Saturday, January 2, 2010

Week Ahead Jan 4-Jan 8



Monday, January 4

Multiple choice test on Macbeth
Major speeches in Macbeth


Tuesday, January 5


Portfolio / Writing folder maintenance
Shakespeare Background Assignment


Wednesday, January 6
Portfolio / Writing folder maintenance



Thursday, January 7
Meet in Room B49 for Shakespeare Background Assignment

Friday, January 8
Shakespeare Background Assignment - Class discussion


Reminder:  Check dogstarnyc.com  daily for cheap and free things to do in the city!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

The New York Times claims teens are cutting back on spending! Is this really true?




The New York Times - December 26, 2009

Recession? Teenagers Get It, and Are Cutting Back




          After a year of observing their parents pinch pennies and fret about the economy, the nation’s teenagers may be coming to grips with reality.
          Sales are down sharply in recent months at nearly every major retail chain catering to teenagers, and interviews with teenagers suggest that the reasons go beyond their own difficulty finding part-time jobs.
         “I think my sister and I, throughout this year we’ve kind of lost an interest in getting gifts and things like that,” said Morgan Porpora, 16, who in the past had a list of things she wanted for Christmas. “I guess we’ve noticed the economy and we just kind of even feel bad I guess asking for a lot.”


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Macbeth Texts, Resources & Assignments

Click here for complete Macbeth text

Resources for Major Elements in the Play

Supernatural / superstition

Friday, December 18, 2009

TODAY DECEMBER 18

Writing Workshop in Room B49

Type response from your LJ on Macbeth
Compose and type your response to the film studies assignment ("The Bicycle Thief")
Type and print your response to Broke-ology reflection
Type and print your response to Take a Stand: Life in Prison

Read this story in the New York Times and draft a response to it:

A False Alarm

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Writing Workshop for Friday, December 11 in B49

College Reading & Writing Film Studies Paper

Open a new Microsoft Word document
Save as:  BikeThiefPaper_Lastnamefirstname

Paper Topics on film "The Bicycle Thief"
 
In this paper you will choose ONE of the scenes below and write a brief analysis of the scene. In this analysis you will apply the film studies terms (indicated below) to show how these elements of film are use din the scene to express certain qualities, emotions, ideas or images.

Since this is your first film studies paper, let's keep it very basic. It will be a big success if you can integrate both a discussion of the film studies terms and cite examples from the selected scene to support your argument or analysis.

Scene 1: Antonio (the father) goes to cellar nightclub to enlist his friend's help to find the bike, his friend is a sanitation worker but an amateur performer, Antonio's wife arrives
 
Scene 2: Antonio and Bruno confront a man suspected of stealing the bike in the marketplace and enlist the help of a police officer
 
Scene 3: Antonio makes his son Bruno sit at a bridge while he looks for the thief. At one point some men by the river yell, "help, a kid is drowning." Antonio thinks it is his son.
 
Scene 4: Antonio goes to the neighborhood where the suspected thief lives. He confronts him on the street and is surrounded by neighbors who turn on him like a mob.
 
Scene 5: In his desperation to have a bike, Antonio decides to steal another man's bike. He is caught and threatened with arrest. The owner of the bike lets him go. He takes his son's hand and walks away down the street.
 
The film studies terms are
  • mise-en-scene
  • composition
  • frame
  • camera shot
  • camera angle
It may be helpful by simply introducing the film and a providing a brief synopsis of your selected scene.

You were expted to begin this asisgnment in class on Thursday, Decemner 10.  Final draft is due Monday, December 14.  Grade is based on how well you integrate the dicussion of the use of film terms and what they help the director express in a specific scene.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Week Ahead Nov 30-Dec 4



Monday, November 30

DUE:  Written response to Brigitte's visits, "Life in Prison" / Take a Stand Argument Paper


Tuesday, December 1
Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop
Type written response to Brigitte's visit
Type the "Life in Prison" essay



Wednesday, December 2
Peer editing workshop


Thursday, December 3
Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop

Make corrections / do additional writing on articles from peer editing

Friday, December 4
Final exam on James Baldwin's novel Another Country


Reminder:  Check dogstarnyc.com daily for cheap and free things to do in the city!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Proust Questionnaire

You may find the Proust Questionnaire interesting.  Go to the blog for the class Bergtraum Voice (here ) and see the post on it.

