Over Break

You have no assigned reading. As I mentioned in class, the school-wide Poetry Out Loud competition will take place on Monday, January 7, during tutorial. I encourage you to participate in it. Since you have no other work for me, consider learning a couple of poems to recite from memory. Go here to check out the eligible poems. (One poem has to be from before the twentieth century, and one poem has to have fewer than twenty-five lines. A single poem can satisfy both of these qualities, e.g. a sonnet by Shakespeare.)

Also, as I mentioned in class, when we finish Unflattening, you will write a synthesis essay about it, which is one of the three kinds of essays you will have to write on the AP exam. We will go over the synthesis essay when we get back from the break.

Lastly, you will need to choose your mentor for the STP when we come back in January, so if you missed Tuesday's class when I talked about it, see the guidelines for that in the STP Handbook, which is posted to the right.

Assignment for Tuesday. Dec. 18

In Unflattening, read pp. 69-87. You have no reading over the break, but be sure to have Unflattening with you for the first class on Thursday, January 3, which is a Day 2.

Assignment for Friday, Dec. 14

In Unflattening, read pp. 49-67. If you missed class, we read chapter 2 during class, so you'll have two chapters to read.

Assignment for Monday, Dec. 10

In Nick Sousanis's Unflattening, read to p. 27. You don't have anything to write in response to this reading. The research prospectus is due Wednesday, Dec. 12, so you might want to work on that over the weekend. You will have time during Monday's class to work on it.

Assignments for Tuesday, Dec. 4, and Thursday, Dec. 6

For Tuesday, listen to this TED Radio Hour broadcast. Come to class prepared to answer questions about this broadcast. (Be sure to click on the link to listen to the full episode, which is close to an hour in length.)

For Thursday, as a heads up, read the excerpt from Farhad Manjoo's book True Enough that was handed out in class. (If you missed class, this reading is posted to the right.) You might want to get a head start on this reading over the weekend, and I'll give you some additional background on the events it covers during Tuesday's class. Just like Tuesday, you don't have anything to write, but come to class prepared to answer questions about this reading.

Lastly, click here for polling data from the 2004 presidential campaign so you can see the effect of the advertisements placed by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (the first ad aired in early August), and click here for a link to the 2004 electoral college map.

Assignment for Friday, Nov. 30

Complete the annotated bibliography. Turn it in as one document that includes all five annotation entries. Be sure to include a proper heading. In class, we will resume our investigation of narrative and reality.

Assignment for Friday, Nov. 30

Complete the annotated bibliography. Turn it in as one document that includes all five annotation entries. Be sure to alphabetize your sources by the author's last name, and include a proper heading. In class, we will resume our investigation of narrative and reality.

Assignment for Wednesday, Nov. 28

Write a third annotated bibliography entry. This one should be for a book. If you're in Google Classroom, turn it in there; otherwise, share it with me as a Google Doc.

In-Class Reading and Work

Here is a back-to-basics refresher exercise. Read the two obituaries linked below about the great magician Ricky Jay. Then, compare and contrast their essential rhetorical qualities. Start with their rhetorical situations, and then get into more specific rhetorical features. Feel free to draw on the SOAPSTone and DIDLS schemas. Share your comparison with me in a Google Doc.

New York Times obituary on Ricky Jay.

Slate.com obituary on Ricky Jay.

Assignment for Thursday, Nov. 15

Write one more annotated bibliography entry, preferably from a JSTOR source. For Thursday, you should be up to two annotated bibliography entries. See my comments on your first entry before you write the second one.

Assignment for Tuesday, Nov. 13

Read Salman Rushdie's Truth, Lies, and Literature. You will eventually be assigned this piece, but if you want to take advantage of the long weekend and read it now, go ahead.

In addition, prepare one entry for the annotated bibliography. It will be more manageable to begin with a shorter source, probably from GaleNet.

Assignment for Thursday, Nov. 8

Read the handout distributed in class on evaluating sources (focus on pp. 68-69, and 76-82). Also, see this handout on the STP annotated bibliography that is due on Friday, Nov. 30.

Then, watch this TED talk on the nature of objective reality. Before watching, ask yourself if there is a reality that is objective and the same for all of us.

Lastly, read this interview with Jaron Lanier, an influential pioneer of virtual reality technology, and important thinker about all things related to digital technology.

