Thursday, March 31, 2011

Bhangra

Please take a moment and comment on your experience in today's class learning the dance steps to a Bhangra Dance - A tradional north indian dance.

Here are some examples of dance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BxMMQs-6nQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbLxMIaTvL0


Please be sure to thank Anurag and Cherag for donating their time and experience to the class.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Jobs for Literature Circles

Connector:


Group Name:________________________________

Name: ______________
Book:  _______________


Assignment:  _____p. - _____p.

Connector: your job is to find connections between the book and you, and between the book and the wider world. This means connecting the treading to your own past experiences, to happenings at the school, or in the community, to stories in the news, to similar events at other times and places, to other people or problems that you are reminded of. You may also see connections between this book and other writings on the same topic or by the same author.

Some Connections I made between this reading and my own experiences, the wider world and other texts or authors:



From Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, 2d edition, by Harvey Daniels. Copyright 2002. Stenhouse Publishers
Questioner:


Group Name:________________________________

Name: ______________
Book:  _______________


Assignment:  _____p. - _____p.

Questioner: your job is write down a few questions that you have about this part of the book. What were you wondering about while you were reading? Did you have questions about what was happening? What a word meant? What a character did? What going to happened next? Why the author used a certain style? Or what the whole thing meant? Just try to notice what you are wondering while you read, and jot down some of those questions either along the way or after you’ve finished.


Questions about today’s Reading”
  




From Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, 2d edition, by Harvey Daniels. Copyright 2002. Stenhouse Publishers
Literary Luminary:


Group Name:________________________________

Name: ______________
Book:  _______________


Assignment:  _____p. - _____p.

Literary Luminary:  You job is to locate a few special sections or quotations in the text for your group to talk over. The idea is to help people go back to some especially interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important sections of the reading and think about them more carefully. As you decide which passages or paragraph are worth going back to, make a note why you picked each one. Then jot down some of the plans for how they should be shared You can read passages aloud yourself, ask someone else to read them, or have people read them silently and then discuss.

Page # & Paragraph                               Reason’s for Picking                                                Plan for Discussion




From Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, 2d edition, by Harvey Daniels. Copyright 2002. Stenhouse Publishers
Illustrator:


Group Name:________________________________

Name: ______________
Book:  _______________


Assignment:  _____p. - _____p.

Illustrator: Good Readers make pictures in their minds as they read. This is a chance to share some of your own images and visions. Draw some kind of picture related to the reading you have just done. It can be a sketch, cartoon, diagram, flowchart, or stick-figure scene. You can draw a picture of something that happened in your book, or a something that the reading reminded you of, or a picture that conveys any idea or feeling you got from the reading. Any kind of drawing or graphic is  okay  you can even label thins with words if that helps.

Presentation :  Whenever it fits the conversation, show your drawing to the group. You don’t necessarily have to explain it. You can let people speculate what your picture means, so they can connect your drawings to their own ideas about the reading.


  
From Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, 2d edition, by Harvey Daniels. Copyright 2002. Stenhouse Publishers
Researcher:


Group Name:________________________________

Name: ______________
Book:  _______________


Assignment:  _____p. - _____p.

Researcher: You job is to dig up some of the background information on any topic related to your book. This might include:
            The geography, weather, culture, or history of the books’ setting.
Information about the author, his/her life, and other works.
Information about the time period portrayed in the book
Pictures, objects or materials that illustrate elements of the book the history and derivation of words or names used in the book
Music that reflects the book or the time.

This is not a formal research report. The idea is to find some information or materials that help your group understand the book better. Investigate something that really interested you – something that struck you has puzzling or curious while you were reading.


Some Connections I made between this reading and my own experiences, the wider world and other texts or authors:



From Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, 2d edition, by Harvey Daniels. Copyright 2002. Stenhouse Publishers

Calendar for Lit. Circles



Literature Circles:                                                                                                                                               Calendar of Reading:
Group:___________________________________________


March 28

“Third and Final Continent”
March 29
Interpreter of Maladies Discussion

March 30
Read to: ________

Tasks:
Connector: _____
Questioner:_________
Literary Luminary: ________

Optional:
Illustrator:_______
Researcher:______

March 31

BHANGRA
April 1

April 4

Paper to be turned in.

Read to: ________

Tasks:
Connector: _____
Questioner:_________
Literary Luminary: ________

Optional:
Illustrator:_______
Researcher:______
April 5
Introduce Term 4 project
April 6

April 7

Read to: ________

Tasks:
Connector: _____
Questioner:_________
Literary Luminary: ________

Optional:
Illustrator:_______
Researcher:______
April 8
End of Term 3
April 11
Read to: ________

Tasks:
Connector: _____
Questioner:_________
Literary Luminary: ________

Optional:
Illustrator:_______
Researcher:______
April 12
April 13
Final Day
Read to: ________

Tasks:
Connector: _____
Questioner:_________
Literary Luminary: ________

Optional:
Illustrator:_______
Researcher:______


Schedule for the Remainder of the Week.

Wednesday March 30, 2011
      Please be prepared for you lit circles.  You should have completed 15% of the text.

Thursday March 31, 2011
     Please dress appropriately and have appropriate footware for .BHANGRA!

Monday April 4, 2011
     Your one page write up for Interpreter of Maladies will be collected. Quotes are not a necessity, though to be considered for an A, you should have a quote.
    Rememeber to bring your book for collection.

