Flight Patterns
15 years ago
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog
A little gem when you need a bit of comic stress-relief during finals. I believe the full 45ish minutes are posted on youtube:
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Schedule Update: the last 4 days...
Here are the minor modifications to the syllabus schedule:
March 3rd: instead of usual class meeting, we'll do 25-minute small group final essay conferences. Come with questions and issues about your project. We'll meet at the tables in front of the MU facing the Quad.
March 5th: Discussion of first section of A Streetcar Named Desire. Also, bring 2 hard-copies of a 3-page draft for the in-class draft workshop. Failure to bring a draft and/or to attend will reduce your final essay grade by 1/3 as stated in the syllabus.
March 10th: Discuss 2nd section of Streetcar
March 12th: Conclude Streetcar and last questions on the essay and group project
March 13th: Final essays due in my office by Noon: I'll be there from about 11-12, but you can slide it under my door if you arrive before me.
March 18th (1-3pm): Final Exam--presenting your group project and handing in your writings about this project.
March 3rd: instead of usual class meeting, we'll do 25-minute small group final essay conferences. Come with questions and issues about your project. We'll meet at the tables in front of the MU facing the Quad.
March 5th: Discussion of first section of A Streetcar Named Desire. Also, bring 2 hard-copies of a 3-page draft for the in-class draft workshop. Failure to bring a draft and/or to attend will reduce your final essay grade by 1/3 as stated in the syllabus.
March 10th: Discuss 2nd section of Streetcar
March 12th: Conclude Streetcar and last questions on the essay and group project
March 13th: Final essays due in my office by Noon: I'll be there from about 11-12, but you can slide it under my door if you arrive before me.
March 18th (1-3pm): Final Exam--presenting your group project and handing in your writings about this project.
Final Group Project
Final Group Project: Due March 18th at Final Exam Session. Andrew Hageman, Enl 3
This project is comprised of three parts: (1) the New Media production, (2) the group presentation, and (3) the individual written reflections.
1. In your groups, you will design and create a New Media production that pays tribute to a literary text, author, character(s), or genre. Please consider the various online options you have for this project and which one(s) will provide you with innovative ways to engage the text or author or character you choose. The following are only possibilities. You are free to use one, to modify one, or to produce something else not listed here.
A. Create a Twitter account or accounts and compose entries for a fictional character or an author while he/she was working on a text. Example: http://twitter.com/darthvader
B. Create a music video that tells or retells the literary text and post it on Youtube. You could act in this or use action figures or any objects you choose, or make an animation—lots of possibilities. Example of “Flight of the Conchords’ Frodo, Don’t Wear the Ring’”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWf3iJjqYCM&feature=related You could also consider the rapping squirrel already posted on the blog.
C. Character blogs. You could create a single character’s blog with other characters’ comments on it, or perhaps create a blog for the protagonist and one for the antagonist and have them post rival postings. Don’t overlook the prospects of minor characters: maybe GingerNut’s blog…The example here is of a project that is putting George Orwell’s actual diaries online in blog form: http://orwelldiaries.wordpress.com/
D. Author blog or personal website. Currently lots of authors have their own websites to keep fans and followers informed. You could make this serious, ironic, etc. Examples: Serious: http://www.nealstephenson.com/ http://www.stephenking.com/the_author.html Humorous: http://ronaldchevalier.com/
E. Make a series of graphs and charts that engage and/or represent the text in various visual ways. You could create a blog just for posting these items. You could use graphs and charts to map out and/or represent plot transitions, pov alterations, characters, etc. For inspiration, check out: http://graphjam.com/ It can give you the tools to make graphs and then save them to your computer and blog.
F. Create captioned photos to narrate a text. For inspiration: http://icanhascheezburger.com/
G. Make a hyperlinked text to provide online information that enriches the text. Example based on William Gibson’s novel Spook Country, counterintuitively, you need to click on the links at the bottom of each page to the Previous page: http://node.tumblr.com/page/24
2. Each group will give a 10-15 minute presentation on the project. Each participant needs to contribute to this. You should present to us what you have done, how you did it, and especially why you made the choices you did. Tell us how this project has illuminated the text for you and how you hope it can illuminate the text for others.
3. Each participant will write a 2-page double-spaced reflection paper on the project. The focus should be the same as the presentation: what choices did you make and why. I suggest writing these and then bringing them when you meet to plan your presentation.
This project is comprised of three parts: (1) the New Media production, (2) the group presentation, and (3) the individual written reflections.
1. In your groups, you will design and create a New Media production that pays tribute to a literary text, author, character(s), or genre. Please consider the various online options you have for this project and which one(s) will provide you with innovative ways to engage the text or author or character you choose. The following are only possibilities. You are free to use one, to modify one, or to produce something else not listed here.
A. Create a Twitter account or accounts and compose entries for a fictional character or an author while he/she was working on a text. Example: http://twitter.com/darthvader
B. Create a music video that tells or retells the literary text and post it on Youtube. You could act in this or use action figures or any objects you choose, or make an animation—lots of possibilities. Example of “Flight of the Conchords’ Frodo, Don’t Wear the Ring’”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWf3iJjqYCM&feature=related You could also consider the rapping squirrel already posted on the blog.