Assignment for Friday, Nov. 2

Update 2: Here are the assignments, but you don't have anything due for tomorrow. We'll go over them in class, and you'll have class time to work on it.
[Update: Some changes to the following are coming. Don't worry . . . ]
Prepare one page, or about a third, of your final assignment on Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. If you're in Google Classroom, submit this work there, or email it to me. (If it's a visual assignment, turn in a picture of your work-in-progress.) Either way, bring it to class; you will have time to work on it.

Assignment for Wednesday, Oct. 31

In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, read Act 5, scenes 1 and 3; skip scene 2 (you're reading pp. 96-101 and 108-114). Prepare and turn in two potential culminating assignments for our reading of Henry IV, Part 1. Don't hesitate to think out of the box. If you're in Google Classroom, turn them in there; if not, email them to me.

Assignment for Monday, Oct. 29

In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, read Act 4, scenes 2 and 3 (pp. 87-94). Although Hal and Hotspur are essentially doppelgangers, Falstaff contrasts most strongly with Hotspur. In one efficient paragraph (4-6 sentences), compare Falstaff's and Hotspur's concerns about the impending battle in these scenes. Email your response by the start of class. If you're in Google Classroom, submit it there.

Assignment for Wednesday, Oct. 24

In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, read Act 3, scene 3. We will act out lines 74-158 (to the Hostess's exit). Act 3, scenes 2 and 3, show further stages in Hal's progress toward "glittering o'er [his] fault." Write a well-developed paragraph that explains whether Hal persuades you that he will indeed "throw off" his "loose behavior." Be sure to refer to both Act 3, scene 2 and scene 3. If you are in Google Classroom, submit your assignment there; otherwise, email it to me.

Assignment for Thursday, Oct. 18

Write two paragraphs comparing and contrasting Hal's and Falstaff's humor in the previous reading assignment (Act 2, scene 4, lines 1-300). Decide which structure works best for your analysis; you can do one paragraph on each character, or you can devote each paragraph to a specific aspect of their humor. If you aren't in Google Classroom, email your response to me by the start of class.  If you're in Google Classroom, only submit your response there; do not email it to me.

Assignment for Tuesday, Oct. 16

In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, read Act 2, scene 4, ll. 1-300 (pp. 38-50). As you read, pay attention to the differences between Hal's and Falstaff's humor. (Skip Act 2, scene 3; we will return to it when we encounter the rebels again.) Be sure to annotate, and pay close attention to rhetorical choices characters make given their audience and purpose.

Assignment for Friday, Oct. 12

In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, read Act 2, scenes 1-2 (pp. 27-34). Act 2, scene 1 might be  tricky to navigate. Gadshill is at an inn, and Chamberlain (the inn keeper; sometimes called the Chamberlain) helps him identify travelers who would be easy to rob. The main purpose of Act 2, scene 2 is to make the audience laugh. Some of the humor, especially toward the end, must be imagined in the actions, not words, of the characters. Remember: Think about the characters' audience and purpose as they speak to each other. 

Here is your writing assignment: Regardless of your sense of humor, identify and explain specific lines that aim to establish the humor in this scene. How does Shakespeare's language attempt to make the audience laugh? What makes the lines funny (or attempt to be funny). Write about one solid paragraph, two if you're feeling ambitious or you find it very funny. If you're in Google Classroom, submit it there; otherwise, email it to me by the start of class.

Last thing: Bring a printed copy of your college essay. On Friday and next Tuesday, we'll go over ways you can improve it.

Assignment for Wednesday, Oct. 10

Read this handout on classical rhetorical figures and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Then practice using some of these rhetorical figures by writing sentences for at least four of them. Label each rhetorical figure clearly, and write sentences that demonstrate them. For some of the rhetorical figures, you will need to write more than one sentence to demonstrate them. If you are not yet in Google Classroom, email your sentences to me. If you are in Google Classroom, submit your work there.

Class work for Friday, Oct. 5

I’m out sick, so here are some instructions for class.

An important part of oral rhetoric is making your words sound like you mean them, and adding perhaps some other movements and gestures to get your points across. This is very similar to—you guessed it—acting! Today, you’ll spend some trying to sound and behave like the characters in Henry IV, Part 1 as they engage in Act 1, scene 3’s shifting rhetorical situation. In other words, you will act, but I want you to think rhetorically while you do so. (The following exercises are from tbe Cambridge School Shakespeare edition of Henry IV, Part 1.)

