ENG3U

Friday February 1st

Ideally, today would be a "Snow Day". If it isn't, then we went over course expectations, got to know each other, and went over classroom guidelines.

Monday February 4th

Okay... We did what we were supposed to do on Friday... we met and chatted and went over the course.

Tuesday February 5th

Today we looked at the origin of the English language and how it evolved to what we use today. We specifically focused on Old English: 450 - 1100.

Examined:

• Indo-Europeans
• England
• Celts
• Romans
• Germanic Tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes)
• Vikings
• Beowulf
• The Song of Caedmon

Wednesday February 6th

SNOW   DAY! :D

Thursday February 7th

Buses Cancelled...

Honestly, we watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Tomorrow, back to the history of language.

Friday February 8th

Today we covered Middle English. We took a look at Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. We also examined a "drifter" ballad entitled "Edward Edward" from the Medieval period. We listened to a sample of the poem to "modern" music.

We also took a quick look at "The Song of Caedmon" from the Old English period.

Focus on:

• Medieval Period
• William the Conquerer of Normandy
• The French language
• Norman influence ie. Odour and Smell
• The Canterbury Tales

Here are the 10 new terms to add to your glossary:

• Litotes
• Metaphor
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Portmanteau
• Refrain
• Simile
• Symbolism
• Syntax
• Tone

Monday February 11th

Today we went over the glossary terms, covered Modern English and looked at some poetry. We analyzed the Shakespearean Sonnet and the Petrarchan Sonnet ie rhyme pattern, form, and tone. We also looked at Paul Laurence Dunbar's "Sympathy", and several Tupac poems just to get a good look at how far the English language has evolved.

Focus on:

• Iambic Pentameter
• Sonnet
• Shakespearean
• Petrarchan aka Italian
• Modern English
• Johannes Guttenberg
• William Caxton
• East Midland Dialect
• Standard English
• The Tudors

Tuesday February 12th

In the computer lab today working on poetry seminars.

Wednesday February 13th

In the computer lab working on poetry seminars.

Thursday February 14th

Poetry seminars.

Friday February 15th

Poetry seminars and test review.

Tuesday February 19th

Poetry test!

Wednesday Febraury 20th

We started Pygmalion today. We discussed Bernard Shaw and his life. We also looked at the mythological tale of Pygmalion and discussed possible reasons as to why the play is called a "Romance in Five Acts". Finally, we discussed transformative relationships, the dynamics of relationships, and what people look for in an ideal mate.

Thursday February 21st

We looked at Act 1 of Pygmalion. Discussed potential themes such as: the class system, discrimination, sexism, mysogyny, education, and language.

Friday February 22nd

We watched Act 1 and Act 2 of Pygmalion.

Monday February 25th

First off... it's 15 days until my birthday!

Today we discussed Act 2. Specifically, we begged the question of Middle Class Morality. How do determine who receives our charity (money, pity etc) and who does not? What does it mean to be a deserving poor or an undeserving poor? Who defines this? What is middle class and how does it effect the upper and lower classes? How do our ethics and values influence our judgement? Do we impose our expectations on others? If so, how do we do this?

We also talked about motivation, ambition.

I also handed out the Pygmalion Contrast Essay which will be do the week after March Break.

Tuesday February 26th

Today we discussed Act 2 and Act 3 of Pygmalion. Topics covered:

• The role of women in the past versus today (has it changed?)
• Motivation and ambition --->Eliza actually fought against her status in life to get out of her situation
• When Eliza passed the test at the party, she says that she will, "never be the same as these people".
• What differentiates one class from another?
• We discussed the criteria required to assign an individual to a class. Is it stereotypes? Destiny? Chance? Circumstance? Fate?
• It is not enough to sound like a lady, one has to converse like one as well... "you have to consider not only how girl pronounces, but what she pronounces..."
• What is life but a series of inspired follies?
• "What they think they ought to think is bad enough, Lord knows; but what they really think would break up the whole show. Do you suppose it would be really agreeable if i were to come out not with what I really think?"
• "You see, we're all savages, more or less. We're supposed to be civilized and cultured - to know all about poetry and philosophy and art and science, and so on; but how many of us even know the meaning of these names?"
• Keeping up appearances

Explain the difference between: Fate, Destiny, Circumstance, Chance

Wednesay February 27th

We discussed acts 3 and 4 of Pygmalion. We particularily spent a good amount of time discussing:

• Liza's dream... did she ruin everything for herself because she lost track of her goal which was initially to work in a flower shop?
• Who is to take credit for her progress... Liza or Higgins?
• Why would she ask Higgins what belongs to her?
• Why did she tell Higgins he should have left her where he found her?
• The romance in 5 Acts... suggested that it's not a romantic romance and also suggested that it is in fact a romance in a metaphorical sense.
• Middle class conversation... not really all that exciting, quite fabricated, a lot of "how do you do" and nothing else. Everyone is polite and we all pretend
• Clara... she has not real sense of identity. She doesn't know she is poor
• What is in store for Liza's future? Too good to work in a flower shop, and yet still, not quite ready to take over the world. She looks and sounds like a middle/upper class woman, but on the inside, she is still Eliza Doolittle who grew up poor. "You can take the girl out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of the girl"
• Comparisons to Mrs. Pearce and Mrs. Higgins
• Setting... difference between Higgins' home and his mother's home

Thursday February 28th

Watched Acts 3 and 4 of Pygmalion. Had a quick discussion about how the scenes played out.

