ClassBlog

Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:06:00 +0000

Thanks to all of my students, past and present, for making my stay here at Fauquier a fun-filled and enjoyable one. I truly loved coming to my job each day and I meant it every time I said, “Thanks for coming to class today.” You made life here so meaningful, and I have mixed feelings about leaving you behind. As you know, I have always put my family first, as evidenced by the endless number of conversations you had to endure about Legos, Star Wars, Joanne’s running, WTM and lately, China. That feeling of family is what is sending us off to Beijing: we see this as an opportunity to be a closer family unit, for my wife to better herself in her job, for our boys to be immersed in another culture, and for me - to see another part of the world I have only read about before.

Keep reading, keep writing, and keep in touch!

Paul Koch

You can follow our trip at http://dugahole.blogspot.com/

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:50:00 +0000

RP ClassBlog: S.M.A.R.T. Goals: "S.M.A.R.T. Goals

The S.M.A.R.T. Goals assignment should result in a set of fifteen tangible goals to turn in. Remember to follow the pattern below when writing your goals and make sure that each goal meets the S.M.A.R.T. criteria. Also remember that your goals should be typed and be turned in with a self-addressed stamped envelope.

By ____________________ I will _____________________.

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Realistic
T - Timed"

ClassBlog: Poetry/Lyric Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:13:00 +0000

RP ClassBlog: Poetry/Lyric Analysis: "Poetry/Lyric Analysis

Read the poem/lyrics three times - at least once aloud
Literal Interpretation
Figurative Interpretation
Apply 5 of the poetry terms to your poem - with explanation
Create a visual interpretation of the poem/lyric"

ClassBlog: Poetry Terms

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:46:00 +0000

RP ClassBlog: Poetry Terms: "Alliteration Assonance Blank verse Consonance Couplet Diction Figurative language Free verse Iambic pentameter Meter Invented words Lyric po..."

Hamlet Review Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Hamlet: Discussion Questions
1) To what extent does Hamlet correspond to classical or medieval notions of tragedy? What (if anything) is Hamlet's fatal flaw? Why does he hesitate to act after promising his father's ghost that he will avenge his murder? Compare/contrast the protagonist's decisiveness and will to act in Macbeth.

2) Note the various familial relationships in Hamlet. Compare and contrast the family unit of Polonius / Laertes / Ophelia with Hamlet's relationships to the Ghost of Hamlet Sr., to Gertrude and to Claudius. Like Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are sons confronted with a father's death. To what extent do they function as foils to Hamlet? What do they have in common? How do they differ?

3) Why does Hamlet wait so long to kill Claudius? What are the reasons for his hesitation? How valid are they? How many times does he have the opportunity to attack Claudius? What are his reasons for not doing so?

4) Hamlet is a play in which nothing can be taken at face value: appearances are frequently deceptive, and many characters engage in play-acting, spying and pretense. What deliberate attempts are made at deception? Are the intended audiences deceived? While some deceptions are perpetrated in order to conceal secrets, others aim to uncover hidden truths. Which are which? To what extent are they successful? Note references to appearances, disguises, pretense, seeming, masks, acting, etc.

5) Pay attention to the treatment of the women characters Gertrude and Ophelia. Is there any basis for the Freudian interpretation of an Oedipal attraction between Hamlet and his mother? Hamlet does seem obsessed with his mother's sexuality. How old is Hamlet? How old do you think Gertrude is? Is Hamlet's disgust at Gertrude's sexuality justified? To what extent is Gertrude guilty? Was she "in on" her husband's murder? Has Claudius confided in her since the murder? How does Hamlet's perception of his mother affect his behavior or attitude toward Ophelia? Why does he tell Ophelia to go to a nunnery? Does Hamlet really love Ophelia? If so, why is he cruel to her?

6) Hamlet claims that his madness is feigned, an "antic disposition" which he puts on for his own purposes (I.v.172). Why would Hamlet want to feign madness? How can an appearance of insanity help him achieve his ends? (Compare the role of Touchstone, the "fool" in AYLI.) Is he really sane throughout the play, or does he ever cross the line into madness? What about Ophelia's mad scene? Is it real or feigned? Is there "method in her madness" as well, or is she entirely irrational? Why has she gone mad? (What two reasons do her songs suggest?)