First, in groups in groups of three or four, stage lines 1-21 (up to Worcestor’s exit) to greatest dramatic effect. Consider the following:

• How can the entrance be staged to express the conflict between King Henry and the Percies before the first line is spoken? Think of this as establishing the rhetorical situation for the audience. 
• Is Henry instantly angry and confrontational, or might he speak his first nine lines in a calm and controlled manner? 
• Worcestor claims that tbe Percy family (“Our house”) does not deserve harsh treatment from the king,  especially as they had helped him depose King Richard II and so become king himself. Suggest how Worcestor can make every word count. 
• Work out how Worcestor makes his exit. Does he show or conceal his true feelings? What is the rhetorical effect of either choice? 

Then, in your group, try to understand Hotspur’s character based on his opening monologue (lines 30-70). Work out the following questions, and then read together Hotspur’s monologue, taking turns sentence by sentence.

• Pick out all the comparisons Hotspur uses to describe the courtier. Many are similes. Dies Hotspur speak each line contemptuously? 
• Identify whee 
• Hotspur might mimic the courtier’s voice, e.g., “untaught knaves,” “unmannerly,” etc. 
• The king wants to know why Hotspur refused to give up his prisoners. Hotspur puts the blame on the courtier whose behavior irritated him. He says the courtier so exasperated him that he “Answered neglectingly” (without thinking). Think carefully about lines 53-54 to decide what kind if answer Hotspur gave, and how he might speak those lines. 
• Hotspur is a soldier. The courtier represents everything he detests. Identify all of the words Hotspur uses to express his irritation. Suggest why they represent the opposite of Hotspur’s values. 
• Now that you’ve worked through Hotspur's words, say them! Take turns going sentence by sentence through his monologue. 

More to come. When you finish these activities, refresh the page to see the next steps.

Okay, Hotspur wasn’t being candid about the Scottish prisoners. As King Henry reveals, Hotspur wants to use the prisoners to secure the release of Mortimer, “that Earl of March.” (Look for Mortimer in the character list in your book and the one I handed out to you. What is important about Mortimer?) That deception and Hotspur’s desire to free Mortimer enrage King Henry.

• In your group, look closely at lines 78-93. Identify a word or phrase in each line that King Henry soeaks that reveals the strength of his true feelings about Hotspur, Mortimer, or Glendower. 
• Then speak the lines to each other giving your chosen words special emphasis. For example, in line 78, King Henry might stress “Why” to show his exasperation and disbelief, and to express his rejection of Blunt’s peacemaking effort. 
• Now go to lines 114-124. Now King Henry is really angry as he accuses Hotspur of lying and again demands the Scottish prisoners. 
• Speak King Henry’s lines emphasizing each word or phrase he might intend as an insult or rebuke. For example, in this confrontation, Henry’s use of “sirrah” can express contempt. 
• In this reply, Henry shifts from using “I” and “me” to the style monarchs use to describe themselves: “we” and “us.” As you speak his lines, emphasize each pronoun, and discuss why he changes his style. 

Now, King Henry gets really mad, and he accuses Hotspur of lying and again demands the Scottish prisoners.

• Speak King Henry's lines emphasizing each word or phrase he might intend as a threat, insult, or rebuke. For example, in these lines, "sirrah" can express contempt. 
• I his angry reply, King Henry shifts from using "I" and "me" to the style monarchs use to describe themselves: "we" and "us." As you speak his lines, emphasize each pronoun, and discuss why he changes his style. 

Okay, we'll continue the rest of this scene in class next week. In the meantime, the weekend will give you a break from King Henry IV, Part 1 as we look at some more aspects of rhetorical figures by reading Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.  If you finish all of these class activities, you may start the homework posted above.

Assignment for Friday, Oct. 5

In Henry IV, Part 1, read and annotate Act 1, scene 3 (pp. 16-26). Be sure to annotate this reading; I will be checking your books on Friday.

Assignment for Wednesday, Oct. 3

In William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, read Act 1, scenes 1 and 2 (pp. 4-16).  While you're reading, pay attention to anything that stand out rhetorically. Then, identify a passage at least five lines in length (it could involve more than one character) and email to me a few sentences about what makes it rhetorically interesting. If you can, write about both the rhetorical effect and the meaning generated by the passage, but that might be hard to do at this stage. Be sure to identify the act, scene, and lines you are writing about.