Friday February 29th

I was away but you should have watched Act 5 of Pygmalion.

Remember, responses are due on Monday!

Monday March 3rd

Today we watched the final act of Pygmalion. We discussed the end scene and how it could possibly be a romance in 5 acts. We analyzed our expectations of romance and the argument was made that Higgins and Eliza are more alike than we realize and this could be the reason why they did not end up together at the end. We will discuss more tomorrow. I also handed back the poetry test.

PLEASE NOTE: THE PYGMALION ESSAY IS DUE TUESDAY MARCH 18TH.

ALSO NOTE: THE PYGMALION MIND MAP IS DUE TUESDAY MARCH 25TH.

Tuesday March 4th

Today we discussed the end of Act 4 and 3/4 of Act 5 of Pygmalion. We furthered the discussions we've been having. Things that came up include:

• Eliza was in fact in love with Higgins and vice versa... end of Act 4 suggests that Eliza wanted to committ suicide. Why?
• Mr. Doolittle vs Eliza: who is in fact in the middle class? Remember, Doolittle accuses Higgins of thrusting him into the middle class. Doolittle says that there is nothing between himself and a pauper other than 3000 pounds a year. Eliza has no money of her own, is she in the middle class?
• Doolittle: Middle class morality is no longer living for yourself but living for others
• Doolittle: we are all intimidated? Intimidated by what? Poverty...
• The scorpion and the swan... it is my nature --> Higgins says to Eliza, don't dwell on the fact that I am rude to you, ask whether or not you have seen me treat anyone better. He also says if she were to stay with him, he will "treat [her] as [he] has always treated [her]"(98). He says, "I cannot change my nature; and I don't intend to change my manners. My manners are exactly the same as Colonel Pickering" (98). Pickering treats a Flower Girl as if she were a Duchess, while Higgins treats a Duchess as if she were a flower girl.
• Eliza mentions that she and Higgins are alike. She mentions this when describing how Higgins spoke to her in such a lewd manner. Pickering says it is not his fault, it is his nature. She then says she USED to speak the same way when she was a flower girl and it was not her fault... it was in her nature. Maybe they are more alike then we realize. So then what seperates them?
• Higgins makes a splendid speech: "The secret Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another" (99). What comment is Shaw making here?
• We ended on the discussion of Nature vs. Nurture

Homework: I placed you all in groups and gave you a topic from the Contrast Essay rubric. You should go through the text and pull out examples of your topic with proof (quotes). Tomorrow, come prepared to discuss with your group and eventually with the class.

Wednesday March 5th

Buses were cancelled. We hung out. You will be getting your journals back tomorrow. I made comments on all of them. Though it was formative, i made suggestions for you to keep in mind when handing in your contrast essays.

Thursday March 6th

Today we worked in groups on some of the topics for the contrast essay. We used chart paper to list both the comparisons and differences between characters and setting in Pygmalion.

Please note, Mr. Bowering was kind enough to let me upload some stellar powerpoints. Right now, I have put up the powerpoint on how to make a mind map and a handout on 2 ways that you could possibly write your contrast essays.

Reminder, they are due the Tuesday (the 17th) we return from March Break, however, you have an automatic extension until Friday (the 21st).

Friday March 7th

REMINDER: Contrast Essays due on Tuesday, you have until Friday to submit it. Mind Maps are due the following Tuesday.

ENJOY MARCH BREAK!

Monday March 17th

Today we worked in the library on our Contrast essays and we will continue working on them tomorrow as well as the mind map. You should be complete section 1 of 1984 at this point. If you did not pick up a question sheet for the novel or the rubric for the mind map, get it from me tomorrow.

Tuesday March 18th

Today we worked on Contrast Essays and Mind Maps in the computer lab.

Wednesday March 19th

Today we worked on Contrast Essays and Mind Maps in the Library.

Thursday March 20th

Today we worked on Contrast Essays and Mind Maps in the Library.

Friday March 21st

Good Friday

Monday March 24th

Easter Monday

Tuesday March 25th

Intro to 1984. Watched the Stalin movie and did a work sheet.

Wednesday March 26th

Worked in groups on the "Is Like/Is Not Like" topics and began to discuss.

Thursday March 27th

Discussed the topics. Got into a discussion on Freedom.

Friday March 28th

Finished discussing topics.

March 29th - April 4th

1984 movie and group discussions.

TEST   MONDAY!!!! Seminar time Tuesday - Friday

Monday April 15th

Today was the last period to work on the seminars. Tomorrow, we begin with the first 3 groups!

Tuesday April 16th -19th

Seminar presentations!

Monday April 22nd-26th

Reading companion novels!

Monday April 28th to May 2nd

Working on essays

Monday May 5th

Peer edited essays

Tuesday May 6th

Handed out The Tempest and handed out the assignments that go along with this unit. We discussed Utopia as it relates to us and the world at large. In other words, can it be achieved and if so, is it worth it?

PLEASE   HAVE ACT 1 READ BY FRIDAY!!!!!