C. Character blogs. You could create a single character’s blog with other characters’ comments on it, or perhaps create a blog for the protagonist and one for the antagonist and have them post rival postings. Don’t overlook the prospects of minor characters: maybe GingerNut’s blog…The example here is of a project that is putting George Orwell’s actual diaries online in blog form: http://orwelldiaries.wordpress.com/
D. Author blog or personal website. Currently lots of authors have their own websites to keep fans and followers informed. You could make this serious, ironic, etc. Examples: Serious: http://www.nealstephenson.com/ http://www.stephenking.com/the_author.html Humorous: http://ronaldchevalier.com/
E. Make a series of graphs and charts that engage and/or represent the text in various visual ways. You could create a blog just for posting these items. You could use graphs and charts to map out and/or represent plot transitions, pov alterations, characters, etc. For inspiration, check out: http://graphjam.com/ It can give you the tools to make graphs and then save them to your computer and blog.
F. Create captioned photos to narrate a text. For inspiration: http://icanhascheezburger.com/
G. Make a hyperlinked text to provide online information that enriches the text. Example based on William Gibson’s novel Spook Country, counterintuitively, you need to click on the links at the bottom of each page to the Previous page: http://node.tumblr.com/page/24
2. Each group will give a 10-15 minute presentation on the project. Each participant needs to contribute to this. You should present to us what you have done, how you did it, and especially why you made the choices you did. Tell us how this project has illuminated the text for you and how you hope it can illuminate the text for others.
3. Each participant will write a 2-page double-spaced reflection paper on the project. The focus should be the same as the presentation: what choices did you make and why. I suggest writing these and then bringing them when you meet to plan your presentation.
Final Essay Portfolio Assignment
English 3, Winter 2009, Andrew Hageman
FINAL ESSAY PROJECT PORTFOLIO
Length: Approximately 2000 words (not including the portfolio reflection)
Abstract due: February 26th
Draft Workshop: March 5th
Final Project due: Friday, March 13th before 12Noon in my office.
This quarter we are reading and discussing a wide range of literary texts through an equally wide range of formal and contextual approaches. In this essay you will draw on your knowledge of interpretive skills, including close attention to content, form, and context in literature, to write a thesis-driven, argumentative essay. The objectives of this project align with those of the course stated on page 1 of the syllabus: primarily, to develop a thoughtful, informed, and sophisticated perspective on literary texts; to be able to examine the reasons for your responses to these texts; to situate your argument in the context of university academic-style writing; and, to communicate your perspectives clearly through refined, crafted writing. Furthermore, this project is an opportunity to build on the work you’ve already done in your Lit-blogs, taking your insights and expanding them.
More specifically, now, the final essay will be a sustained analysis, but one which is informed by all of the work we have done this quarter. In other words, your thesis and the arguments or claims/evidence throughout the essay should evolve from our discussions and your blog writings. It must also, however, incorporate new and more rigorously worked-out ideas. You may consider approaching the essay through character analysis; a discussion of imagery; the interplays of literal and figurative interpretations; a discussion of the politics of literary texts guided by close reading; juxtaposition of narrative styles and/or styles of expression in different genres. Whatever your approach, your essay must transcend mere description of the texts. It must describe and explain the effects of the elements of the text you analyze, and it must make an argument for why these are significant. I am happy to work with you in forming your thesis and developing this essay from its earliest stages. We’ll work on this in class, but office hours can also be very productive.
Guidelines:
o Your essay must analyze two literary texts. These texts may represent two different genres (poetry, fiction, drama) or be of the same genre. Any divergence from this guideline requires my approval.
o You must utilize at least two of your own blog writings in your paper. You can quote them and cite them as sources, or you can simply take ideas you touched upon and develop them more fully by employing them in the essay. If you do the latter, please include a footnote to indicate where an idea has emerged from your blog writings. Regardless which approaches you use, you should print the blog entries you use and hand them in with the final portfolio.
o Research is acceptable but not required.
o The essay must have a clear, argumentative, original, sophisticated thesis that focuses on the literary texts.
o The essay must demonstrate close reading skills.
o Make sure you choose appropriate, convincing evidence. It should relate to your thesis and to the other pieces of evidence used in the essay. Remember that sometimes “less is more” when it comes to how much you quote. It’s better to analyze fully a selection of key moments in a text rather than include a large catalog of moments that are incompletely addressed.
o Use appropriate academic language and style. Proofread and edit for grammar and style.
o Proper MLA citation.
Abstract:
You should submit a one-page abstract to me on Thursday, February 26th. This is a proposal for your essay, and it should detail your position and plan for the argument. I will hand out an abstract form for you to complete this task with.
