Category Archives: Honors IV

Gender and Media: Video Analysis

 

 

genderAmericans are huge consumers of media, including television shows, films, music, websites, online portals, and social media networks in addition to the advertising that accompanies most of these. What’s often lacking is analysis of these media to determine which messages, both direct and indirect, are being sent. Our perceptions of gender are colored and developed by what we view and hear. With that in mind, you will be conducting a brief analysis of a selected short video for the messages it is sending about the genders.

1. Select a short media example, like a commercial or music video, that you may view online. It may take multiple viewings to complete your analysis.

2. If you select a commercial, record the name of the commercial (if available), the manufacturer and model of the product being sold, and the year of release at the top of the page. If you select a music video, record the artist and title of the song at the top of the page. Include the year of release. You must also paste in the URL for your commercial or video.

3. Write a brief summary (no more than five sentences) of what happens in your media selection.

4. Answer the following questions about your selection:

  • Are there any stereotypes about either gender that are apparent? If so, explain the stereotype and how it is perpetuated.
  • Are there any images that challenge stereotypes?
  • If you were re-doing this advertisement or video, what changes would you make to eliminate the stereotypes?

5. Conclude your analysis by arguing whether your video is a positive, negative, or neutral portrayal of the genders.

Your one page typed analysis is due Friday, December 5.

Here is an example using a famous Super Bowl commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

“The Force,” Volkswagen Passat, 2012.
http:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

A young child wearing a Darth Vader costume attempts to use The Force on a variety of items around his house, including the family dog, a washing machine, a doll, and the sandwich mom is making for lunch. The father arrives home in the VW, and “Darth” tries The Force on the car. To his surprise, The Force works! The car actually starts thanks to a button on the car’s remote.

Stereotypes are present.The doll is sitting on a bed covered with stuffed animals in a room decorated in pink, which are stereotypical girl things. The mother is at home during the day, wearing casual clothes and making a sandwich, the stay at home mom stereotype. The father arrives home from work–he’s wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase–the stereotypical man of the household.

You can’t tell whether the child in the Darth Vader costume is male or female, but it is too easy to assume that a boy is in the costume because the stereotypical husband-wife-two kids family usually has a boy and a girl, and you’ve already seen a doll. There’s no way to tell whether the doll also belongs to Darth.

It would be easy to challenge the stereotypes by changing the doll on the bed to a different kind of toy (maybe a Transformer?) or by having Darth try the force on a toy in a playroom that doesn’t look like a boy’s room or a girl’s room. Dad could make the sandwich while mom comes home from work with the briefcase.

The commercial isn’t negative, but it isn’t positive either. It follows too closely to the stereotypical family roles held by both men and women. Changing the surroundings and the toy that Darth uses The Force on would allow the audience to more easily imagine a child of either gender in the costume.

Comments Off on Gender and Media: Video Analysis

Filed under Honors IV

The Panther Pilgrimage

pilgrimsTo conclude our study of Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales, you will be working together to create a tale that instructs someone from the modern era on the consequences of one of the Seven Deadlies. Chaucer chose the entire scope of medieval society as his backdrop; we will be using the American high school.

Each group must select a character type found in a typical high school, such as jock, band geek, nerd, skater, etc., as its main character. Once your group has selected a character, you will randomly draw one of the Seven Deadly Sins as the focus of your tale. Each group will create the following:

Description of your pilgrim: You may include clothing, characteristics, physical traits, or whatever will communicate your character. Designate someone in your group to draw or collage your Pilgrim. Original art or images from the internet are both acceptable, but make it colorful!

Prologue to your tale: 10-20 lines introducing your character (you could include some description here) and the scenario that introduces your sin.

Your tale must meet the following requirements:

  • Describe a situation or problem created by your Deadly Sin
  • Tell a story about how your Pilgrim reacts to/confronts/is seduced by your Deadly Sin
  • Deliver a moral or lesson about that Deadly Sin
  • 2 pages minimum (double spaced)
  • Write in couplets!

