim would be that video games are used by hospitals to help young patients overcome their fear and pain.

BUT (your rebuttal):

The majority of gamers are not sick, frightened children.

Or (another rebuttal):

But the hospitals limit the amount of time and the type of video games played by their patients.

You have to set up your opponents’ argument and then knock it down!

For tonight:

Transfer your information onto the graphic organizer.

Then using your graphic organizer, write a five paragraph essay. Make sure you have a thesis statement; evidence to support your claim; a counter claim and a rebuttal to the counter claim.

First paragraph:

Grabber:

Can be an anecdote (short story) that proves your point

Thesis statement

2^nd Paragraph:

Mini-topic sentence (lets us know what the paragraph is going to be about)

One or two sentences (at least ) which develops the idea of the mini-topic sentence

Evidence from the booklet

Comment (use your own words: the ones YOU wrote in the right box on the graphic organizer) on how the evidence proves your point. (At least one sentence in your own words but preferably two or three sentences showing how the evidence proves your thesis.)

Then a closing sentence.

Counter claim paragraph:

You should write the counter claim and the rebuttal in the body paragraphs.

Counter claim paragraph:

State the counter claim.

Then write at least one to three sentences that strike down your opponent’s claim. This is called your rebuttal. You may even use evidence to support your rebuttal.

Then write a closing sentence for that paragraph.

Concluding paragraph:

Go over the points that were introduced in the beginning paragraph and developed in the body paragraph.

Arrive at your conclusion in this paragraph.

Persuasive Essay

Short Constructed Response for Persuasion

Video Games

Short Constructed Response

Thesis Statement:

It is a sentence that tells the reader what the essay is going to be about; it also has to have your position.

Examples of thesis statements:

Although video games can be detrimental if children play them without parental supervision, video games should not be restricted by the government.

Although video games can be harmful if played without adequate adult supervision, there should not be governmental restriction placed on the use or sale of video games.

There is little or no evidence which shows that excessive use of video games is detrimental to children; therefore, no governmental restriction on its use is warranted.

There is little or no evidence that shows excessive use of video games is detrimental to children; it is the parents’ responsibility to control their children’s video use, not the government’s.

Video games can have a detrimental effect on a child who plays an excessive amount without adult supervision; therefore, there should be some governmental restriction placed on the use and sale of video games to minors.

Students’ Examples of Thesis Statement:

Anna:

Video games can be relaxing and entertaining at the end of a long day; however, they can affect the behavior and thoughts of a child or a teen; therefore, it is the parents’ job, not the government’s job, to restrict the use of video games.

Martha:

Video games have a tendency to be fun and entertaining; however, they can be addicting and can cause problems so the parents should be able to restrict their children’s access to the video games.

DaMaya:

Kids who are addicted to video games are not at fault; their parents are for buying the inappropriate video and allowing it to take over their children’s minds; therefore, the government has done its part and cannot be blamed.

Vocabulary:

Banned: to completely outlaw; to be totally against the law.

One side is demanding more restrictions

Pretty good example:

Another side is demanding no more restrictions but placing the responsibility of video use on the parents.

Video games corrupt young minds by exposing younger players to violence; the constant demand of games and new systems and the crucial impact on the behavior warrant the parents’ overseeing the child’s use of the video games.

Andy:

Video games are fine in moderation and restrictions have already been made, so the rest of the responsibility lies in the hands of the parents for each individual situation.

NOVEMBER 15, 2010 - NOVEMBER 19, 2010

WEEKLY SCHEDULE FOR 9th GRADE HONORS ENGLISH

Monday, November 15th:

Begin work on the short constructed response

Tuesday, November 16th:

Shortened Day

Begin working on the persuasive essay

Wednesday, November 17th:

Continue working on the persuasive essay

Thursday, November 18th:

Finish the persuasive essay

Friday, November 19th:

Vocabulary Fun!

