.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
september 29
JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "I've Just Seen a Face" by The Beatles; "Face Up" by Rush; "Face to Face" by Wayman Tisdale]
Last week we discussed using indirect characterization to establish a character. Today, describe a face that tells the story of a life. (Picture each feature as a brief, compelling chapter in a biography: Has that mark always been there? What caused that scar?)
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lecture: Canterbury Tales
3. Fun with Dick and Jane (or whatever you named your characters)-- (1) meet up with a group of characters and share where you're going and why.
HW:
1. In a blog post entitled CHARACTER STUDY (III), use today's work to write your character into the emerging story you and your colleagues are creating. By now, your narrative should include in/direct characterization, a destination, and the first elements of the hero's journey.
2. Peer review: literature analysis (please visit < 5 of your colleagues' blogs and comment/ask questions re: their literature analysis #1; also think about how best to organize everyone's work so you can find it easily. Last year's cohort put them on a mindmap-- can you think of something better/easier to use?)
Last week we discussed using indirect characterization to establish a character. Today, describe a face that tells the story of a life. (Picture each feature as a brief, compelling chapter in a biography: Has that mark always been there? What caused that scar?)
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Lecture: Canterbury Tales
3. Fun with Dick and Jane (or whatever you named your characters)-- (1) meet up with a group of characters and share where you're going and why.
HW:
1. In a blog post entitled CHARACTER STUDY (III), use today's work to write your character into the emerging story you and your colleagues are creating. By now, your narrative should include in/direct characterization, a destination, and the first elements of the hero's journey.
2. Peer review: literature analysis (please visit < 5 of your colleagues' blogs and comment/ask questions re: their literature analysis #1; also think about how best to organize everyone's work so you can find it easily. Last year's cohort put them on a mindmap-- can you think of something better/easier to use?)
Thursday, September 25, 2014
september 24-26
First, I apologize for not posting yesterday. I wound up having to spend most of the day with an MRI machine and a guy named Bob.
The sub told me you all worked well anyway, so it turned out to be a good use case for the idea that you are perfectly capable of driving your own learning bus. The sub also told me that you are awesome. I agree. I hope you picked something interesting to write about in your journal. The topic for 9/24 is officially "Choose Your Own."
Here's the plan for today and tomorrow:
Please write in your journal in the voice of the character you invented for yourself in Monday's homework.
Please use your journal and your time in class to begin chronicling your character's adventure. "What adventure?" you ask. I have no idea-- it's your character. But your character will be going on an adventure, and here are the initial criteria: 1. The character has to be called to adventure, this is not something s/he is seeking; 2. The adventure must be thrilling/challenging but not necessarily desirable; 3. The character must prepare and leave home with what's on his/her back (which may include a bag of stuff); 4. The character's departure must be vividly described; and 5. The character must meet up with at least one other character from class by Friday.
You don't need to post any of this to your course blog yet, although you are welcome to as always, but you will need this material over the weekend, so please take your journals home with you on Friday.
The sub told me you all worked well anyway, so it turned out to be a good use case for the idea that you are perfectly capable of driving your own learning bus. The sub also told me that you are awesome. I agree. I hope you picked something interesting to write about in your journal. The topic for 9/24 is officially "Choose Your Own."
Here's the plan for today and tomorrow:
Please write in your journal in the voice of the character you invented for yourself in Monday's homework.
Please use your journal and your time in class to begin chronicling your character's adventure. "What adventure?" you ask. I have no idea-- it's your character. But your character will be going on an adventure, and here are the initial criteria: 1. The character has to be called to adventure, this is not something s/he is seeking; 2. The adventure must be thrilling/challenging but not necessarily desirable; 3. The character must prepare and leave home with what's on his/her back (which may include a bag of stuff); 4. The character's departure must be vividly described; and 5. The character must meet up with at least one other character from class by Friday.
You don't need to post any of this to your course blog yet, although you are welcome to as always, but you will need this material over the weekend, so please take your journals home with you on Friday.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
september 23
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Choose your own. Relate it to the course or don't. Take the opportunity to go all Montaigne and express your thoughts as they occur.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Working in a group of 3-5, select one of the Canterbury Tales & begin a character analysis. Describe Chaucer's approach to characterization (direct? indirect? both? when/why?). Describe Chaucer's tone with specific regard to the character's station in life, words/deeds, and integrity. Describe Chaucer's use of humor. Comment on anything else you find worthy of comment. You may choose to divide the group into roles for these purpose, or everyone can hunt for everything as you read.
HW:
1. In a post entitled CANTERBURY TALES (II): WHAT A CHARACTER! please transcribe your written notes on your course blog.
Choose your own. Relate it to the course or don't. Take the opportunity to go all Montaigne and express your thoughts as they occur.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Working in a group of 3-5, select one of the Canterbury Tales & begin a character analysis. Describe Chaucer's approach to characterization (direct? indirect? both? when/why?). Describe Chaucer's tone with specific regard to the character's station in life, words/deeds, and integrity. Describe Chaucer's use of humor. Comment on anything else you find worthy of comment. You may choose to divide the group into roles for these purpose, or everyone can hunt for everything as you read.
HW:
1. In a post entitled CANTERBURY TALES (II): WHAT A CHARACTER! please transcribe your written notes on your course blog.
canterbury tales
Here is a link to the full text in multiple formats. Also, here.
Additional resource (with thanks to Amara Sharp, Class of 2014):
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/gchaucer/bl-gchau-can-genpro.htm
Additional resource (with thanks to Amara Sharp, Class of 2014):
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/gchaucer/bl-gchau-can-genpro.htm
Monday, September 22, 2014
september 22
JOURNAL TOPIC: ["Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett; "Strength, Courage & Wisdom" by India Arie]
Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden observed, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." Briefly describe your character and your reputation. What similarities & differences do you see between the two?
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Evolution, adaptation, and the Jonathan's #phonar lecture
5. Chaucer & Prologue to Canterbury Tales
6. You are such a character!
HW:
1. Create Netvibes dashboard, set as browser launch page, and describe in a post to your blog (title: MY DASHBOARD)-- Note: if this represents an unnecessary next step for you because your current organizational system effectively meets your needs, please write about it so we can learn from you!
2. In a post to your blog entitled CHARACTER STUDY (I), use in/direct characterization to write yourself as a fictional character. The time is one year from now. The place is the university of your choice. Describe your journey to this moment.
3. In a post to your blog entitled CANTERBURY TALES (I), list any observations about the Prologue. These may include questions, vocabulary, predictions, literary techniques, and quotes/elements that you found especially effective or memorable. *Which character's story do you most want to read?
Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden observed, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." Briefly describe your character and your reputation. What similarities & differences do you see between the two?
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Evolution, adaptation, and the Jonathan's #phonar lecture
5. Chaucer & Prologue to Canterbury Tales
6. You are such a character!
HW:
1. Create Netvibes dashboard, set as browser launch page, and describe in a post to your blog (title: MY DASHBOARD)-- Note: if this represents an unnecessary next step for you because your current organizational system effectively meets your needs, please write about it so we can learn from you!
2. In a post to your blog entitled CHARACTER STUDY (I), use in/direct characterization to write yourself as a fictional character. The time is one year from now. The place is the university of your choice. Describe your journey to this moment.
3. In a post to your blog entitled CANTERBURY TALES (I), list any observations about the Prologue. These may include questions, vocabulary, predictions, literary techniques, and quotes/elements that you found especially effective or memorable. *Which character's story do you most want to read?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)