Beowulf

Journal Topics


What is a hero?  Explain your definition and give examples.

What is courage?  How would most people today define courage?

What qualities do you believe a good leader should possess?  Discuss leadership in our society.  Name some modern leaders.  What are the characteristics of contemporary leaders?What do we admire about them?

What does it mean to be loyal?  Tell about a time when you were loyal or someone was loyal to you.

Why is reputation important?  What influences a person's reputation?

 What does it mean to be generous?  Why is generosity important? Write about the most generous person you know.

What does the "scop" (pronounced "shop"), or bard, do for his society?

Define rhythm, rhyme. Discuss the value of both to oral tradition. Elicit examples of things we remember well because of these devices (nursery rhymes, months of the year, etc).

Explain the literary terms kenning and appositive phrase. Create kennings and appositive phrases to describe someone you know.



What seems to be the function of the boasts that Beowulf and others make?

What role does the Hall of Heorot play in this culture?

What role does wealth play in Beowulf's culture? What problems does it cause?

Oedipus Sketches

Students listened to Oedipus in class and sketched segments for plot analysis.

Gaithersburg Book Festival - A Celebration of books, writers, and literary excellence

Gaithersburg Book Festival - A Celebration of books, writers, and literary excellence

High school students from across the Washington Metropolitan Area are invited to submit short stories to the Gaithersburg Book Festival first annual Short Story Contest. To participate, your story must be no longer than 1,000 words and start with one of the following three lines:*

1. In my entire life, I've fibbed dozens of times - usually to be polite or to get out of attending some mind-numbing social event - but I've only told one really big lie…

2. "Don't open the box," my father always told me...

3. When I left my parents' house for good, I took five things with me…

ClassBlog: Oedipus and Coldplay

RP ClassBlog: Oedipus and Coldplay: "Viva La Vida Analysis Lyrics Oedipus is an example of a Greek tragedy. Using your book or notes, identify the traits..."

The Great Gatsby is?... at AnswerGarden.ch.

AP Conference Notes part1

AP Conference Notes part2

Teaching With Podcasts - ReadWriteThink

Teaching With Podcasts - ReadWriteThink

Students can produce podcasts that fit any genre, including audio diary entries, analytical commentary on readings or current events, informational recordings that explain concepts, and persuasive and argumentative statements.

ClassBlog: Diagramming Sentences

RP ClassBlog: Diagramming Sentences

Oedipus Rex : Sophocles : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

Audio Oedipus Rex : Sophocles : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

Sophocles, Oedipus the King (E-text)

Sophocles, Oedipus the King (E-text)

Sophocles
Oedipus the King
c. 420 BC

---

This translation by Ian Johnston of Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, BC, has certain copyright restrictions. For information please use the following link: Copyright. For comments or question please contact Ian Johnston.

This translation is available in the form of a published paperback book from Richer Resources Publications.

This text is available in the form of a Publisher file for those who would like to print it off as a small book. There is no charge for these files. For details, please use the following link: Publisher files.

For a catalogue of other translations, please use the following link: Index

Confessions of former NFL agent Josh Luchs - SI.com - Magazine

Confessions of former NFL agent Josh Luchs - SI.com - Magazine: "This story appears in the October 18, 2010 issue of Sports Illustrated
I will never forget the first time I paid a player.
There are moments you will always remember, like your first kiss or your first home run or the day you met your wife. For me, the first time I broke an NCAA rule to try to land a client is just as indelible.
It was before the 1990 football season, and I flew from Los Angeles to Denver and drove to the University of Colorado to try to meet with Kanavis McGhee. He was a big, pass-rushing linebacker who was expected to be a high pick in the 1991 NFL draft. I was 20 years old -- the youngest agent ever certified by the NFL Players Association -- and had less than a year's experience, but for whatever reason I convinced myself that I had a shot with him."

RP ClassBlog: O Brother

RP ClassBlog: O Brother

We are transitioning into reading Oedipus reading The Iliad.

As a transitional piece, please read the following passage about the Trojan War and the life of Odysseus.

"After the Trojan War, Odysseus (also known as Ulysses) is imprisoned by Poseidon because of an offense he had committed. The gods decide he should be released and he begins his journey home. He and his men experience a wide variety of adventures including encountering a Cyclops and Sirens. When he returns home he must prove his love to his wife and vanquish her suitors."

Also, please complete the following discussion questions and view the film with the questions in mind.

Film Discussion Questions:
1. What elements make this film a period piece (set in a particular time and place)?

2. When the stranger warns Everett Ulysses McGill, Delmar, and Pete that they’ll “find treasure, but not the sort they’re looking for," what treasure is he referring to?
What treasure are the three characters hoping to find?

3. Where does the title O, Brother Where Art Thou originate?

4. The movie is loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey in which the Greek warrior Odysseus ( known as Ulysses) spends ten years of his life enduring bizarre adventures as he tries to return home to his wife Penelope after the Trojan War. What similarities do you see between the Odyssey and O, Brother Where Art Thou?

5. Bluegrass music is an important part of the film. What role does it play and what does it add to the movie?

6. A road movie is one in which character(s) embark on a journey of self discovery on the road or through travel. How does this movie do that?

7. What elements of humor are evident in the movie?

8. What is your favorite scene of the movie?

9. Some critics of the film say that O, Brother Where Art Thouconsists of great bits and pieces rather than a cohesive or complete film. Do you agree/disagree with this?

http://www.manitowoc.lib.wi.us/readers/criticschoice/obrother.htm

ETEXT The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Persona Poem

I am The American Flag,
I wave in front of Post Offices,
People stand up to praise me in school,
Before the first pitch,
At the Lincoln Memorial.
Flap, Flap.

My thirteen stripes and fifty stars,
Were supposed to remind Americans of their history.
Sadly, they sometimes use me to prove the worth of their political party,
Justify wars on drugs and on terror,
Spread Democracy to the rest of the world -
Whether it's wanted or not.

Soldiers carry me into battle,
I represent freedom,
The American Way,
But not necessarily the way for the whole world.
God Bless America.

Gatsby Questions

Chapter 1

Describe the main characters in this chapter. What is Gatsby doing when Nick sees him? Summarize the potential significance of the green light at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 2

Explain the possible meaning of the eyes of D. T.J. Eckleberg. They are a recurring symbol throughout the novel. Identify changes in Myrtle's character when she is with George at the gas station and then when she is with Tom in the city.

Chapter 3

What is the significance of the man Nick meets in the library? What does he point out about the books, and why are his comments significant? What are some of the other explanations given at the party for the mystery surrounding Gatsby's persona?

Chapter 4

Why is Gatsby's explanation of his background to Nick significant? What does Gatsby's meeting with Meyer Wolfshiem indicate about his character? What do you learn about the history between Gatsby and Daisy at the end of Chapter 4? How do you feel about Gatsby's motivations at the end of the chapter?

Gatsby Aphorisms