NOVEMBER 8, 2010 - NOVEMBER 12, 2010 WEEKLY AGENDA FOR 9TH GRADE HONORS ENGLISH

Monday, November 8th:

Workshop with actors and directors from AADA

Tuesday, November 9th:

Regular Day

Go over “The Cask of Amontillado” vocabulary and irony packet. This will be due today.

Wednesday, November 10th:

PERSPECTIVES in MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE;

Academic Vocabulary for Collection One; page 3

Evaluating an Argument; pages 4 - 5

Before You Read: Rising Tides: An Arctic Floe of Climate Questions

“Rising Tides”; pages 8 - 10

Op-Ed: “An Arctic Floe of Climate Questions”; pages 11 - 12

For homework:

After You Read: Reading Check; Test Practices; Constructed Response

This will be due on Friday, November 12th.

Thursday, November 11th:

Veterans’ Day

No School

Friday, November 12th:

Go over the Constructed Response

October 28, 2015 The Cask of Amontillado Notes

THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO

CASK is a barrel.

AMONTILLADO is a very fine Spanish wine.

Catacomb: is an underground place where wine and bodies are buried.

Carnival: Mardi Gras. We celebrate Mardi Gras in February or March. It is usually the five days leading up to  the beginning of Lent.  Lent begins forty days before Easter. During Lent the devoted give up something they love in order to experience the suffering Christ endured during the crucifixion.

During Mardi Gras – WE PARTAY!!!!!!!!!!!

During Mardi Gras we wear masks and we SINNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We drink and we dance and we smoke and we eat too much, and we kiss random people.

Fortunato is a man at whom the narrator is mad.

Injuries: bruises, pain, suffering

Borne: to endure, to suffer, to put up with

Ventured upon insult: Fortunato began to insult the narrator.

Utter: to say a word

Utterance: the things you say.

The narrator never uttered a word of a threat to Fortunato.

Definitiveness: definitely

Avenge: payback

Precluded: action taken before hand to prevent something from occurring.

Redress: to right a wrong

Unredressed: to not be avenged.

Redresser: someone who rights a wrong.

Impunity: without punishment; to get away with something and not get punished for it.

Retribution: punishment; the act that avenges the wrong committed against another.

Fortunato: he  prides himself on his connoisseurship in wine.

The narrator didn’t care how long it took to take revenge on Fortunato

As long as he did not get punished.

If the redresser gets punished then the wrong still remains unpunished.

It remains unpunished if the punisher (the avenger) does not make the wrongdoer feels (realize) the same amount of pain as he did when he was hurt.

Quack: a rip-off artist; a fraud

Luchesi: a rival with Fortunato in his knowledge of fine wines.

The name of the narrator and his family is the Montresors. Montresor is very similar to the word monster. 

Orbs: round spheres or globes. It refers to Fortunato’s eyes.

Rheumy: watery discharge

Intoxication: a state of drunkenness.

“My poor friend”  Montresor calling him “my poor friend” would suggest sympathy or friendliness.  Do you think Montresor, the narrator, likes him?  What kind of irony might this be – saying something that might not reflect how you’re really feeling?

Puns and Irony: A bricklayer is not always a Mason. 

Mason: a secret organization open only to Christian men. It is very exclusive and not open to everyone who  applies for admission. Women are are not allowed in the Masons. 

Mason: also a brick layer.

A trowel: a tiny hand shovel used by masons to lay brick and mortar.

The Unreliable Narrator:

The narrator is unreliable. This technique is used a lot by Poe.

Can we trust the narrator, Montresor, in “The Cask of Amontillado”?

Going beyond the story: 

There are a few clues that hint at the reasons Montresor hates Fortunato. They are:

Montresor: “You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as I once was. You are a man to be missed.”

What is implied  when he says he was once admired and respected?

“You will become sick and I cannot be held responsible.”

Why is it important that he not be held responsible for Fortunato’s ill health?