Your final tale must be typed and submitted with your Pilgrim’s picture. Presentations will occur by random draw. All pictures and tales must be ready to present in class on Thursday, November 20.

Comments Off on The Panther Pilgrimage

Filed under Honors IV

Mapping the Seven Deadly Sins

 

sinmaps

Now that we have completed our review of the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Heavenly Virtues in preparation for our study of Chaucer, it’s time to apply what we’ve learned to current events.  Consider the information about each sin and its corresponding virtue. Then review the map indicating the saintly vs. sinful areas of the country. After reviewing all the maps, your task is to write a short paper integrating the information from the presentation into your future life. Your paper should answer these questions:

1. Based on the information, which state/area of the country would you choose to establish your family? Give reasons why this area would be a good place to raise a family.

2. Based on the information, which state/area of the country would you avoid when selecting a place to settle down? Explain your reasoning, again by using specifics from the presentation and the maps.

You don’t necessarily have to choose a gold area–what benefit is there to raising children in an area that presents more of a challenge? Consider also how you might overcome the influence of a particular sin. Remember that gray areas on the map don’t mean the sin isn’t present; it just means that area has an average distribution of the sin compared to the country as a whole. Clickable maps that can be enlarged for detail may be found here.

Your completed paper, which may be handwritten (2 full pages) or typed (1 page), is due when you arrive in class Friday, November 7.

 

 

Comments Off on Mapping the Seven Deadly Sins

Filed under Honors IV

The Seven Deadly Sins

In the fourth century, Greek monk and theologian Evagrius Ponticus first conceptualized the idea of eight offenses or “wicked human passions” having a negative effect on human behavior and relationships. Over the next several centuries, church leaders ranked and reworked this list into what we now know as the Seven Deadly Sins.

Pope Gregory ranked the Deadly Sins according to the degree in which they offended against the holy virtue of love. Pope Gregory’s order from worst to least is pride, envy, anger (wrath), sloth, avarice (greed), gluttony, and lust. Later theologians dismissed the idea of ranking the sins, as all of them were considered “deadly” to living a holy and fulfilled life.

Medieval understanding of the sins included not only the sin itself, but a corresponding punishment in Hell, ranging from being thrown in snake pits or submerged in freezing water to burning in fire and brimstone. Church teachings at the time also developed to include the idea that a corresponding Heavenly Virtue was necessary to overcome the grip of sin:

Pride – Humility
Envy – Kindness
Wrath – Patience
Sloth – Diligence
Avarice – Charity
Gluttony – Temperance
Lust – Chastity

Most of Chaucer’s Canterbury tales indicate ways in which a person is within the grip of one or more of the Deadly Sins, showing what lessons the characters may learn from their transgressions or hope to improve by application of one or more of the Virtues. In this way, the Canterbury Tales reflect the daily role of the church in medieval life.

Comments Off on The Seven Deadly Sins

Filed under Honors IV

1st Marking Period Reflection: Honors

self reflectionNow that we have completed the marking period, it is time to reflect on your performance as a student in English IV Honors. For this assignment, you will need to review the information in your class portfolio in addition to the writing assignments you have submitted to Edmodo. Your reflection should be thoughtfully written in complete sentences–no bullet points! Be sure to include all three areas in your review.

Consider your completed work, your success on out-of-class items, your participation in class, and your overall work habits (homework, planning, paying attention, etc.) as you complete your reflection.

+ PLUS – In what areas have you succeeded? What are you doing that is working well for you? What kinds of assignments or activities have been the most positive for you and why?

– MINUS – In what areas have you struggled? What did not turn out the way you planned? Do you have habits in or out of class that affect the quality of your work and participation in class?

Δ CHANGE – What do you plan to change or do differently to achieve better results in the coming marking period?

Submit your completed reflection to the blue box. You may return your folder to your class box.

Comments Off on 1st Marking Period Reflection: Honors

Filed under Honors IV

Argument Paper Source List

sources

Once you have completed your paper, you must include a list of the sources you cite within it. Any information you include that is new to you must be cited properly whether you paraphrase it or not! The sources you select should be listed on a separate, final page of your paper called the Works Cited page.