Friday, March 25, 2011

C Block

Below is a listing of assignments for the upcoming week.
Monday:              
   1.) Please take a moment to review the following quote from "The Third and Final Continent"

           "Everybody feel he must get to the top.  Don't expect an English cup of tea."
            [a quote from an American tour book used by the main character to describe the US]

Tuesday:
     1.) Final discussion on Interpretor of Maladies
                a.) We will have small in class discussions on the novel and your ideas on the materials.
               b.) Assignment: Take one topic from your discussion, expand upon it, and create a one page typed double spaced piece discussing your take on the materials or defending your opinion.

                                Special Notes:  Quotes are not required, but must be used to be considered for an A. Remember if you did not complete the Socratic Seminar, you must write a half page response on a separate topic to make up the work.

  Wednesday
          1.) First Literature Circle Meeting. 
                 Please be sure to bring your book and to be at least 15% done with the book.

D Block

Below is a listing of assignments for the upcoming week.

D Block:
Monday:
    1.) Please complete the questions from the video on arranged marriages. These are for your notes and I will only check of that they are completed.
                a.) The link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=henmRGf_67k
                b.) Do you feel that the report is impartial? Why or Why not?
                c.) Why do you think it is the younger generation who rebuked the young lady in the second half
                        of the program when she marraiged outsided her family's custom?
               d.) While discussing arranged marriages vs "american" marriages, what do you feel are the
                      benefits and negatives to these ceremonies?

   2.) Please take a moment to review the following quote from "The Third and Final Continent"

           "Everybody feel he must get to the top.  Don't expect an English cup of tea."
            [a quote from an American tour book used by the main character to describe the US]

Tuesday:
     1.) Final discussion on Interpretor of Maladies
                a.) We will have small in class discussions on the novel and your ideas on the materials.
               b.) Assignment: Take one topic from your discussion, expand upon it, and create a one page typed double spaced piece discussing your take on the materials or defending your opinion.

                                Special Notes:  Quotes are not required, but must be used to be considered for an A.
                                                         Remember if you did not complete the Socratic Seminar, you must
                                                         write a half page response on a separate topic to make up the work.

  Wednesday
          1.) First Literature Circle Meeting. 
                 Please be sure to bring your book and to be at least 15% done with the book.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Arranged Marriages

I would like to apologize for not posting this earlier.
The link the news article is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/fashion/07love.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
This article is different from the original one I had planned to use, but offers some rather interesting insight.

Please take a moment and jot down, on a separate piece of paper, some of the qualities, characteristics and concerns that you would want someone to look for in another person if they were to search for a significant other for you. Please bring this sheet to class.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Literature Circles Forum

Our next text will be one of your choosing.
I would ask that you find at least three people who would also like to read this book (from the same class).
There will be a calendar of deadlines forthcoming.
The book must be representative of a culture in some regards and be approved by me.
I would expect that everyone would choose a book that is both enjoyable and challenging.
The comments section will be a place to post books that you may be interested in reading to
survey interest from the class.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Room Changes 3/22 - 3/24 2011

During MCAS, please report to the following classrooms during our class:


Date
C Block
D Block
Tuesday March 22
332
333
Wednesday March 23
436
 Does not meet
Thursday March 24
Does not meet
430

Revised Reading Calendar

Reading Calendar:

  Date to have the reading completed:
                                                   C Block                    D Block
A temporary matter:                                Completed
When Mr. Pirzada came to dine              Completed
Interpreter of Maladies                           Completed
A Real Durwan                                       Completed
Sexy                                                        Completed
Mrs. Sen's                                       3/18                     3/21
This Blesed House                            3/18                       3/21
The Treatment of Bibi Haldar            3/21                      3/22
The Third and Final Continent          3/22                      3/24

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Toba Tek Singh

Please take a moment and read the short story Toba Tek Singh by Sadaat Hasan Monto.
http://www.sikh-history.com/literature/stories/tobatek.html

The story concerns the countries of India and Pakistan a few short years after Partition and how to handle the exchange of patients from hospitals.  We will discuss it in our next class.  For your own information, prior to reading, it is important to take note that Toba Tek Singh is district in Pakistan.  For further details, feel free to look at the following link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_Tek_Singh_District

Monday, March 7, 2011

Partition of India

Review the film The Day India Burned (produced by the BBC: 2007).

Assignment:  Read through the following questions. 
Please write an answer for one of the questions, and comment on someone else's answer to a different question:

1.) Did the British do enough during the time of Partition to prevent conflict? What could they have done differently?
2.) Why do you feel these tensions continue today?
3.) Why do situations, such as communal violence, escalate?  (you may wish to define communal violence).
4.) Connect the events of this video in with the concepts portrayed in the novel Interpreter of Maladies.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Interpreter of Maladies

You should be prepared to have read one short story for each class we have, and two for days of double block.

Title:                           Date to have the reading completed:
                                                   C Block                    D Block
A temporary matter:                         3/3/11                    3/4/11
When Mr. Pirzada came to dine       3/8/11 ***             3/7/11   ***
Interpreter of Maladies                     3/7/11                    3/8/11
A Real Durwan                                3/11/11                    3/11/11     
Sexy                                                3/14/11                  3/14/11
Mrs. Sen's                                       3/14                      3/14
This Blesed House                            3/15                       3/16
The Treatment of Bibi Haldar            3/16                       3/17
The Third and Final Continent          3/17                         3/18


***  Additional Reading will be forthcoming for this day.
On days when our class does not meet, please be sure to bunch the scheduled reading for the next class.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa

             Our conversations as of late have been in regards to the global community and how we are slowly blending together; how the impact of events in another country can impact us here, thousands of miles away.  With that in mind, here is the link to a news article helping to explain briefly what is occurring in the Middle East and North Africa:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/01/mideast.africa.unrest/index.html?iref=allsearch