Assignment for Monday, Oct. 1

Follow the directions on this handout. By the start of class, email your response to me; if you're in Google Classroom, submit it there. Be careful not to submit your assignment as a Pages document; convert it to Word or a PDF before submitting it. (If you missed class, take a look at the handout with the definitions of rhetorical figures posted to the right. Don't worry about the names; take note of the definitions and examples.)

Please keep in mind the following: What I’m asking you to do is kind of like listening to a song for the first time, and noticing the hooks and other little details that make it different; or looking at a photograph or painting, and noticing the things that make it stand out; or watching a game and noticing the team’s strategies and individual player’s moves. Just pay attention to what you see and hear, and take note of anything that looks a little different than usual in the arrangement of the words.

Assignment for Tuesday, Sept. 25

Complete the STP action and research plan. (If you misplaced the handout, it is posted to the right.) When you email it to me, put “STP action plan” in the subject line. Please don’t send it as a Pages doc. If you use Pages, convert it to a Word document before sending it. If you are on Google Classroom, please go there and submit it through Google Classroom.

Assignment for Friday, Sept. 21

Use the handout on rhetorical modes posted to the right to guide you as you take another look at Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son." (As I post this, the handout is still in progress; it's about two-thirds ready.) The definitions on this handout barely scratch the surface of these modes, but hopefully you can use them to identify some of Baldwin’s strategies.

Here's your assignment (you don't have anything to write): Come prepared to discuss in detail how Baldwin uses two or more of these rhetorical modes to develop "Notes of a Native Son" and move the reader in particular ways. As always, think of the effects of Baldwin's choices: At any given point in the essay, why would Baldwin write in one mode instead of another?

Assignment for Tuesday, Sept. 18

Read James Baldwin's essay "Notes of a Native Son," which was handed out in class and is posted to the right. Take the DIDLSS element you were assigned and write one well-developed paragraph that analyzes its effect on the essay. Email this to me by the start of Tuesday's class.

If you don't remember which DIDLSS element you were assigned, see the list below:

F Block:
Sarah A. Diction
Naldo C. Structure
Ethan H. Language
Charlie M. Imagery
Lyla O. Syntax 
Malachy R. Syntax 
Jacob R. Details
Grace Z. Structure

D Block:
Ren B. Structure
Claudia C. Syntax
Ahmad E. Imagery
Iris F. Language
Taylor G. Syntax
Grant L. Diction
Maddy M. Diction
Kyleigh M. Imagery
Jack M. Details
Kolby R. Language
Angelina S. Details
Sydney S. Imagery
Sarah S. Structure
Hannah W. Structure

Assignment for Friday, Sept. 14

Read Joan Didion's essay "On Keeping a Notebook," and write a one-page response that analyzes two (your choice) of the six elements of DIDLSS that we reviewed in class. If you misplaced the handout or you were absent, it is posted to the right; DIDLSS is explained on the second page.

Assignment for Wednesday, Sept. 12

Please complete this survey about the Make Your World a Better Place summer assignment.

Sign and return the AP contract (which is posted to the right).

Register here with the New York Times here; use your MPH email address; you can create your own site-specific password.

In the CliffNotes AP Lang book, read the passages on pp. 15-16, and p. 18. Do not answer any of the multiple-choice questions, or even look at them. (We won't even answer them in class.) Instead, use the rhetorical triangles to explain the distinctive features of the writing in each passage. Write one well-developed paragraph for each passage, and email this to me at fmontas@mphschool.org by the start of Wednesday's class.

If you use Instagram, follow these accounts:

The New York Times
The Washington Post
Reading the Pictures
Dictionary.com
Merriam-Webster

If you use Twitter or Facebook, you can follow them there, too.

Welcome!

Welcome to AP Lang! Click here for the first handout of the year, which covers the rhetorical triangles we discussed in Wednesday's class. Use this handout selectively as you prepare for Friday's essay.

And click here is the prompt for Friday's essay. In preparing for it, use the handout distributed in Wednesday's class, which is also linked in the classroom.

Summer Assignment

Congratulations on completing your junior year! I'm very excited to teach you in September. Click here for the AP Lang summer assignment. See you at the end of the summer!

STP Survey

Please complete the survey linked below:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VN7M5PX

Assignment for Friday, May 4, and Monday, May 8

For Friday, complete the first two passages of the second practice exam in your yellow AP practice book (questions 1-26 on pp. 141-145). Give yourself twenty-five minutes to complete this work.

