Research Anything! Finish your humor books.

Project description and due dates are on Edline. This is the big grade of fourth quarter, so stay on top of things to avoid an unpleasant situation.

Finish your independent reading books by Thursday, May 14.

Create Your Own Satire and/or Parody

Create a piece of writing, video, music, or anything else that serves as a satire or parody. Remember that a satire's main purpose is to criticize or ridicule something you think needs reforming, while a parody is a humorous imitation. A parody can serve as satire, however.

This project is due Wednesday, May 6.

Independent Reading Round 3

For the third round of choose-your-own- book, we will stick with the theme of humor. Choose a book with a strong element of comedy, humor or absurdity. Here are some suggestions:

--a biography or memoir about a comedian
--Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift (a wonderful story and good piece of satire)
--a collection of stories or essays by James Thurber or another humorist (e.g. David Sedaris)
--almost anything by Kurt Vonnegut
--almost anything by Mark Twain
--A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
--one of the two books by Sherman Alexi
--a Tom Robbins novel (warning--sometimes sexually explicit)
--Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
--The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde (a great comic play)
--an absurdist play by Beckett, Ionesco, or Edward Albee

There are some helpful lists of humorous books to be found online, as well.

If you choose a book and it turns out not to be funny to you, no problem. Read it anyway. As we've discussed, humor is subjective.

The Last Word on Personal Profiles

I have posted a grading rubric for your personal profiles on Edline.

Final drafts are due Thursday, March 26. Remember that these will be put into a book for other students to read. If you have issues with "personal stuff" in the profile, please see me.

Also, everyone should have started a new book by now. Remember, the theme is "the opposite sex." Book talks are right after spring break.

Revised due dates

We've gotten away from the due dates I gave you a couple weeks ago. For Tuesday, March 24, everybody needs a second draft of your personal profile and one other completed portfolio component (a second short prose piece, the final two poems, or Component D).

Personal Profiles and Other Stuff

Both classes need to bring in complete rough drafts of their personal profiles on Thursday (no extensions for senior skip day, which is not a religious holiday). Remember that this essay needs to be at least 4 pages, so that is can serve as Component C for your portfolio.

You also need to bring in at least a partial draft of Component D, the "other" piece.


Also remember to choose a book--our theme this round is "the opposite sex." Choose a book, either fiction or non-fiction, that you think will give you some insight into the other sex. Stay away from self-help type books, which tend to oversimplify complex issues. Book talks will begin on April 14.

Writing Assignments

D block class needs to write a short story revolving around a personal secret. If you did not turn one in already, write a short narrative about a personal experience. For both pieces, focus on using strong, active verbs and being brief--no extra words.

C block class is in poetry mode, so focus on the poetry pieces for your portfolio. You will do the same things as the D block class soon, and vice versa.

Anyone who was not in class Friday come see me to get a couple of important handouts.

Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your life

Yes, it is here--your last semester as a high school student. This is not the same as saying, "High school is finished." We still have work to do, and there is always more to learn.

Our first unit this semester will be creative writing. Details will be given in class. In addition, you will be doing independent reading, culminating in presentations and other projects. For your first book, choose a book, either fiction or non-fiction, that provides insight into another culture. Bring it to class Friday, Feb. 6th.

Mr. Marcus has an epiphany!

Regarding your pick a book project, the "big question" can be addressed in your letter to the author. Therefore, you only need to complete two assignments, rather than three. You will need to lengthen your letter to incorporate the big question piece. You may still do extra creative projects for extra credit.

Pick a book.

For our last reading of the semester, students will choose their own books. The book must be a novel or memoir/autobiography and should be appropriately challenging for a high school senior. You will want a book with literary and thematic substance, as we will be making in-depth connections to our prior reading. Please bring me your possible books on Wednesday. Feel free to email me with ideas.

Goodnight sweet prince . . .

We're near the end of our study of Hamlet. The Mix Tape project is due Monday, Jan. 12. A final test on Hamlet will also be Monday, Jan. 12. It will cover all five acts, including plot, characters, themes, motifs and quotes. We will do in-depth review on Thursday. Make sure you bring your books. Organize all of your reading guides for review purposes.