CUNY Information Fair this Sunday at Seward Park H.S.



CUNY College Information Fair in Lower Manhattan


New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, State Senator
Daniel Squadron & The City University of New York invite you to a
CUNY College Information Fair in lower Manhattan for high school
students, college students & adult learners.



Receive one-on-one counseling and information on:academic &
honors programs, financial aid and scholarships, adult & continuing
education, citizenship and immigration services.



Seward Park Educational Campus, 350 Grand St. (Enter on Ludlow St.).
Directions By subway: B,D to Grand Street; F, J, M, Z to Delancey/Essex
Street. By bus: M9, M14A, M15, M103 to Grand Street.



Refreshments will be served.

Date:

November 15, 2009

Time:

11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

College:

The University

Address:

Seward Park Educational Campus, 350 Grand St. (Enter on Ludlow St.) 
Manhattan

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

QUOTE OF THE CENTURY

What a strange illusion it is to suppose that beauty is goodness.
Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)

Join me on Thursday to meet Sue Kwon!

Anybody want to join me at Clic Gallery this Thursday?

Sue Kwon has agreed to meet with my Pace students (and you are welcome to join us) at 5:30 on Thursday, November 12 at 424 Broome Street.

See my blog for the Pace class HERE for details!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Understanding culture through comics

Do you understand EVERY panel in this recent "Doonesbury" comic?  Click on it to make it larger.  Let's talk about it!


Sammy Sosa "comfortable in his own skin"?




Sammy Sosa "comfortable in his own skin"?

Reports are coming out this week about baseball player Sammy Sosa who appeared over the weekend at a Las Vegas event with significantly LIGHTER skin,


Sunday, November 8, 2009

Class Update for Week Nov 9-Nov 13

Monday, November 9

Finish "illuminated manuscript" activity with passage from Another Country
Class discussion on Book Two


Tuesday, November 10
Two activities:
Responding to a writing prompt for Another Country (in your LJ)
Peer editing using warm/cool feedback of Personal Statements


Wednesday, November 11
Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL



Important update for reading the novel Another Country:  Have all of the novel read by Monday, November 16.



Thursday, November 12
Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop
Type written response from Tuesday
Make additional changes to Personal Statement 1
Make additional changes to Personal Statement 2



Friday, November 13
Lincoln Center pre-show workshop on "Broke-ology" with Miss Brigitte
We will see the show on Weds, Nov. 18


REMINDER:  Returned signed permission slip forms for this trip!

Successful Work Habits in Computer Lab

How we conduct class in the Computer Lab – Room B49

A short guide for success!

  1.  SIT ONLY at the assigned station
  2. LOG IN ASAP using your own LogIn ID
  3. OPEN internet go to website for this class for goals for the period
  4. USE CLASS TIME for class work only – do not go online to other websites or open other class documents
  5. SAVE AS to be sure document is saved in proper document folder
  6. FIVE MINUTES before END:
  • Close documents
  • Log off the computer station
  • Shut down
  • Turn off monitor
  • place keyboard on top of CPU
  • Place mouse on pad at right
STAY SEATED until bell rings

Friday, November 6, 2009

Creative Writing Contest (Big Prizes!) for NYC High School Seniors Only!

Random house, Inc. - one of the largest world-wide publishers - sponsors an annual creative writing competition for New York City high school seniors.

Bergtraum seniors HAVE WON prizes in the past!

Grand Prize:  FOUR (4) students will be chosen to receive $10,000!

ALL seniors should consider entering the contest, click here for more information !

If you are serious, plan NOW be looking at the entries of past winners in YOUR CATEGORY!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Reminders for Thursday, Nov 5

CLASS TODAY MEETS in Room B49 (scroll down for week's schedule)

CLASS TOMORROW - Friday, November 6 meets outside Room B14 for auditorium program by the College Office

YOUR INTEREST in politics and the re-election of the mayor will find more explained and "unpacked" in these two stories in today's New York Times:

How Bloomberg brutally beat down any opposition (here )

How politics works in NYC works for WHITES, especially when it comes to real estate (here )

BY POPULAR DEMAND the link to the Antony video singing Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" (here )

FOR THOSE WHO MISS THEIR DAYS AS JUNIORS in the journalism class, here

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK we begin our social justice research paper project.  If you have not signed up for a topic, please make a point of seeing me about it when we meet tomorrow in B49!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Judge in Inter-Racial Marriage Case Resigns

BATON ROUGE, La. - A Louisiana justice of the peace who refused to marry a couple because the bride was white and groom was black resigned Tuesday.


