Carlos Barrera

AP English Language and Composition

Today in class we will go over the Rhetorical Precis and its applications on Malcolm X's speech "The Ballot or the Bullet."

We will view clips from Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" that build the background for reading "Learning to Read".

American Lit Honors

Today in class we will view clips from the recent PBS series: Walt Whitman

You can view it by going to:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/whitman/program/

Then we will read the poem by Whitman "There Was a Child Went Forth" and answer AP-styled multiple choice questions. You can get these by downloading the file:

Download walt_whitman_ap_multiple_choice_a_child_went_forth.doc

American Lit Honors

Today we will begain our study of Walt Whitman.

We will listen to an NPR piece on "Leaves of Grass".

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14965285

Then we will look at a couple of his poems.

Download walt_whitman_from_song_of_myself.doc

Then we will view a few clips from Dead Poet's Society, a movie starring Robin Williams.

Then we will create "I Am" poems and read them outside in the courtyard!

Download I_Am_Poem.pdf

American Lit Honors

This week we will be studying free-verse poetry and Walt Whitman. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will view clips of "Dead Poet's Society" and "Walt Whitman (from PBS)." We will be studying some of his poems.

There are new assessments on www.mygradebook.com

On Thursday there will be a timed-write comparing two poems about eagles.

AP English Language and Composition

This week in class we will begin studying selections from "The Autobiography of Malcolm X". On Tuesday and Wednesday we will read "Learning to Read" and view clips from "Malcolm X" and "Make it Plain". On Thursday we will have a timed-write. On Friday we will read/discuss Brent Staples "Black Men in Public Spaces."

Listen to the NPR piece about Malcolm X here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90587259

There new assessments on www.mygradebook.com

This Thursday there will be an AP-styled timed-write about Malcolm X in middle school.  You can get a heads-up and preview it now:

Download ap_english_language_prompt_malcolm_x.doc

On the assignment list in the mygradebook is another Rhetorical Precis. It is based on understanding Malcolm X's speech "The Ballot and the Bullet." You can hear it and read it at:

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/malcolmxballotorbullet.htm

To review how to write a Rhetorical Precis go to:

http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/modules/rhetorical-precis/sample/peirce_sample_precis_click.html

AP English Language and Composition

The Reading Schedule for the Iliad in class.

Tuesday Book 1

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/iliad1.htm

Wednesday Book 6

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/iliad6.htm

Thursday Book 9

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/iliad9.htm

Friday Books 22 and 24

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/iliad22.htm

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/iliad24.htm

AP English Language and Composition

Today in class we will begin a week-long study of the rhetoric of Homer--focusing on The Iliad. First we begin with (edited clips) of Greek literature. We read from Book 6: Hector and Andromache.

On Wednesday-Book 9 The Envoy to Achilles.

On Thursday-Book 22-The Death of Hector

On Friday-Book 24-Priam and Achilles

There are assessments availabe on www.mygradebook.com based on these readings.

We will focus on the three major appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. We will also study the structure of the Classical Argument.

American Lit Honors

This week we will be studying American Slavery in the 19th Century-First a piece from NPR Radio

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1037226

All Things Considered, December 9, 1997 · Commentator Charise (shuh-REES) Jones welcomes the latest round of attention to slavery--slavery has recently been the focus of the cover of Newsweek, the subject of the new Steven Spielberg movie "Amistad," and there continues to be debate over a governmental apology for the nation's legacy of slavery. She says Americans don't talk about slavery enough even though the legacy is still with us.

Then an excerpt from "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano>"

http://osbornehighschool.typepad.com/barrera/files/from_the_interesting_narrative_of_the_life_of_olaudah_equiano.doc

We will also read two speeches "Ain't I a Woman" by Sojourner Truth and a speech by John Quincy Adams delivered by Anthony Hopkins in the film "Amistad." You can read, listen, and view the speech by going to:

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechamistadjqadams.html

AP English Language and Composition

On Monday, I will return your JFK Time Writes. We will be in the computer lab.

Today in class:

7th Period:

We continue with clips of (TV-14 edited) Born on the 4th of July, we read a selection from Ron Kovic's memoir.

8th Period:

We begin viewing clips of (TV-14 edited) Born on the 4th of July. We see JFK's Inaugural speech within the opening scenes and discuss how it influences Ron Kovic.

Ms. Gelston shared this picture with me of current day Ron Kovic.

American Lit Honors

Today in class we will:

Listen to an NPR interview with Julie Taymor, director of "Frida"

We will read "The Frida Kahlo Poems"

Then we will work in groups to paraphrase a portion of the poem, while finding figurative language within each section. We will conduct a gallary walk explanation of the poem.

Julie Taymor directing Salma Hayek in "Frida"