For Monday, complete the second passage of the second practice exam in your yellow AP practice book questions 15-26 on pp. 143-145). Give yourself eleven minutes to complete this work. If you missed Thursday's class, complete the first two passages of the second practice exam in your yellow AP practice book (start on p. 141), and give yourself twenty-five minutes to complete this work.

Assignment for Friday, April 20, Monday, April 20, and Tuesday, May 1

For Friday, read the passage that starts on p. 91 of your AP practice book and answer questions 24-36.

For Monday and Tuesday, complete the passage that starts on p. 94 of your AP practice book and answer questions 37-46. In class, you will complete a one-hour multiple choice practice test using an actual, previously administered AP test. (Monday's class meets during first block.)

Assignment for Wednesday, April 18, and Thursday, April 19

Score your answers to the AP exam practice questions you completed in class, and identify any questions you want to go over in class.

Then, in your AP Lang exam book, complete the passages and questions on pp. 87-91; give yourself twenty-five minutes (set a timer) to read the passages and answer questions 1-23.

STP Night Survey

In class on Monday and Tuesday, you will complete the survey linked below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6YN5XZ7

Assignment for Wednesday, April 11, and Thursday, April 12

Refine and finalize your presentation based on the feedback you received Monday and Tuesday. If you didn't prepare note cards yet, do so. If you need to add images or put them in Google Slides, do so. Essentially, do whatever you need to do to get your presentation to its final form. In class, you will practice the presentation again. If you practice outside of class, at home or at school, remember to practice focusing your energy before you start speaking.

Assignment for Monday, April 9, and Tuesday, April 10

Complete your STP presentation and bring it to class. Try to have it on note cards rather than your laptop, just as you will during the actual presentation, but be sure to have your images on a flash drive or in the cloud. During class, you will practice the presentation in groups of 3 or 4.

Assignment for Wednesday, April 4, and Thursday, April 5

View this TED talk by Bryan Stevenson. We will discuss it in class.

In addition, complete the spoken content of your STP presentation. In class, we will finish the extemporaneous speeches, and briefly discuss the Stevenson's TED talk. You'll have the rest of your time to prepare your presentation.

Assignments for Tuesday, March 20, Wednesday, March 21, and Thursday, March 22

For Tuesday: Those of you who have fewer than five pages written, I want you to make a plan in writing for completing the draft by March 28 or March 29.

In class you will write an essay about Unflattening. You will not know the prompt in advance, and the essay will be set up in a similar way as the AP Lang exam's synthesis essay. (Although it looks similar to a DBQ, the sythesis essay is different—your argument takes priority, and you must use the sources to develop your argument.) The essay will have six-to-eight sources, including some pages from Unflattening, along with Donald Hoffman's TED talk ("Do We See Reality As It Is?") and  related readings from Approaching Great Ideas. The readings are listed below. You might find it helpful to complete these readings over the weekend, but I will not require you to do so.

Oliver Sacks, "The Mind's Eye," pp. 236-241
Michio Kaku, "Physics of the Impossible," pp. 252-260
John Dewey, "Morality and Education," pp. 400-402
Transcript of Donald Hoffman's TED talk

If you want to preview the synthesis essay, go here.

For Wednesday (Day 2) and Thursday (Day 3): Two things. First, look over your exploratory essay and combine it with your research writing. Make sure that the exploratory essay is consistent with the research writing you've produced. Also, make sure that your research question appears toward the end of the exploratory essay, and your thesis appears no later than the beginning of your research writing, even if you aren't sure of or confident in your thesis. Work on making an appropriate transition between the exploratory essay and the research writing. 

Second, come to class with a two part title for your STP presentation that is more specific than the one you provided to Mrs. Chhablani. Have one part refer to your topic (preferably your thesis); the other part could be catchier and more memorable--use an allusion, some kind of figurative language (metaphor, simile, and so on), or a phrase from a quote you researched or heard in an interview. For example (and these are fabricated): 

Walking on Water: The Advantages and Pitfalls of High Self-Esteem in Adolescents 

"He Was Listening, But He Didn't Hear Me": Silence and Authority in the Parent-Child Relationship

The Cool Side of the Pillow: Sleep and Academic Performance

Snow Day Update, and Assignment for Monday, March 19, and Tuesday, March 20

For Thursday (Day 4), your assignment remains the same.

For Friday (Day 5), you still have Wednesday's assignment.

Those of you who are behind on the STP writing should take advantage of this day to begin catching up. Also, if you have fewer than five pages written, I want you to make a plan in writing for completing the draft by March 28 or March 29.