Answergarden: Any thoughts on Urban Legends?...

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:45:00 +0000

Answergarden: Any thoughts on Urban Legends?...

Any thoughts on Urban Legends?... at AnswerGarden.ch.

The Dark Side of Oz

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:52:00 +0000

Synchronicity is a word coined by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung to describe the "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events." Jung spoke of synchronicity as an "acausal connecting principle" (i.e. a pattern of connection that cannot be explained by direct causality). Cause-and-effect, in Jung's mind, seemed to have nothing to do with it.

Plainly put, it is the experience of two or more occurrences (beyond coincidentally) in a manner that is logically meaningful- but inexplicable- to the person or persons experiencing them. Such events would also have to suggest an underlying pattern in order to satisfy the definition of synchronicity as developed by Jung.

It differs from mere coincidence in that synchronicity implies not just a happenstance, but an underlying pattern or dynamic that is being expressed through meaningful relationships or events.

Jung believed that many experiences perceived as coincidence were due not merely to chance, but instead, suggested the manifestation of parallel events or circumstances reflecting this governing dynamic. ^[2]

One of Jung's favourite quotes on Synchronicity was from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, in which the White Queen says to Alice: "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards". ^[3]

A well-known example of synchronicity is the true story of the French writer Émile Deschamps who in 1805 was treated to some plum pudding by the stranger Monsieur de Fortgibu. Ten years later, he encountered plum pudding on the menu of a Paris restaurant, and wanted to order some, but the waiter told him the last dish had already been served to another customer, who turned out to be de Fortgibu. Many years later in 1832 Émile Deschamps was at a diner, and was once again offered plum pudding. He recalled the earlier incident and told his friends that only de Fortgibu was missing to make the setting complete — and in the same instant the now senile de Fortgibu entered the room.

During production of the The Wizard of Oz, a coat purchased from a second-hand store for the costume of Professor Marvel was later discovered to have belonged to L. Frank Baum, author of the original children's book upon which the film is based. ^[4]

"Synchronicity." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 11 Dec 2006, 04:11 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 13 Dec 2006 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Synchronicity&oldid=93516837>.

The experience of hearing Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon while watching The Wizard of OZ, is referred to by music and film fans as a synchronicity. Based on the information above, how do you see the term synchronicity applying to the film? For examples, identify some of the connections you witnessed between the film and the music. Do you think that these connections are unplanned coincidence or the work of meticulous preparation? Since the members of the band contend there is no connection, does this then confirm Jung’s philosophy that these two seemingly different entertainment medium, created fifty years apart, are connected without cause?

Shakespeare's Life and Times

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:31:00 +0000

Renaissance means rebirth, but do you know what the time period was characterized by?
What was life like in Elizabethan England?
Did playwrights make a lot of money or not?
Drama was a popular activity at schools and universities, but what are interludes and masques?
Who is this Christopher Marlowe I've read so much about?
Why is he so well known even though he died at such an early age?
The Renaissance is often thought of as The Age ofShakespeare whose dramas reflect the influence of early church ceremonies. I am always surprised when I hear people argue that he never wrote his great canon of plays. Are you?
What makes Shakespeare so famous anyway?
How did Elizabethan audiences know whether the scene was a night scene or not if there wasn't any artificial lighting?
I know that dramatic terms are boring, but can you tell me what a soliloquy and an aside are?

Finally, there are people who are anti-Shakespearen - They feel that few of any of the plots for Shakespeare are original. They say that Shakespeare "borrowed" stories from real life and altered them for the stage.
· Is that true for "Macbeth"?
· Do you know or can you find the source of Macbeth's story?

ClassBlog: American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:55:00 +0000

RP ClassBlog: American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream

American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream

How does Dr. King employ the following rhetorical devices in his speech?