“The Montresors were a great and numerous family.”

What do you think happened to his family?
"You? A mason? Impossible!" 
Why would Fortunato expressed incredulity at Montresor being a member of the exclusive and secretive Masons?

 Assignment: 

Write down a brief story, description or scenario explaining Montresor’s hatred for Forunato.  Use the limited information given or implied by Montresor to explain what possibly may have happened.

Marina, Anna, Sergey: Fortunato continually put Montresor and his family down for many years.

Why would Fortunato express incredulity at Montresor being a mason?

Fortunato: “You? Impossible! You’re a mason?”

What do you think happened in the past to Montresor and his family?

Vocabulary: 

Crypt: an underground vault where dead people are buried.

Recess: a shallow closet or depression in a wall without a door.

Explain the visual pun Montresor does when he holds up a trowel to Fortunato’s question,”Are you a mason?”  Why is this ironic?

Puns: 

What’s a pun? It is a play on words. Example:  That was very punny!

A penny saved is a penny earned.  A benny shaved is a benny urned.

Why cantalope with me? Because the celery won’t lettuce.

Assignment: 

 Draw a picture of the crypt to which Montresor leads Fortunato. (The description is on page 177.)

Vocabulary: 

From one of these (iron staples) depended a short chain, from the other (chain) a padlock.  The word “depend” comes from the Latin word for “hang down.”

Fetter: to chain up or to tie.

Assignment: 

Read the story from page 178, “He is an ignoramus…” all the way to the end of the story.  While one of you reads the story, the other two people in the group will act it out. 

November 1, 20010 - November 5, 2010 Weekly Agenda for 9th grade Honors English

Monday, November 1, 2010

Pair up and continue working on analysis of "The Cask of Amontillado"

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Work on the "Vocabulary and Irony" packet for "The Cask of Amontillado". This packet will be due on Thursday, November 4th.

Break into groups of three and create three short skits demonstrating the different types of irony: one skit demonstrating situational irony, one skit demonstrating dramatic irony and one skit demonstrating verbal irony. Present on Wednesday, November 3rd.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Present the three irony skits today.

Continue working on the packet for "The Cask of Amontillado"

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Read "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart"

Your packet for "The Cask of Amontillado"

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Begin working in PERSPECTIVES in MULTI-CULTURALISM

Read Martin Luther King's speech.

October 25^th – October 29^th Weekly Agenda for 9^th Grade Honors English

Monday, October 25^th:

Break into pairs and analyze “The Most Dangerous Game” for plot. Together create a plot diagram and present to class.

 

Tuesday, October 26^th:

Test over plot for “The Most Dangerous Game”.

Because we are pressed for time, the board game for “The Most Dangerous Game” will be for extra credit.

 

Wednesday, October 27^th:

Read  “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe.

 

Thursday, October 28^th:

Read “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe.

Pass out the vocabulary and literary language packet.

 

Friday, October 29^th:

Read “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”

 

 

Most Dangerous Game

Most Dangerous Game

Background Information: 

Stoicism: to bear everything in life with indifference. You are indifferent to both pain and pleasure.

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution: all living organisms have evolved from lower life forms. Darwin came up with the phrase “Survival of the Fittest” which means that only the best survive or excel. Some misguided people from the 19^th Century and early 20^th Century believed that this could be applied to people. Rich people thought that because they were rich and successful they were smarter and better than other people and therefore were deserving of special privileges. This paved the way to “eugenics” and to Nazi experiments during World War ll. This misapplication of Darwin’s theory is called Social Darwinism.

Czar and Czarina: Russian for the words King and Queen

The Russian monarchy was overthrown by the Bolsheviks in 1917 and a communist system of government was put in place.

The Czarist government was unfair in its treatment of people, giving preferential treatment to the aristocracy or the rich.

