Education and Work

10/10: HOMEWORK: revise your paragraphs tonight. Print them out along with grading criteria ("Bread Givers argument assessment" attached below). Bring both to class in the black box tomorrow.

In class - we began the examination of the end of the novel: thinking about Sara and how she ends up (positive or more ambiguous), the novel's view of American Dream, of mediating between Old and New World, about Hugo's role, etc.

10/6: HOMEWORK: Finish the novel for Tuesday. Revise paragraphs and revise paragraphs for Wed (see Bread Givers argument assessment" attached below).

In class: see Bread Givers end of Book 2, attached below).

10/5:HOMEWORK: C BLOCK: Read through Book 2 for Friday. We worked on revising the paragraphs.

10/4:HOMEWORK: B BLOCK: Read through Book 2 for Friday. We worked on revising the paragraphs.

10/3: We're going to spend some time looking at photographs of children working during the same time period (roughly) as Yezierska's book. The purpose for doing so is to see the kinds of work available to poor children and immigrants, the conditions and to see how photographs are used to give "voice" to these Americans, to social justice, etc.. Please look through the slideshow of Lewis Hine's photographs. After you have seen all of the photographs, choose 3 that particularly strike you. In your journals, For each photograph, start by describing what you see in the photograph: describe setting, describe characters, describe props, describe “plot” including interactions/relationships (between people, between people and props, people and setting, etc.), and conflict. Then, read back over what you have written, look again at the photograph and word associate (brainstorm a list of words that connect to what you see in the photo). Finally look back at the photo and pay attention to composition (HOW it was shot) – describe what you notice about how the photo is “framed,” (what’s included, what is prominent, what’s in focus, what isn’t), shot (does the photo look like it was taken with the camera at the same level? shot from below subjects? from above? straight on or tilted? close up or far away?), what do you notice about the tone, the balance (are objects/people weighted more to one side than the other or is everything centered?), etc. Once again, read over what you wrote about and add some notes about why what you noticed matters (how does it affect your “reading” of the photograph?) Do the same with Jacob Riis' photographs.

B Block: Which character, at the end of Book I, do you most support and why? Base your answer on a decision that the character made that you think was the right one, and support the argument (in Google Docs) with specific evidence from the text (best to pull evidence from different parts of the text).

10/2: HOMEWORK: Finish Book 2 for Friday (if you need it broken up: chapters 10-11 for Tuesday, 12-14 for Thursday and finish for Friday).

In class today:

C Block: We also listened to Jill Lepore on "rags to riches."

Which character, at the end of Book I, do you most support and why? Base your answer on a decision that the character made that you think was the right one, and support the argument (in Google Docs) with specific evidence from the text (best to pull evidence from different parts of the text).

Then, write a defense for a character with whom you do not agree. Create an argument that supports a decision s/he makes toward the end of Book I and support that decision with specific evidence from the text (again, best to pull from different parts of the text).

9/29: HOMEWORK: Finish book 1 this weekend. Bring to your reading all that we’ve discusses about the American Dream, about individual rights/responsibilities vs what we owe to each other, about Father and his relationships and beliefs, Old World vs New, and especially about Sara’s decision. Respond to all of this on the back of the notecard. Fill the back of the notecard.

On the front of the notecard: reflect on chapters 6+7: what was important and why? How has the action in these chapters made you think differently about character, relationship, etc.? Fill the front of the notecard.

In class: small group to large discussion about both chapters 6&7 and Goldman.

9/28: Please read Emma Goldman’s “Love and Marriage” (make sure that you read the italics at the beginning so you have some background about Goldman, her life and her views). Then, work your way through her essay (you can write on the handout). Underline arguments that you find shocking, put a square around arguments that make emotional appeals, circle those that use logic. After you have read, react to the essay in your journals. Write first about your overall impression of the essay, what surprised you, what angered you, what made you think and WHY (write for at least a page and a half – pull out particular quotes and respond to them, If that helps). Then, talk in groups of 3 about what you read. First, just share out your reaction, then make connections between the essay and Bread Givers. Take notes. Strive for 5-8 string connections. Write these down in the journals, and we will discuss tomorrow. Remember that you are reading chapters 6-7 for tomorrow.

9/27: In both classes, we talked some about the controversies around the NFL this weekend and how that fits into who we are as Americans and what t means to hear all voices. We also examined (in B Block) Reb's actions in the novel (does he have his best interests at heart or is it all about money? If it is all about money, how is that different from American ideals? and (C Block) about Berel and his similarities to the father and what that tells us.

9/26: C BLOCK: Our question focused on whether or not Reb Smolinsky was much more extreme in his view of women than the men in the novel. To explore this question, students close read sections (42 - 47, 47 - 51, 58-63, 72 -76, 78-85)

9/25: B BLOCK: I returned papers and we did some grammar work. Reading through 5 for Wednesday.

9/22: C BLOCK; We discussed the connection between the intro and the first 2 chapters of the novel.

B BLOCK: On the front of the notecard: react to the first two chapters of Bread Givers. Write about at least two characters who have caught your attention and why, about

We listened to the first 5 or so minutes of the interview with Wachusett's own Jill Lepore about Ben and Jane Franklin's lives, about the idea that one can rise up from "rags to riches" while his sister Jane remained in poverty her whole life. After you've listened, on the back of the notecard: make a list of the 4-5 most important ideas.

Reading schedule: (B BLOCK): 3 for Monday, chapters 4 & 5 for Wed., chapters 6 & 7 for Friday, finish part one for Monday.

9/21: C BLOCK: See "Bread Givers intro + reading schedule" for classwork + homework (attached below).

9/20: HOMEWORK: Starting Bread Givers - chapter 1 for C Block; chapters 1 & 2 for B Block.

C Block: Discussion of the intersections between the issues raised by Banneker and Jefferson and the TED talks + poetry. We also looked at Grant Wood's American Gothic.

B Block (in class): Using yesterday's class discussion, identify two issues present in the Banneker- Jefferson communication that connect to issues we saw in the TED talks and/or the poems. On one side of the notecard, explore one of the issues you see as still present in the poems/TED talks (you can use more than one) on the other side, explore a second issue using the same materials.

9/19: HOMEWORK (C BLOCK): Using today's class discussion, identify two issues present in the Banneker- Jefferson communication that connect to issues we saw in the TED talks and/or the poems. On one side of the notecard, explore one of the issues you see as still present in the poems/TED talks (you can use more than one) on the other side, explore a second issue using the same materials.

In class - we worked with Jefferson's response to Banneker to see whether he answered Banneker's pleas directly or sidestepped issues presented in Banneker's argument. Then, we looked at the context of the time for both men and thought about how their communication illustrated issues about race that were festering in the country as a whole at that time. See the attached board notes for more.

9/18: We worked with Banneker's letter today (see "Benjamin Banneker" and "OV Banneker letter work" attached below).

9/15: BOTH CLASSES HOMEWORK: Due Monday: Here's the link to the podcast about Benjamin Banneker - focus on the idea of work and pay close attention to Banneker's work, work ethic, etc. Take notes - 10 important ideas, given our reason for listening.

DUE TUESDAY: See "OV reflection assessment 1" attached below.

C Block classwork: See "OV poem packet Day 2..." attached below for classwork AND homework (you can also find that in "OV reflection assessment 1" attached below).