Who is your favorite poet or musician and why? (Due Friday, February 24th!)

A poet's work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep. - Salman Rushdie
		Who is your favorite poet and why?  What are some of your favorite poems by that poet?  If you don't have a favorite poet or haven't read much poetry, then write about your favorite band or artist.  What are some lyrics they have written that you liked?  Why?  If you can include a specific poem or lyrics, then that's great!  REMEMBER: Your response must be a fully-developed, 5-sentence paragraph.  Below is an example response. This is a tough question for me.  There are so many poets I love: Pablo Neruda, Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, Billy Collins... the list goes on and on.  I think my absolute favorite all-time poet, if I have to pick, is William Carlos Williams.  He is known for his short poems, which he wrote on prescription pads when he was a doctor. Though many of his poems are short, they contain touching and true reflections of the human condition.  He also wrote many poems which were musings about artwork.  I especially love the poem called "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" about a Brueghel painting because it emphasizes the everyday world not as backdrop, but as even more important than the fall of a hero: According to Brueghel when Icarus fell it was spring a farmer was ploughing his field the whole pageantry of the year was awake tingling with itself sweating in the sun that melted the wings' wax unsignificantly off the coast there was a splash quite unnoticed this was Icarus drowning

Superbowl Prediction (Due Friday, February 3rd!)

Which team will win Superbowl XLVI?  Why? Remember to support your prediction with several good reasons and use your best grammar.  If you're not a football fan, then what sports team do you follow and why?  If you don't follow a team, then what athlete do you most admire and why?  

A Letter to the Elders (Due Friday, January 27th!)

The Community in The Giver is very different from our own.  The Giver explains to Jonas that the Elders gave up color and choice when they chose Sameness.  Jonas agrees and admits, "We really have to protect people from wrong choices" (99). Imagine that you are Jonas and are writing to the Elders asking them to allow people to make more of their own decisions.  How would you argue for color, or for the chance to choose your own spouse and job?  Do your best to convince them to get rid of Sameness!

If you were the protagonist... (Due Friday, January 20th)

The protagonist is the main character who must solve or attempt to solve the story's major conflict.  At the beginning of The Giver, Jonas is apprehensive about the assignment he will be given.  In his community, elders choose jobs for each citizen by the time they turn 12.  If you were in Jonas's position, what job do you think would have been chosen for you?  Why?  Remember to write at least 5 sentences in a well-developed paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.

Author Interview Response (Due Friday, January 13th)

Watch the interview above; then, write a response of at least five sentences.  Your response should include your reaction to Lois Lowry.  Did anything about her appearance surprise you?  Were you surprised by anything she said?  Are there any questions that you wish you could ask her?  What do you think The Giver will be about based on this interview?

Perfect World (Due Friday, January 6th!)

A "Utopia" is an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. The word was first used in the book Utopia (1516) by Sir Thomas More. During this unit, we are going to read about worlds that were created to be "perfect" but failed and ended up stripping citizens of choice, individuality, and freedom.

For this post, I want you to describe your perfect world.  In your perfect world, how would people spend their time?  What would schools be like? How would people choose their jobs? What would the government be like? What would people eat?  How would issues like poverty and inequality be addressed?  Have fun with this and be creative in coming up with a world free from problems and strife!  

Holiday Traditions (Due Friday, December 16th)

What are some of your family's holiday traditions?  OR What are you most looking forward to over Holiday Break?

For example, if you were Bob Cratchit from A Christmas Carol, you might write:

I look forward to going down the slide at Cornhill twenty times in honor of Christmas Eve and then playing blindman's buff again like a boy.  Taking Tiny Tim to church is always special because of his thoughtful observations.  My wife's cooking is always a treat, especially her scrumptious goose and Christmas pudding.  I look forward to sitting around the fire with my family and passing the custard-cup back and forth while we revel and play games.  Even though Mr. Scrooge doesn't understand it, Christmas Day is different from the rest of the days of the year, and I look forward to enjoying it with my family!