To format your Works Cited page, follow these instructions:

1. Title the page WORKS CITED (use all caps).

2. Double space the page.

3. List the sources you used in alphabetical order by last name. Although on future papers you will be expected to create proper citations, for this paper you may copy and paste from the list below.

4. Your list must be formatted with a hanging indent. The first line should be flush left with the margin. Each successive line should be indented one-half inch. If you use Word, select the entries and move the bottom triangle of the margin indicator over to the half-inch mark.

 

Dweck, Carol S.. “The Secret to Raising Smart Kids.” from Florida Collections Grade 12. 1st Ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 21-26. Print.

Gladwell, Malcolm. “Marita’s Bargain.” from Florida Collections Grade 12. 1st Ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 3-14. Print.

Gutierrez, R. N. “Why We Need Common Core: “I choose C.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27 August 2012. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.

Lively, Penelope. “Next Term We’ll Mash You,” from Collections: Close Reader Grade 12. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2014. 11-16. Print.

McRaven, Adm. William. “Admiral McRaven addresses the University of Texas at Austin Class of 2014.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 23 May. 2014. Web. 18 Sept. 2014.

Robinson, Sir Ken. “RSA Animate – Changing Education Paradigms.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 14 October. 2010. Web. 15 Sept. 2014.

Tough, Paul. “Kewauna’s Ambition” from How Children Succeed. Qtd. in Collections: Close Reader Grade 12. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2014. 3-6. Print.

Wade, Lisa. “10 Things Every College Professor Hates.” Sociological Images. 26 Aug. 2014. Web. 4 Sept. 2014. <http://www.businessinsider.com/10-things-every-college-professor-hates-2014-8>.

REMEMBER: Your in-paper citations should include the last name of the author of your source. If it is a print source, the citation should include the last name and page number.

Comments Off on Argument Paper Source List

Filed under Honors IV

Incorporating Sources: Argument Paper

Young woman behind booksAs you create the rough draft of your paper, you must incorporate source material from your notes. Any information you include that is new to you must be cited properly whether you paraphrase it or not! The instructions below will help you work with your source materials so you can include your research properly and avoid plagiarism.

PRINT SOURCES
Print sources require that you cite not only the author name but also the page number the information is found on. Here are some examples from a print article about the Titanic disaster.

ORIGINAL SOURCE
The Titanic had carried boats enough for 1,178 persons, only one-third of her capacity. Her sixteen boats and four collapsibles had saved but 711 persons; 400 people had needlessly lost their lives. (Hanson Baldwin, “R.M.S. Titanic,” from Readings for Writers, Ed. Jo Ray McCuen and Anthony C. Winkler, p. 355)

You must cite the source when you paraphrase information from the source:
Although Titanic had lifeboats, they would only hold one-third of her passengers. (Baldwin 355)

When you include a small portion or snippet of the original source, place the citation as close as possible to the quoted material:
Titanic’s lifeboats had space “enough for 1,178 persons,” (Baldwin 355) but most of them were left unfilled.

When quoting directly from the source, include quotation marks and list the citation at the end:
“Titanic had carried boats enough for 1,178 persons, only one-third of her capacity.” (Baldwin 355)

You may also include the name of the source in the sentence introducing the quotation, but you still need to cite the page number at the end:
According to Baldwin, “Titanic had carried boats enough for 1,178 persons, only one-third of her capacity.” (355)

Print sources for this paper include “Kewauna’s Ambition” and “Next Term We’ll Mash You” (Close Reader), and “Marita’s Bargain” and “How to Build a Smarter Student” in the textbook.

ONLINE SOURCES
Online sources vary in how they are to be cited. Since online sources have no page numbers, you will generally cite information by using the author’s name alone. Here is a sample from an online source with a listed author:
The full citation for this page reads:
Molony, Senan. “Lifeboats Extinguished Their Lights!” Encyclopedia Titanica. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. <http://www.encyclopedia titanica.org/titanic lifeboats-extinguished-their-lights.html>.