More here... 

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Class Update for Week Nov 2-Nov 6

Monday, November 2
For Monday to be written in LJ:  Write a reflection on the film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"

  • Describe your reactions/impressions of seeing the film
  • Explain what it taught you about race relations in the 1950s/1960s
  • Connect the film to the novel Another Country - anything relate?
  • Write questions you may have about the film
Test on the film and miscegenation laws - short answers, no essay.  You may use your LJ notes from last week's homework (scroll down to see assignments)


Tuesday, November 3
Election Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS


Wednesday, November 4
Class discussion on Another Country
Guiding Question for discussion:
How are the central characters' lives changing and what is the impact of these changes?  Central characters:  Vivaldo Moore, Ida Scott, Cass Silenski, Eric


Important update for reading the novel Another Country:  Have all of Book One and Book Two read by Wednesday, November 4.


Thursday, November 5
Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop
You will get back papers for revision
Goals:
Make additional changes to Personal Statement 1
Make additional changes to Personal Statement 2

Type Reader's Choice text selections and print out

Friday, November 6
Peer Editing workshop on Personal Statements
You ABSOLUTELY must have AT LEAST one draft of Personal Statement 1 or 2 ready for this activity

College Applications Demand "Context," Not Just Grades & Scores

This post is only for serious college-bound students:

Today's New York Times has a story about what colleges are looking for in applicants from high school:


Across the country, selective public colleges and universities are taking a page from their private counterparts and implementing what is commonly called a holistic or comprehensive admissions process.
The trend is partly a function of rising application numbers at sought-after publics, which is a result, in turn, of the climbing cost of private higher education and a peaking population of high school seniors. Many applicants, it seems, easily meet academic requirements. Merely pushing average grades and test scores ever higher won’t necessarily yield the most vibrant student body.


Here for link to the full story  

Monday, October 26, 2009

Class Update & Week Ahead Oct 26-Oct 30

Monday, October 26
Watch film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" on theme of inter-racial relationships and marriage (miscegenation).  When the film came out - 1967 - 14 or so states in the nation still had anti-miscegenation laws on the books making it illegal for mixed-race couples to get married.


While we are spending class time watching the film and Book Two is due on November 4, take advantage of the time and read the novel!  Putting it off will only make you fall behind!  College-bound seniors take their responsibilities seriously.

HOMEWORK DUE WEDNESDAY:  Use the link below and other resources to create notes in your LJ about miscegenation laws and the 1950s/1960s. 

In your notes, identify and explain the following:
  • Origins of the word "miscegenation"
  • Describe a super brief history of anti-miscegenation laws in the United States
  • Explain the connection between miscegenation / anti-miscegenation and racism / discrimination


HOMEWORK DUE THURSDAY:  Write a draft of Personal Statement 2 on the topic "Who are you meant to be?"  Scroll down to an earlier post to see more details.  You must either have a hand-written draft or a typed draft that you will email to yourself and be abel to access it in room B49.

Tuesday, October 27
Watch film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"

Wednesday, October 28
If more time is needed - Watch film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
Reflection in LJ on the film, discussion, make connections to the novel

Thursday, October 29
Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop - You will get back papers for revision
Goals:
Create new document for draft of Personal Statement 2
Make additional changes to Personal Statement 1
Make additional changes to Another Country Paper 1

Friday, October 30
Period 5 does not meet today - we will not have class.  Special scheduel for Parent-Teacher conferences:  Only periods 2, 6, 7, 8, 9

Reminder:  No school next Tuesday, November 3 for Election Day.

Important update for reading the novel Another Country:  Have all of Book One and Book Two read by Wednesday, November 4.


2nd Marking Period:  Three drafts of Personal Statements 1 and 2, Test on Book One/Chapter 1, Written Exam on Book One/Chapters 2 and 3, Paper on Book Two, Reader's Choice Assignment (coming later this week).

Completing ALL of these assignments is required to pass the second marking period.

Anything that's missing will have to be made up to pass the third marking period.