Aristocrats: a member of the upper class. An aristocrat has a title: countess, duke, count, duchess, king, prince, princess, viscount, queen, etc. Many of them live in palaces and castles, have a lot of money and do not work. Many of them inherit their money from their far distant ancestors. Prince Henry and Prince William are examples of the British aristocracy.

Colonialism: from the word to colonize. European countries colonized the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and India. The colonists many times did not value the culture of the country they had colonized, and believed that the colonized people were inferior to their own. This attitude is reflected in General Zaroff's comments about the quality of the sailors he hunts and kills.

The Setting:

The beginning of the story is set on a yacht (pronounced "yaut" or "yawt"), which is a large, luxurious boat that is well appointed enough for someone to comfortably live on.

The yacht is speeding its way through the Caribbean to Rio de Janeiro in South America.  The night is described as dark and heavy as velvet, so dark that one could sleep with one's eyes open.  To heighten the mood of unease, Whitney and Rainsford, two world class hunters, are discussing an island somewhere near by in the dark with an unsavory reputation - "Ship-Trap Island".  The island's reputation is so ghastly that even seasoned sailors (like the old Swede who is the captain of the yacht) blanch and refuse to speak about it.  There is a veil of secrecy shrouding the island as impenetrable as the black velvet night they are sailing through.

Exposition: The set up for the story, the back story, events which occur before the beginning of the play or off stage. 

Rainsford and Whitney are on a yacht sailing to Brazil to hunt jaguars.

Information is revealed about "Ship-Trap Island" being a very frightening and mysterious place where strange things occur.

Sailors have a good sense of danger and the captain, an old Swede who wouldn't be afraid to spit in the eye of the devil, is unusually quiet and tense while sailing past "Ship-Trap Island".

Whitney's comment about how good Rainsford's eyes are and what an expert hunter he is sets up the drama which unfolds later.

The two men are discussing what is essentially the theme of the story.  "The world is divided into two groups, the hunter and the hunted." Fortunately for them, they belong to the category of hunters.  When Whitney expresses some sympathy for the hunted, the jaguars they hope to kill on their hunt in South America, Rainsford responds with,"Who cares what a jaguar feels?"  This exchange reveals that both men are hunters and it reveals their attitude towards the prey they hunt.  It also sets up the primary question in the story - whether the world is divided into the hunter and the hunted, the strong and the weak - and it sets up a situation where Rainsford will soon find himself in the strange, uncomfortable position of being the hunted.

Whitney excuses himself and goes to bed.  Alone on the deck of the boat smoking his pipe, Rainsford hears a gunshot coming from the direction of the island.  Straining to see through the black velvet of the night, Rainsford stands on the railing; however, a rope on a sail knocks his beloved brier pipe from his mouth into the murky depths below. Straining to reach it, he loses his balance and falls overboard with the thick velvety waters closing overhead. Coming up for air, he sees the yacht speeding beyond him into the darkness, with his yells, unheard, unheeded,  swallowed up immediately by the dark velvet air. 

MOOD:

When Whitney is speaking to Rainford, he says that this place has a reputation - a bad reputation. Rainsford wonders if the island has cannibals.

The imagery contributes to the  mood of the story which is creepy!  The night is dark, impenetrably dark like black velvet.

As the yacht draws near the island, Rainsford reports a "mental chill, a sort of sudden dread....." and "...sometimes I think sailors have a special sense of danger...."

And then there is of course, the gun shot...

The mood of the story is also set by the imagery used to describe the island: "the sea licked greedy lips in the shadows", "the leering gargoyle knocker".

CHARACTER:

Character is revealed by the use of dehumanizing diction (word choice) to describe Ivan: "the door opens to reveal a gigantic creature" and "out of the snarl of beard two small eyes regarded Rainsford." Ivan is initially referred to not as a man but rather as a creature and his eyes, usually regarded as the "windows to the soul" are divorced from the man as separate entities.