ORIGINAL SOURCE
Lifeboats from the Titanic extinguished their lights in order not to become attractive beacons for swimmers after the sinking.
They cut themselves off from sight, and the grim truth is that they thereby callously cut off the lives of their former shipmates.

Citation using quoted text:
People in the lifeboats were afraid their boats would be swamped by others in the water, so they “extinguished their lights in order not to become attractive beacons for swimmers.” (Molony)

Some websites, however, do not contain author names. Their citations work a bit differently. The following information was found online at http://www.rmstitanic.net/learning-center/history/timeline.html
The full citation for this page reads:
“Titanic Timeline.” Learning Center. RMS Titanic, Inc., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. <http://www.rmstitanic.net/learning- center/history/timeline.html>.

ORIGINAL SOURCE
April 15th, 1912, 12:45 am:
First lifeboat leaves the Ship with only 19 aboard, although it could carry 65.

How to cite the source using a paraphrase:
At 12:45 am, the first lifeboat left the ship carrying only 19 passengers, although its capacity was 65. (“Titanic Timeline”)

The “10 Things College Professors Hate” article came from an online source.

YOUTUBE VIDEOS
If you plan to use information from either the Sir Ken Robinson video or the graduation speech from Adm. McRaven, you will need to cite it using the following model:

Shimabukuro, Jake. “Ukulele Weeps by Jake Shimabukuro.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 22 Apr. 2006. Web. 9 Sept. 2010. [The difference in the two dates is that the first is the creation date of the clip, while the second is the date you accessed it.]

The citation itself would include the last name only:
Spending the day as a “sugar cookie,” with your uniform and body covered in wet sand, teaches you that nothing ever goes as planned, even when you think you’re prepared. (McRaven)

Transcripts of both of these videos are available online if you search for the title and author of the video and include the word transcript.

Comments Off on Incorporating Sources: Argument Paper

Filed under Honors IV

Lord of the Flies Vocabulary

Please study the following words for your vocabulary test, which will be given on Thursday, October 16.

RESPECT
decorum
reverence
sanctity

DISRESPECT
contemptuously
curtly
derision
specious

MOVEMENT
loitered
sauntered

AGGRESSION
belligerence
enmity
malevolently
rebuke
truculent

SOUND
clamor
lamentation
mimicry
strident

Choose two additional words from the remainder of the list to study.

Comments Off on Lord of the Flies Vocabulary

Filed under Honors IV

Florida Teens Read Titles 2014-2015

Panthers are invited once again to take part in the Media Center’s Florida Teens Read/Paw Prints program for this year. Students who read one of the FTR or PP books may come to the media center to take a quiz.  A passing score is 70%.  Students who pass will be given a symbolic charm for that book and a quiz certificate.  Extra credit may be earned if you show me your successful certificate! We only allow a student to retake a quiz if the teacher authorizes it.  Students who pass the most quizzes will be invited to the teen literature celebration in May.

Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. The Naturals

At 17, Cassie is recruited by the FBI because they recognize that she is a natural profiler.  She joins a team of extraordinary teens in Washington D. C. to undergo professional training, but she soon finds herself mixed up in a dangerous case that involves her missing mother. (crime fiction)

Bodeen, S. A. The Raft

Robie is fifteen and very independent.  She frequently flies from her home on the Midway Atoll to visit her Aunt in Honolulu.  When her plane goes down in the Pacific Ocean on her return trip, Robie has to deal with thirst, hunger, and other dangers as she struggles to survive the shark infested waters in a life raft. (survival fiction, environmental issues)

Busby, Cylin. Blink Once

West was a talented dirt-bike racer until a severe accident left him paralyzed and unable to speak. He learns to communicate to another patient, Olivia, through blinking and writing. West falls in love with Olivia, but as he begins to recover he discovers that Olivia may not be who he thought she was. (medical fiction)

