Another important note!

For both Academic and Pre-AP classes, we are about to start reading John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, which is such a beautiful novella – I’m making notes to myself right now as I read it for the second time, and I find that I’m underlining practically every other paragraph, just because it’s so moving and heartbreaking. You may want to see about purchasing your own copy. You can find it on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-John-Steinbeck/dp/014017737X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381282807&sr=1-1&keywords=the+pearl+john+steinbeck

New, it’s $8, used, it’s $4 (with shipping).

You will also probably need to buy some of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Kleenex-Ultra-Facial-Tissue-Boxes/dp/B008YD8232/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381282929&sr=8-1&keywords=tissues

Because seriously, this is a tear-jerker.

For Pre-AP, we will also be reading the abridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo. Here’s the Amazon link to the version we’ll be reading:

http://www.amazon.com/Count-Monte-Cristo-Bantam-Classics/dp/0553213504/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381283000&sr=1-5&keywords=the+count+of+monte+cristo

This book is AWESOME! It’s like if Quentin Tarantino were a 19th century French novelist. This guy gets wronged, and just takes bloody revenge on his enemies for hundreds of pages. You’re going to love it.

Students have the opportunity to get 10 extra credit points on their vocabulary quiz for this week by watching the 1932 film version of The Most Dangerous Game and answering a question. For those who were unable to make the screening during lunch on Monday and Tuesday, here is a YouTube link to watch it (or finish the last five minutes – I think we ran out of time):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1L5eqwk5Q

Your question for extra credit is the following:

Extra Credit “The Most Dangerous Game” Question (10 points on vocabulary quiz): In a paragraph of six sentences or more, compare and contrast the film version of “The Most Dangerous Game” with the short story. Explain which one you thought was superior, and why.

I have a sheet that you can use to answer this if you would like, or you can type it and turn it in. You have until Friday to turn this in.

Monday:

We took our vocabulary quiz and finished reading The Most Dangerous Game. Here’s a link to the YouTube audio version, if you would like to follow along as you read:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfp04WjOv9A

Students in periods 3, 4, 6, and 7 also completed the plot diagram (otherwise known as Freytag’s Triangle). Here’s a copy, in case you need another one.

Plot_Diagram_Template

Many of you told me that you are already very familiar with this approach to plot, but if you need a review, the Wikipedia article for dramatic structure is very good:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure

Tuesday:

In period 1, we did the Freytag’s Triangle (see above) for MDG.

In periods 3, 4, 6, and 7, we began talking about themes in MDG. Students worked with partners and then discussed with the whole class the first five questions in the Notes and Thematic Analysis packet.

Most Dangerous Game Notes and Thematic Analysis