In class on Thursday and Friday, we will finish analyzing the two TED talks we've watched, and we will conclude our discussion of Unflattening. In addition, we will go over the AP exam's synthesis essay. (Although it looks similar to a DBQ, the sythesis essay is different—your argument takes priority, and you must use the sources to develop your argument.) On Monday and Tuesday, you will write this kind of essay primarily about Unflattening, along with Donald Hoffman's TED talk ("Do We See Reality As It Is?") and some related readings in Approaching Great Ideas. You will not receive the question in advance, but the readings are listed below. You might find it helpful to complete these readings over the weekend, but I will not require you to do so. Anything that isn't clear about this assignment will be clarified in class on Thursday and Friday; I just wanted to give you a heads up.

Oliver Sacks, "The Mind's Eye," pp. 236-241
Michio Kaku, "Physics of the Impossible," pp. 252-260
John Dewey, "Morality and Education," pp. 400-402
Transcript of Donald Hoffman's TED talk

If you want to preview the synthesis essay, go here.

Assignments for Monday, March 12, to Thursday, March 15

For Monday and Tuesday, read pp. 99-123 in Sousanis's Unflattening.

For Wednesday and Thursday, read pp. 125-152 in Unflattening. Write one double-spaced page in response to the following: Find a page in Unflattening that you found persuasive or unpersuasive, and explain that page's persuasiveness or lack of persuasiveness. Be sure to refer to both the words and image(s) on the page. Share this at mrmontasmph@gmail.com.

If you missed class on Monday or Tuesday, you'll need to read pp. 125-140 in Unflattening. Also, we watched the following TED talks and discussed their effectiveness:

https://www.ted.com/talks/donald_hoffman_do_we_see_reality_as_it_is

https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability

Assignments for Friday, March 2 to Thursday, March 8

For Friday (Day 2), write one additional page of your STP research writing. Bring Unflattening to class. We will continue with the extemporaneous speeches.

For Monday (Day 3), write two additional pages of your STP research writing. Bring Unflattening to class. You will spend the bulk of class working on your STP.

For Tuesday (Day 4), write two additional pages of your STP research writing.

For Wednesday (Day 5), write two additional pages of your STP research writing. Bring Unflattening to class. We will complete the extemporaneous speeches. This makes a total of four additional pages from where you left off before the break.

For Thursday (Day 6), write one additional page of your STP research writing. Bring Unflattening to class. This makes a total of four additional pages from where you left off before the break.

Assignments for Tuesday, Feb. 27, Wednesday, Feb. 28, and Thursday, March 1

For Tuesday (Day 5), read and annotate the "interlude" and chs. 2 and 3 of Sousakis's Unflattening (pp. 19-67). You have nothing to do for the STP. Your next 4 pages will be due on Wednesday, March 7 (Day 5) and Thursday, March 8 (Day 6).

For Wednesday (Day 6) and Thursday (Day 1), in Unflattening, read and annotate pp. 69-82, and continue unflattening the image you found in Monday or Tuesday's class.

For Monday, Feb. 26, and Tuesday, Feb. 27

Over the break, read and annotate the "interlude" and chs. 2 and 3 of Sousakis's Unflattening (pp. 19-67).

You have nothing to do for the STP. Your next 4 pages will be due on Wednesday, March 7 (Day 5) and Thursday, March 8 (Day 6).

Assignments for Tuesday, Feb. 13, Wednesday, Feb. 14, and Thursday Feb. 15

For Tuesday (Day 6), prepare to respond to one of the prompts concerning Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own and related readings. The prompts are posted to the right. If you have any questions about the prompts or the essay, don't hesitate to get in touch with me.

For Wednesday and Thursday, read Nick Sousanis, Unflattening, pp. 1-18. Consider what he means by flatness, and consider what the illustrations reveal that the words do not.

Assignment for Monday, Feb. 12, and Tuesday, Feb. 13

For Monday (Day 5) and Tuesday (Day 6), prepare to respond to one of the prompts concerning Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own and related readings. The prompts are posted to the right. If you have any questions about the prompts or the essay, don't hesitate to get in touch with me.

Assignment for Wednesday, Feb. 6, and Thursday, Feb. 7

In Approaching Great Ideas, read bell hooks, "Feminist Politics" (pp. 190-195) and Leslie Chang, "Factory Girls of Dongguan" (pp. 357-364).

