Learning With Lola

Starting Up Again!

Mrs. Ortner — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:26:12 +0000

BLOG WITH INTEGRITY Modified for Academic Use

By displaying the Blog with Integrity badge I assert that the trust of my students, colleagues, and the blogging community is important to me.

I treat others respectfully and welcome respectful disagreement with my own ideas.

I believe in intellectual property rights, providing links, citing sources, and crediting inspiration where appropriate.

I always present my honest opinions to the best of my ability.

I own my words.

Your last assignment of the year!

Mrs. Ortner — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:27:33 +0000

Congratulations to all bloggers! Your PowerPoint presentations were amazing!

A special congratulations to all graduates. I will see you at graduation!
Here is my graduation last Sunday! Masters of Science in Education, Online Teaching and Learning

CSU East Bay Commencement June 13, 2010

ASSIGNMENT

Please answer these questions.

1. What did you like about blogging?

2. What didn’t you like about blogging?

3. Do you think blogging helped you understand the book more than writing a book report?

4. What changes would make blogging better for you?

SUMMER BLOGGING!!

Students that choose to blog over summer break will receive extra credit in English for next fall.
1. You have to blog at least once every week.
2. You have to blog about something interesting like your job, a vacation, a hobby, a book you are reading, reflections about how you are spending your time.
3. Lists of videos or songs do not count.
4. You must reply to 1 other person every week.

I will check every week and respond to your blogs.

Happy Summer!
Mrs. Ortner

A Separate Peace Electronic Time Capsule

Mrs. Ortner — Mon, 31 May 2010 13:11:43 +0000

A Separate Peace Electronic Time Capsule

An Electronic Time Capsule

Introduction

Fifteen years after leaving Devon School, Gene returns and reflects on his experiences as a sixteen-year-old boy attending the preparatory school in 1942 during World War II. To help Gene remember his life as a sixteen-year old, find information that was relevant to his life at the time.

Task

Your job will be to create a PowerPoint- formatted electronic time capsule for Gene that will help him remember the summer that changed his life. You will burn your time capsule onto a CD. Your PowerPoint should be 15-20 slides in length. Use additional slides for your works cited slides.

Consider things like:
World War II and its South Pacific battles
The draft
Political leaders
Top songs
Popular authors, singers, actors, etc.
New inventions and Medical discoveries
New Hampshire
Preparatory schools
Fashion

Procedures

Search the websites provided or find other sources and decide what will be important to a junior in high school in 1942. Make a list of what you will include in the electronic time capsule. Compile the materials to create a PowerPoint presentation of your research.

15-20 PowerPoint slides for content and 1-2 more for works cited. Too many slides will cause your audience to yawn!
Use pictures but incorporate them creatively. You can also use your own artwork if it is appropriate. Be sure to title and caption your graphics.
Be as elaborate as possible. (For example, rather than naming a popular song, include the lyrics.)

Do not feel limited to this list of items to include!!! Try to think of other forms of documentation to use — creativity is a large portion of your grade.

Evaluation

An “A” capsule must include at least:

Information about WWII battles in the Pacific
2 advertisments or American propaganda posters from the early 1940′s.
Information about a popular song(s) and/or singer(s).
Information about popular authors, actors, singers, etc.
Information about a new invention or medical discovery.
Information about typical teenage clothing for young men.
Information about American political leaders during 1942-1945.
Your time capsule will be graded on historical accuracy, creativity, thoroughness of research, and quality of presentation.
NOTE: Just having the required elements is not enough to earn a high grade. They must also be quality work!!!

Technical Evaluation

PowerPoint displays critical thinking in place of text, sequencing of pages and page composition.
Work cited slides are complete and at the end of the presentation.
Presentation includes 15-20 slides, plus 1-2 work cited slides, unified by cohesive slide backgrounds.
Slides transition in an effective, but not distracting manner.

Alternative Assignment

Complete the above assignment on paper. Create a page for each slide. Your finished project will be in booklet or portfolio form.

Resources

http://www.exeter.edu

Homepage of Exeter Academy.

http://www.world-war-pictures.com/american-war-posters.htm

American war posters.

http://www.shmoop.com/separate-peace/botw/resources?d=http://www.exeter.edu/libraries/4513_4621.aspx

John Knowles’ essay. Look around this site for more resources.

http://newdeal.feri.org

An educational website dedicated to the New Deal and surrounding times that contains links to speeches, photos, letters, and interviews.

http://newdeal.feri.org/texts/subject.htm

A subject index for the New Deal Network. May be useful to search for specific subjects.

http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/FDRcartoons.html

Approximately 30,000 political cartoons about Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration.

http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/

Homepage for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/fsowhome.html

Photographs from the Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information Collection of America from 1935-1945.

http://www.glennmillerorchestra.com/history.html

Information on the Glen Miller Band.

http://digital.library.unt.edu/browse/department/rarebooks/wwpc/

American WWII posters

Just Because Poetry: Part 2 Due on Monday, May 3

Mrs. Ortner — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:53:43 +0000

Pick 3-4 of your ‘just because statements and create a poem. Each statement will make a stanza. Your poem will have 3-4 stanzas. Remember, you are writing as if you are the character.