Casella, Jody. Thin Space

Between world of the living and the world of the dead, there can be a thin space that makes travel between the two realms possible. If only Marsh can find a thin space, he can come to terms with his twin brother’s death, and lay his guilt to rest.   It seems impossible so he looks for places in bare feet where someone may have died the same place they were born.  Then he meets Maddie, who offers to help him in his search and a tragic mistake is revealed. (afterlife fiction)

de la Peña, Matt. The Living 

Shy takes a job on a cruise ship to help his mother and sister pay the family bills.  Sounds like a great job, right?  Girls, free food, free room, and different passengers on every cruise.  Then a massive earthquake happens, bigger than has ever been recorded and life for Shy is changed forever.  Life becomes a battle to survive for those left alive.  In addition, there is a disease that is killing people in Shy’s family and neighborhood.  How is Shy’s job related to this?  Can he save anyone?  Will they believe the truth? (survival fiction)

Griffin, Paul. Burning Blue

Popular Nicole Castro is adored for her beauty—until the day a hooded assailant sprays burning acid on her face, scarring her forever. As Nicole attempts to heal, she and classmate Jay Nazzaro begin an unlikely friendship. Jay suffers from chronic seizures and understands what it’s like to be seen as different. As he develops feelings for Nicole, he becomes determined to use his computer hacking skills to catch her attacker. (fiction)

Harden, Blaine. Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West

Shin was born in a North Korean prison camp in 1982 and endured a life of hunger, hard labor, and punishment.  He memorized the ten camp laws including, “Anyone caught escaping will be shot immediately.” He knew nothing else until his escape in 2005.  Shin is the only known person born inside a North Korean camp to escape to freedom.  His incredible story of walking to China is told by journalist Blaine Harden who goes to great lengths to document the facts and relate them to what is known of North Korea’s people, politics, and government. (nonfiction)

Marriott, Zoë. Shadows on the Moon

Suzume’s life feels perfect and carefree until the day she witnesses her beloved father’s murder. Her mother quickly remarries her father’s best friend, and Suzume feels her old identity and life slipping away so she must be brave. As Suzume struggles to adapt, she discovers that she is a Shadow Weaver, a person who can magically weave illusions. Suzume can appear to be anyone, and as she hones her magical abilities, she becomes bent on revenge. Will a chance at love sway her dark plans? (fantasy fiction)

Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park

Two teen misfits, Eleanor, overweight, flamboyant and bullied, and Park, half-Korean, into comics and alternative music, living in Omaha, Nebraska in the 1980s forge an unlikely relationship that blossoms into first love. This is a smart, touching romance with an undercurrent of tension and darkness that will keep you in suspense until the very last page. (bullying, abuse, love fiction; mature language)

Sáenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Set in the summer of 1987, two Hispanic boys, Aristotle, an angry loner, and, Dante, gregarious and outgoing, meet and form a deep and special friendship. Aristotle struggles with family issues including an older brother in prison and a father carrying baggage from his wartime experience. This is a beautifully told story of two young men trying to figure out who they are, who they will become, and where their friendship will take them. This is a coming of age story involving issues of homosexuality. (fiction)

Woodson, Jacqueline. Beneath a Meth Moon: An Elegy

Fifteen-year-old Laurel is the new girl in Galilee, Iowa.  She makes a new best friend, easily earns a spot on the cheerleading team, and catches the attention of the star basketball player.  She is unable to heal from the tragedy her family left behind in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina and escapes into a world of meth.  She meets Moses while begging for change and he is concerned the drug will take her life like so many other young people he knows. (fiction)

Happy Reading!

Comments Off on Florida Teens Read Titles 2014-2015

Filed under AP Literature, Honors IV

Advice for Success: UT Commencement Address

In June of 2014, Admiral William McRaven of the U.S. Navy addressed the graduates of his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. In his remarks, he connects his Navy SEAL training with important advice for success in life–steps one can take to change the world.

As you watch the speech, consider the following:

1) What is the topic of the speech?

2) What is the purpose of the speech?

3) What details and examples are effective at establishing the purpose?

After viewing the speech, write a response in which you select the 2-3 traits that you find not only useful, but the most likely to have the desired effect. Explain why you find that trait important and why you think it would be an effective one to adopt if you indeed wish to change the world.

Comments Off on Advice for Success: UT Commencement Address

Filed under Honors IV