General Zaroff is described as having red lips and pointed teeth which paints a rather vampiric portrait of the general. He tells Rainsford that Ivan is a cossack, a fierce tribe of men known for their cruelty and untrustworthiness.  He then casually  informs Rainsford that he too is a cossack, and smilingly reveals his pointed teeth. All through out the story, Zaroff reveals shocking details yet continually reassures Rainsford that he can be trusted. Do you agree?

PLOT POINTS in the RISING ACTION:

The plot points are the complications which can occur either during or after  the exposition and before the climax.  It is the twists that drives  the protagonist from towards or away from her/his goal.

The following events occur just after the exposition and before the climax:

Rainsford hears the gun shot which seems to come from the island. 

Rainsford falls off the boat

Rainsford is in the middle of the Caribbean screaming at the departing yacht.

Rainsford sees the blood on the grass and a small caliber bullet


Rainsford is greeted at the open door of a luxurious chateau (improbably placed in the middle of a Caribbean island) by a huge creature  pointing a gun at Rainsford's chest. 

Zaroff  tells Rainsford about his storied past as an adventurer and hunter is both exposition and rising action because it is background information but it also complicates the plot. 


Zaroff tells Rainsford that he is bored with hunting animals. 

Zaroff tells Rainsford that he hunts humans and he keeps his cellar well stocked with luckless sailors whose ships have foundered on his traps set right off his island. 

There is no way off the island: the dogs will eat anyone who tries to escape and Ivan will beat to death anyone who fails to cooperate in the hunt.  

After dinner Rainsford finds out he is locked in his room.

Zaroff tells Rainsford that they are going to go hunting together! 

Zaroff says to Rainsford, "You want to see my heads?

Rainsford hides in the tree, after laying down a very complicated trail,  but Zaroff easily finds him anyway!  Zaroff stops underneath the tree, and allows his gaze to drift up to the point right underneath the branch that Rainsford is lying on.  Zaroff then smiles,  takes a puff, blows a smoke ring and walks away.  This has a particularly chilling effect on Rainsford for he gets an inkling as to just what kind of an opponent he is up against. 

Next, Rainsford lays The Malay Man Catcher. He discovers a dead tree perilously leaning on a live tree. Rainsford fashions a bough (a large tree branch) into a "trigger" which, when touched, will cause the dead tree to come crashing down.  Unfortunately, the tree only gives a glancing blow to Zaroff, causing him only to stagger a little. 

The Burmese Tiger Pit, which kills Lazarus, Zaroff's  best and most beloved dog. The Burmese Tiger Pit is a pit dug into the soft ground with sharp pointed stakes placed in the bottom of the pit.  The pit is then covered over with leaves to camouflage it. However, it is not Zaroff who falls into the pit but it is his favorite dog, Lazurus, who falls into the pit and is impaled by the stakes.

Allusion: Lazurus is a biblical allusion.  He is the man who was raised from the dead by Christ.

Allusion: is a reference to a piece of literature such as the Bible, and/or Shakespeare and to another piece of art.

Rainsford then ties his  only weapon to a branch of a young sapling and ties it back with some vines.  When someone brushes past it, the vine will release the springy sapling, causing the knife to come hurtling forward, presumably to stab Zaroff in the heart. However, it only serves to kill Ivan, Zaroff's butler. 

Then when you think things can't get any worse,  Rainsford hears Zaroff's pack of dogs baying for his blood.  And they are getting close! 

Rainsford makes a mad run through the jungle to the edge of the island's cliff and jumps into the ocean.  Presumably to his death. 

Climax: the most exciting part of the story; it is the turning point of the story, when the hero’s or heroine’s or the antagonist’s fate changes for the better or for the worse.

There is a great deal of debate about when the climx occurs in "The Most Dangerous Game". 

Some state that the climax occurs when Zaroff tells Rainsford that they will hunt together. 

Others believe the climax occurs when Rainsford jumps off the cliff. 