Follow the format. Include specific information, use precise words to convey your message, and make sure you reveal enough about yourself so the reader has an “ah ha” moment about YOU! (your character)

Just Because poems ask you to describe yourself in the first line of the poem.
The next three lines in each stanza(4) tell what you are NOT.
The final line restates the first line and adds a tag directing the reader to do something…

Here’s an example of ONE stanza:

Just because I’m a teacher
Doesn’t mean I know everything
Doesn’t mean I can’t learn new things
Doesn’t mean I can’t be a friend
Just because I’m a teacher-know I’m on your side.

EXTRA CREDIT!!!!! Write another poem. Pick a different character from the novel.

Poetry deals with the emotions. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.

I AM Poem

FIRST STANZA
I am (two special characteristics you have)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I see (an imaginary sight)
I want (an actual desire)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

SECOND STANZA

I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

THIRD STANZA
I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about)
I try (something you really make an effort about)
I hope (something you actually hope for)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

Excellent work!

Mrs. Ortner — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:43:27 +0000

I have checked your blogs and for those who have completed the last assignment, your lists are excellent! The second part of this assignment will be posted tonight.

If you have not posted the first part of this assignment, you must complete it today.

Just because…Poetry Assignment 1 due April 26th

Mrs. Ortner — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:56:49 +0000

This is part one of a 2 part assignment. Assignment 2 will be posted next week.
Part 1:
Pick a character from the novel. (Gene, Finny, or other) You will pretend you are this character.

Make a list of words that describe you (your character). Put those words into Just Because statements.

For example, I am Finny
1. Just because I am athletic…
2. Just because I am spontaneous…

For example, I am Gene
1. Just because I am smart..
2. Just because I feel threatened…

For example, I am Leper
1. Just because I am shy
2. Just because I like nature

Your assignment: Pick a character and list 10, “Just because” statements on your blog. Follow the examples above
The focus in this writing assignment is word choice; strong verbs, interesting adjectives, and precise nouns. You will use these as you compose an original Just because… poem. “Just Because” poems show mood, passion and perspective.

In the next part of the assignment you will develop your “Just Because” statements into stanzas, and add memorable details.

Finish reading Chapters 2-5

Mrs. Ortner — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:35:16 +0000

You should finish reading chapters 2-5 and check back on Wednesday for your next blog assignment.

Chapter 1 Assignment #2

Mrs. Ortner — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:33:18 +0000

The second part of the chapter opens during the summer of 1942 when Gene is 16. Explain why a special Summer Session at Devon is necessary. How is it tied to Finny’s decision to jump from the tree into the river?

Visit 2 other blogs and comment on their response. Do you agree or disagree?

Chapter 1 Assignment 1 Visit the Campus and Learn About the Author

Mrs. Ortner — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:32:40 +0000

The plot and setting of A Separate Peace were largely inspired by Knowles’s experiences at Phillips Exeter Academy. Like Gene Forrester, one of the novel’s two principal characters, Knowles was a student from the South studying in New Hampshire during World War II—although he graduated a year too late to serve overseas during the war.
This is the school in the novel. It was called The Devon School in the novel.http://www.exeter.edu/about_us/about_us.aspx

Gene’s wandering around the Devon campus in the opening scene creates a mood of dread that infuses the entire novel: the older Gene refuses to offer us any details of the story to come, but he makes ambiguous references to “specters” that haunted him as a young man, to “fear’s echo,” and to a “death by violence.”
These hints of darkness are explicitly linked to two places that the older Gene visits: the stairs and the tree, thus foreshadowing the revelation of the tragic events that take place in those two locations.

Use this interactive map to answer the question.
http://www.exeter.edu/map/link/streetview.html
Write your answers on your Blog

Find all the places on the map that Gene went to in Chapter one. After visiting the Phillips Academy Campus, compare and contrast on your blog, the school you had pictured in your mind and the actual school. Is it the same? How is it different?
Extra Credit: What is the Thompson Cage used for?

Your blogs are amazing!

Mrs. Ortner — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:51:03 +0000

I am amazed at the level of participation on your blogs. Many of you have posted additional blogs which add to the learning experience. Your comments to other students have been wonderful too! I have read many positive, welcoming comments.

Keep up the fabulous work! Your next blog assignment will begin on Monday.

Mrs. Ortner