Allusion
Amplification
Analogy
Metaphor
Simile
Rhetorical Question
Repetition
Pacing

RP ClassBlog: Diagramming Sentences

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:56:00 +0000

ClassBlog: Diagramming Sentences

American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln - Gettysburg Address

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:39:00 +0000

American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln - Gettysburg Address

American Rhetoric: Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century by Rank

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:36:00 +0000

American Rhetoric: Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century by Rank

Figment.com Aims for Young Readers and Writers - NYTimes.com

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:16:00 +0000

Figment.com Aims for Young Readers and Writers - NYTimes.com

Persuasive Speeches

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Persuasive speech scoring Rubric

AUTHOR:

DATE:

TITLE:

TIME: ____________________

q Do you have an attention-grabbing introduction?

q Do you convey a personal feeling or sentiment clearly using a central focus or thesis? Do you clearly restate your thesis throughout your speech?

q Do you support your personal feeling with sufficient details, examples from your research and personal reflections?

q Do you demonstrate an understanding of the PowerPoint software and use it to enhance your presentation?

q Do you present your information clearly using formal language, tone and appearance including the appropriate use of body position and eye contact?

q Does your speech form a meaningful whole with a clear beginning, middle and end; moreover, do you smoothly transition from one point to the next?

GRADE

_____/100

RP ClassBlog: Confessions of former NFL agent Josh Luchs - SI.com - Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:11:00 +0000

ClassBlog: Confessions of former NFL agent Josh Luchs - SI.com - Magazine

Creating a Reading Environment at Home

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:06:00 +0000

Creating a Reading Environment at Home

Beowulf

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:05:00 +0000

Journal Topics

What is a hero? Explain your definition and give examples.

What is courage? How would most people today define courage?

What qualities do you believe a good leader should possess? Discuss leadership in our society. Name some modern leaders. What are the characteristics of contemporary leaders?What do we admire about them?

What does it mean to be loyal? Tell about a time when you were loyal or someone was loyal to you.

Why is reputation important? What influences a person's reputation?

What does it mean to be generous? Why is generosity important? Write about the most generous person you know.

What does the "scop" (pronounced "shop"), or bard, do for his society?

Define rhythm, rhyme. Discuss the value of both to oral tradition. Elicit examples of things we remember well because of these devices (nursery rhymes, months of the year, etc).

Explain the literary terms kenning and appositive phrase. Create kennings and appositive phrases to describe someone you know.

What seems to be the function of the boasts that Beowulf and others make?

What role does the Hall of Heorot play in this culture?

What role does wealth play in Beowulf's culture? What problems does it cause?

Oedipus Sketches

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 13:43:00 +0000

Students listened to Oedipus in class and sketched segments for plot analysis.

Gaithersburg Book Festival - A Celebration of books, writers, and literary excellence

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:12:00 +0000

Gaithersburg Book Festival - A Celebration of books, writers, and literary excellence

High school students from across the Washington Metropolitan Area are invited to submit short stories to the Gaithersburg Book Festival first annual Short Story Contest. To participate, your story must be no longer than 1,000 words and start with one of the following three lines:*

1. In my entire life, I've fibbed dozens of times - usually to be polite or to get out of attending some mind-numbing social event - but I've only told one really big lie…

2. "Don't open the box," my father always told me...

3. When I left my parents' house for good, I took five things with me…

ClassBlog: Oedipus and Coldplay

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:56:00 +0000

RP ClassBlog: Oedipus and Coldplay: "Viva La Vida Analysis Lyrics Oedipus is an example of a Greek tragedy. Using your book or notes, identify the traits..."

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:32:00 +0000

The Great Gatsby is?... at AnswerGarden.ch.

AP Conference Notes part1

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:26:00 +0000

AP Conference Notes part2

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:00:00 +0000

Teaching With Podcasts - ReadWriteThink

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:21:00 +0000

Teaching With Podcasts - ReadWriteThink

Students can produce podcasts that fit any genre, including audio diary entries, analytical commentary on readings or current events, informational recordings that explain concepts, and persuasive and argumentative statements.

ClassBlog: Diagramming Sentences

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Koch) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:08:00 +0000

RP ClassBlog: Diagramming Sentences