And still others maintain the climax occurs when Zaroff turns on his bedroom light and discovers he has company - Rainsford hiding in the curtains! 

Which do you think it is and why? 

Falling Action: it is the actions which occur after the climax.

There are some stories where there is little or no falling action.

Resolution: when all the plot points are resolved. Another word for this is denouement, which is a French word meaning the unraveling of the plot points.  English speakers call it the tying up of loose ends.

Do you think Rainsford will ever hunt again? Why or why not? 

TO FIND THE THEME: 

Take the characteristics of the main characters:

Zaroff is a psychopath.  He is totally devoid of sympathy or compassion for others.

An adjective to describe Zaroff is cruel.  (It can also be used as a noun)

A description of Rainsford is he is strong but blind to the suffering he inflicts on others.

The characteristic of Rainsford is that he is strong but he’s ignorant to the plight of the animals he kills.

What is the action which takes place in the story, or what is the situation of the story?

Rainsford is a man who is trapped in a bubble of ignorance. It is not until he is put in the same situation as his victims, does he learn compassion.

He is put in jeopardy by an adversary who is his equal in ability but lacking in compassion (Zaroff).

What is the conclusion of the story?

Rainsford doesn’t truly win until he has gone through the nightmare of experiencing what it is like to be hunted.

So one possible theme could be:  The strong cannot truly be strong until they know what it is to be weak.

Another possible theme could be:

Cruelty is a form of weakness and the cruel will eventually be destroyed by their excesses.

Zaroff is cruel and by his excessive cruelty he is ultimately destroyed.

Quick question for you: Do you think Zaroff plays fair?

Do you think it’s fair that he has a gun, his body guard, Ivan, who is a psychopathic killer, and a pack of ferocious dogs who go against a lone man with a knife who doesn’t know the island?

Isn’t stacking the deck so much in one’s favor, not playing fair, a form of weakness?

Or another possible theme:

By one’s intelligence and mental strength one may overcome cruelty.

Who is displaying  intelligence and mental strength during the three day ordeal on the island?

Who eventually wins and how? Rainsford, by using his intelligence and mental strength.

Who is cruel? Zaroff.  And how is he vanquished in the end?  He couldn’t win fairly, using just his bare hands and his intelligence.  When he fought Rainsford without the dogs, the guns and Ivan, he was killed.  He could only win when he had everything stacked in his favor: the guns, the dogs, Ivan and his knowledge of the island’s terrain.

His prey were terrified sailors threatened with death by beating if they didn't cooperate. They only had a knife and they did not know the island 

And of course, another possible theme is posed as a statement in the beginning of the story: The world is divided into two categories: the strong and the weak, and the weak are there for the amusement of the strong.  Smart readers will recognize this as the theme and know that this point will be tested in the story. 

This question is posed at the beginning of the story and is tested by the events of the story.  Does Richard Connell prove this theme to be right or wrong?

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay:
Opening paragraph
The opening paragraph should include the title of the story and the name of the authors.
“The Necklace” and “The Gift of the Magi”
The writer of “The Necklace” is Guy de Maupassant
The writer of “The Gift of the Magi” is O. Henry
The opening paragraph should include an attention grabber (a hook)
The essay’s opening paragraph should include a topic sentence (what the essay is about)
Notes:
The name of the protagonist in “The Necklace” is Mathilde and/or Madame Loisel.
The name of the protagonist in “The Gift of the Magi” is Della.

THE SECOND PARAGRAPH:
You can write about either Della or Mathilde.
THIRD PARAGRAPH:
You can write about either Della or Mathilde.
FOURTH PARAGRAPH:
You can compare or contrast the two characters.
FIFTH PARAGRAPH:
You can compare or contrast the two characters.
SIXTH PARAGRAPH:
FINAL CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

Sum up your main points which you discussed in the opening paragraph and developed in the body paragraphs.