Students will finish delivering extemporaneous speeches. If you missed Monday's or Tuesday's class, see the rubric posted to the right.

Grading scale for extemporaneous speeches

48: A+
44: A
40: A-
36: B+
32: B
28: B-
24: C+
20: C
16: C-
12: D

Assignment for Wednesday Jan. 31, Thursday, Feb. 1, and Friday, Feb. 2

For Wednesday, have four-to-five pages of your research writing ready for me to grade.

For Thursday and Friday, read the following pieces in Approaching Great Ideas: Lucy Delaney, "Struggles for My Freedom" (pp. 146-151) and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, "Women and Economics: 'Cupid-in-the-Kitchen'" (pp. 303-314). In Delaney's piece, the injustices are obvious, but focus on the gender dynamics, some of which are unstated but nonetheless present. (In Gilman's piece, gender dynamics are readily apparent.)

Assignments for Friday, Jan. 26, to Wednesday, Jan. 31

For Friday (Day 6) and Monday (Day 1), complete one additional page of your research writing. By this class, you should be up to four pages of research writing. If you're having trouble getting there, you need to communicate with me to explain your challenges. Also, bring A Room of One's Own to class; you will have time during the first part of class to finish reading Ch. 6.

For Tuesday and Wednesday, four-to-five pages of research writing are due. This writing will be graded, so revise and edit your writing accordingly. You must include citations for your sources, but you do not need to include a complete bibliography. Addendum: Finish reading Ch. 6 of A Room of One's Own and bring the book to class.

Assignments for Tuesday, Jan. 23, Wednesday, Jan. 24, and Thursday, Jan. 25

For Tuesday (Day 3), have two pages (or the equivalent) written for the STP research writing. Be prepared to share it with me via Google Classroom. (We will begin the transition to Google Classroom during class.) Make sure that you bring A Room of One's Own to class; we need to discuss Ch. 5.

For Wednesday (Day 4) and Thursday (Day 5), write one additional page of your STP research writing. Wednesday's class will have time to finish reading Ch. 5 of A Room of One's Own during class.

Assignments for Thursday, Jan. 18, Friday, Jan. 19, Monday, Jan. 22, and Tuesday, Jan. 23

For Thursday, read Ch. 4 (pp. 58-78) of Woolf's A Room of One's Own. If you missed Friday or Tuesday's class, watch the following videos:
"Founder of #MeToo Movement Speaks Out"
"As Surviviors Say #Me Too, What Will It Take to Stop Sexual Harassment?"

Addenda:
If you're interested, here are additional perspectives on sexual harassment and #MeToo:

Jia Tolentino, "Harvey Weinstein and the Impunity of Powerful Men" (Oct. 30)
Jessica Bennett, "The #MeToo Moment: When the Blinders Come Off" (Nov. 30)
Time Magazine: Person of the Year: The Silence Breakers (Jan. 1)
Daphne Merkin, "Publicly, We Say #MeToo. Privately, We have Misgivings" (Jan. 5)

For Friday, Jan. 19, read Ch. 5 of Woolf's A Room of One's Own (pp. 79-94). Continue working on the STP research writing. 

For Monday (Day 2) and Tuesday (Day 3), have two pages (or the equivalent) written for the STP research writing. Be prepared to share it with me via Google Classroom. (We will begin the transition to Google Classroom during class.) Make sure that you bring A Room of One's Own to class. 

Assignments for Friday, Jan. 12 to Thursday, Jan. 18

For Friday and Tuesday, read Ch. 3 (pp. 41-57) of Woolf's A Room of One's Own.

For Wednesday and Thursday, read Ch. 4 (pp. 58-78) of Woolf's A Room of One's Own. If you missed Friday or Tuesday's class, watch the following videos:
"Founder of #MeToo Movement Speaks Out"
"As Surviviors Say #Me Too, What Will It Take to Stop Sexual Harassment?"

Addenda:
If you're interested, here are additional perspectives on sexual harassment and #MeToo:

Jia Tolentino, "Harvey Weinstein and the Impunity of Powerful Men" (Oct. 30)
Jessica Bennett, "The #MeToo Moment: When the Blinders Come Off" (Nov. 30)
Time Magazine: Person of the Year: The Silence Breakers (Jan. 1)
Daphne Merkin, "Publicly, We Say #MeToo. Privately, We have Misgivings" (Jan. 5)

Assignment for Monday, Jan. 8, and Tuesday, Jan. 9

In Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, read pp. 1-24.