Class Notes 3/16-3/30

3/30/11	NOTES: Today we took a reading quiz.  We also drew a picture, in our journals, of a character from Rule of the Bone. HOMEWORK: Read pages 109-133, Rule of the Bone.  Do RWR for Friday, if you failed the quiz.
3/29/11	NOTES: In small groups, discussed and answered the following questions: What are the central tasks in coming of age?  (What does it take to become an adult?) Which of these central tasks has Chappie accomplished? As a class, we made the following chart: ________________________________________________________________ coming of age tasks                              Has Chappie achieved task? - moving out of parents’ house                   - yes - having a job                                              - not really, unless selling dope - having own house                                    - not his own, but with friends - having money                                           - only from selling dope - growing physically                                    - no, was runty 14-year old - know right from wrong                              - has a moral compass, won’t                                                                     sell crank, won’t steal high-                                                                     ticket items - self-reliant                                                 - yes, but is addicted to pot - stands up for self and others                    - sometimes, like when Joker                                                                     wants to shave Chappie’s                                                                     mohawk - not dependent on parents                         - yes - emotionally independent from                   - for the most part parents and others                                                                                         - sexual maturity                                         - unknown ________________________________________________________________ Students made KWL chart to organize thoughts on prompt: “about Chappie’s problems”.  K is for what you know. W is for what you’d like to learn or know.  L is for what you’ve learned (by the end of the book). The book starts to shift around page 84.  Why?  Because the apartment building where Russ and Chappie are living, burns down. HOMEWORK: Read pages 84-108, Rule of the Bone.  Reading quiz Wednesday.
3/28/11	INTRO: Students wrote down 3 things that they learned in March intensive, then shared them with the rest of the class. NOTES: Continued our discussion of Rule of the Bone.  Notes from the board: _______________________________________________________________ definition                                                       characteristics: a coming-of-age novel where                        - character moves or travels travels features prominently                             a lot                                                                      - person gains independence and                                                                        moves away from parents, doesn’t                                                                        rely on parents                                         Bildungsroman examples:                                                       non-examples: - Chappie, Rule of the Bone                          - Disreputable History - Catcher in the Rye, Holden                         - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s   - Siddhartha                                                      Nest - Star Wars, Luke - Forrest Gump                                                                                                     ________________________________________________________________ Bildungsroman is of German origin.   coming of age= growing up becoming an adult (You don’t have to be totally independent.) What are some markers in our society of becoming an adult? age 16- license and car age 18- vote, tobacco, gamble, tattoo your own place age 21- alcohol                   HOMEWORK: Read pages 58-83, Rule of the Bone.
3/18/11	NOTES: Loop writing- used 2-3 minutes on each of the following prompts: How important is family in shaping who a person is?  We were generally in agreement that a person’s family has a heavy impact on shaping that person’s values and morals.  While a family’s nurturing affects a person’s personality, nature also heavily affects it. Write about an aspect of your person or personality that you feel your parents helped shape.  Some of the traits mentioned were athleticism, being artistic, and being religious. How has family shaped Chappie?  Chappie’s family is quite dysfunctional.  His real dad abandoned him.  His stepfather and mother are neglectful of him, and don’t set boundaries.  His step father is emotionally and physically abusive to him.  He puts Chappie down and dehumanizes him.  Chappie turns to outsiders, but no one tells him to stop smoking, stop doing drugs, or to stop drinking.  His mom seems to care about him, but it doesn’t seem to be enough.   HOMEWORK: SEE YESTERDAY
3/17/11	INTRO: Each student got a progress report today, and checked in with Mr. Bourne.  If all work was caught up, student could leave. NOTES: Another rebel presentation: Augustina and Kyle: Jimi Hendrix rebel because of music style, burning guitar on stage, and changing The Star Spangled Banner born 1942 in Washington state epitomized the 1960’s, image of flamboyant rock and roll, sexuality, and drug use African American who learned to play guitar at age 12 heavy drug use, arrested in 1969 The Hendrix Experience toured USA, not accepted by young adults, was taken off the tour turned to groupies and drugs controversial rendition of Star Spangled Banner died by suffocating in his vomit HOMEWORK: Read up to page 57, Rule of the Bone, by the time we return to class,  after March intensive.
3/16/11	NOTES: Today we all worked on in-class essay (The Disreputable History...)  Can finish it tomorrow during “x”. HOMEWORK: Read pages 24-41, Rule of the Bone.