Body paragraph:
Mini topic sentence: This lets us, the readers, know the topic of the paragraph.
Write two to three sentences developing the topic sentence.
Give at least two to three examples to support your mini-topic sentence.
If you state that Mathilde is selfish, then you have to give examples to prove that.
Then you have to discuss and explain how the example shows she is selfish.

It may be suggested however that Mathilde did not change completely. While she is strolling down a street in Paris she encounters Jeanne Forestier who is still beautiful and youthful. Mathilde saunters up to her, fat, red faced and aged. Mathilde has changed so much that Jeanne does not recognized her at first. When she realizes that the coarse woman standing in front of her is her one time beautiful friend, Jeanne is horrified. Mathilde begins to recount to Jeanne what has happened to her since that night long ago when she borrowed her necklace. Mathilde concludes with, “You can imagine that it was not easy for us, who had nothing….and (we suffered) plenty of misfortune and it’s all on account of you.” This reveals that she really hasn’t changed at all for she is still trying to blame others for her mistakes. Mathilde implies that it is Jeanne's fault that she suffered. She does not say that perhaps it was her vanity or her desire to appear as something she was not that was the cause of her suffering, but it was Jeanne that caused her to suffer. She is also quite arrogant for De Maupassant writes that she takes pride in her hard work and cleverness in paying off the replacement necklace without getting caught by Jeanne. Although she has changed in some ways, particularly physically and in her circumstances, the core of Mathilde remains in many ways the same.

October 11th - 15th Weekly Agenda for 9th Grade Honors English

Monday, October 11th:
Work on the vocabulary and literary handout for "The Most Dangerous Game"
Discussion of plot in "The Most Dangerous Game"

Tuesday, October 12th:
Continuation of the plot in "The Most Dangerous Game"

Wednesday, October 13th:
Your "The Most Dangerous Game" vocabulary and literary handout will be due today.
Test over "The Most Dangerous Game" will include vocabulary, plot and plot graph.

Thursday, October 14th:
Break into groups of three and work on "The Most Dangerous Game" board game.

Friday, October 15th:
Begin work in Perspectives in Multicultural Literature; "Exposition"; Academic Vocabulary; read "Rising Tide"; "An Arctic Floe of Climate Questions".

Weekly Agenda for 9th Grade Honors English
October 4th - 8th

Monday, October 4th:
Continue working on the compare and contrast essay on
“The Necklace” and “The Gift of the Magi”
Go over “Active and Passive Voices”; HOLT HANDBOOK; pages 163 - 166; exercises 7 and 8. This will be due on Tuesday, October 5th.

Tuesday, October 5th:
Your grammar homework is due; “Active and Passive Voices”.
Work on final draft of essay.

Wednesday, October 6th:
The compare and contrast essay on “The Necklace” and “The Gift of the Magi” is due today.
Begin reading “The Most Dangerous Game”
Pass out the vocabulary and literary elements packet for “The Most Dangerous Game”

Thursday, October 7th:
Continue reading “The Most Dangerous Game”

Friday, October 8th:
Library orientation today.

COMPARE and CONTRAST ESSAY on THE NECKLACE and THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

You can either do a vin diagram or a “t-chart” showing how “Della”, the character in “The Gift of the Magi”, and “Madame Loisel” in “The Necklace” are alike and how are they different.

Both Della and Mathilde are:
Impoverished
Married
Young adults
Beautiful
“Their best qualities were given to them at birth.” (Beauty and grace.)
They both like to flaunt what they have
Della flaunts her hair. Mathilde flaunts her necklace

They dress plainly.
They both seek luxury.
They are living during the turn of the century.
They both have caring husbands.
They both grieved over some loss.

HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT?
DELLA
She loved her husband very much
Very giving to her husband
She cut off her hair to buy him a gift
Della was grateful for what she had.

Mathilde
She is a fake.
She wanted people at the party to believe she was rich.
She wanted to be envied and to be found fascinating.
She is very bitter about what she doesn't have
She is very selfish and probably doesn't love her husband very much.

Now, choose three specific ways in which the two women are similar and three specific ways in which the two women are different. Dive back into the text to find evidence to support your claim. You can either paraphrase (put into your own words) or use a direct quotation.

For tonight's homework: Try your hand at writing the opening paragraph of your compare and contrast essay. Be sure to include the thesis statement (a sentence which tells us what the essay is about and your position on this topic) and the titles of both short stories, and the names of the writers. The opening paragraph should also develop the thesis statement. In other words, don't just write the thesis statement but expand on it. The entire opening paragraph should be six to eleven lines long. Have fun!

Format for the body paragraph:
Mini-thesis statement
At least one to two sentences developing the mini-thesis statement
Evidence from the text to support your mini-thesis statement
Evidence can be either a direct quotation or paraphrased.
At least one to two sentences commenting on your evidence
Concluding or transitional sentence leading to the next body paragraph

There should be three body paragraphs.

Concluding paragraph:
Quickly go over your main points
Final concluding thought(s) on the theme of the stories.

September 27th – October 1st Weekly Schedule for 9th Grade Honors English
Monday, September 27th:
Students work in groups of three and continue working on the ending of “The Necklace”. Present “The Necklace: Continuing the Story”.
Tuesday, September 28th:
“The Necklace” vocabulary/irony handouts are due today.
Begin reading “The Gift of the Magi”
Wednesday, September 29th:
Preparatory work on writing a compare and contrast essay on “The Necklace” and “The Gift of the Magi.”
Thursday, September 30th:
Work on “The Necklace” and “The Gift of the Magi” essay.
Friday, October 1st:
The compare and contrast essay is due.
Please bring your HOLT HANDBOOK; “Active and Passive Voice” exercises, pages 163 – 166; exercises 7 and 8 will be assigned; this will be due on Tuesday, October 5th.

9th GRADE HONORS ENGLISH SCHEDULE
for week of
SEPTEMBER 20th - 24th:

Monday, September 20th:
Finish presentations of "The Sniper" Rewrites
Pass out handout for "The Sniper"
Pass out books
Assign VOCABULARY WORKSHOP: Level D; Unit 1. This will be due on Thursday, September 23rd.




Tuesday, September 21st:
Shortened Day!
Go over the handout for "The Sniper"
Begin reading "The Necklace"

Wednesday, September 22nd:
Continue reading "The Necklace"

Thursday, September 23rd:
Vocabulary Workshop:Level D; Unit 1 is due today.
Break into groups and continue the story. What happens after the last line of the short story?

Friday, September 24th:
Continue working on the "Continuing the Story".

September 13th - September 16th:
Tuesday, September 14th:
Read THE SNIPER

Wednesday, September 15th:
Break into groups and rewrite THE SNIPER from the point of view of one of the following characters:
Enemy Sniper
The Informer
The British Soldier
The Tank Driver
or
Omniscient!
This will be due on Friday, September 17th.

Omniscient:
Abigail
Kayla
Veronica
Michelle

Enemy Sniper:
Melody
Marina
Ana
Dionna

British Soldier:
Martha
Ana
Josue
Emily

Tank Driver:
Lucine
Xiomara
Kimberly
Damaya

Omniscient:
Daisy
Cheyenne
Sergey
Zahrea

The Informant
Yoanna
Andy
Xiomara

THE SNIPER

The Sniper; page 212 from ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE
Break into groups and rewrite THE SNIPER from the point of view of one of the following characters:
Enemy Sniper
The Informer
The British Soldier
The Tank Driver
Omniscient Point of View
Omni: all
Scient: knowing
Omniscient point of view means that we know what each character is thinking.
Limited point of view means we know only what one or just a few characters know. We can tell if it is 3rd person limited because the pronoun "he" or "she" is used and shows us what that character is thinking, feeling or experiencing.