Portfolio reflection:
You will write a two-page reflection on the process of writing this essay: from the conception of it to its completion. In this reflection, you will articulate how you drew on ideas in the blog entries that informed your essay. In addition, you will be expected to analyze the various aspects of your writing process—the challenges, difficulties, successes, etc. This does not have to be a thesis-based essay, but it should be thoughtfully organized and analytical in tone. The portfolio reflection does factor into the final essay project grade, so take some care with it. If you do not submit this with your portfolio, the project will be considered incomplete.
Checklist for when you submit the final essay project/portfolio:
2000-word thesis-driven essay.
Print-outs of minimum 2 blog entries utilized in the essay.
Abstract.
2-page Portfolio reflection.
Rough draft and draft workshop forms.
FINAL ESSAY PROJECT PORTFOLIO
Length: Approximately 2000 words (not including the portfolio reflection)
Abstract due: February 26th
Draft Workshop: March 5th
Final Project due: Friday, March 13th before 12Noon in my office.
This quarter we are reading and discussing a wide range of literary texts through an equally wide range of formal and contextual approaches. In this essay you will draw on your knowledge of interpretive skills, including close attention to content, form, and context in literature, to write a thesis-driven, argumentative essay. The objectives of this project align with those of the course stated on page 1 of the syllabus: primarily, to develop a thoughtful, informed, and sophisticated perspective on literary texts; to be able to examine the reasons for your responses to these texts; to situate your argument in the context of university academic-style writing; and, to communicate your perspectives clearly through refined, crafted writing. Furthermore, this project is an opportunity to build on the work you’ve already done in your Lit-blogs, taking your insights and expanding them.
More specifically, now, the final essay will be a sustained analysis, but one which is informed by all of the work we have done this quarter. In other words, your thesis and the arguments or claims/evidence throughout the essay should evolve from our discussions and your blog writings. It must also, however, incorporate new and more rigorously worked-out ideas. You may consider approaching the essay through character analysis; a discussion of imagery; the interplays of literal and figurative interpretations; a discussion of the politics of literary texts guided by close reading; juxtaposition of narrative styles and/or styles of expression in different genres. Whatever your approach, your essay must transcend mere description of the texts. It must describe and explain the effects of the elements of the text you analyze, and it must make an argument for why these are significant. I am happy to work with you in forming your thesis and developing this essay from its earliest stages. We’ll work on this in class, but office hours can also be very productive.
Guidelines:
o Your essay must analyze two literary texts. These texts may represent two different genres (poetry, fiction, drama) or be of the same genre. Any divergence from this guideline requires my approval.
o You must utilize at least two of your own blog writings in your paper. You can quote them and cite them as sources, or you can simply take ideas you touched upon and develop them more fully by employing them in the essay. If you do the latter, please include a footnote to indicate where an idea has emerged from your blog writings. Regardless which approaches you use, you should print the blog entries you use and hand them in with the final portfolio.
o Research is acceptable but not required.
o The essay must have a clear, argumentative, original, sophisticated thesis that focuses on the literary texts.
o The essay must demonstrate close reading skills.
o Make sure you choose appropriate, convincing evidence. It should relate to your thesis and to the other pieces of evidence used in the essay. Remember that sometimes “less is more” when it comes to how much you quote. It’s better to analyze fully a selection of key moments in a text rather than include a large catalog of moments that are incompletely addressed.
o Use appropriate academic language and style. Proofread and edit for grammar and style.
o Proper MLA citation.
Abstract:
You should submit a one-page abstract to me on Thursday, February 26th. This is a proposal for your essay, and it should detail your position and plan for the argument. I will hand out an abstract form for you to complete this task with.
Portfolio reflection:
You will write a two-page reflection on the process of writing this essay: from the conception of it to its completion. In this reflection, you will articulate how you drew on ideas in the blog entries that informed your essay. In addition, you will be expected to analyze the various aspects of your writing process—the challenges, difficulties, successes, etc. This does not have to be a thesis-based essay, but it should be thoughtfully organized and analytical in tone. The portfolio reflection does factor into the final essay project grade, so take some care with it. If you do not submit this with your portfolio, the project will be considered incomplete.
Checklist for when you submit the final essay project/portfolio:
2000-word thesis-driven essay.
Print-outs of minimum 2 blog entries utilized in the essay.
Abstract.
2-page Portfolio reflection.
Rough draft and draft workshop forms.
Final Essay Conferences: March 3rd
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009
Small Group Conferences on Final Essay: March 3
As we discussed in class today, on March 3rd we'll hold small group conferences to discuss progress on final essays rather than meet as a whole class.
You need to come prepared with questions and ideas about your essay.
Please be on time, and come to the outdoor dining tables in front of the MU facing the quad--fresh air helps essay-thinking. If the weather is terrible, we'll relocate to my office in Voorhies.
If you were absent today, please email me to join one of the groups that only have 2 students so far...
Here's the schedule:
7.45-8.10: Brittany, Kevin, Kyle
8.10-8.35: Brett, Anthony, Kristen
8.35-9: Alejandro, Kelsie, Sharie-Ann
9-9.25: Arafat, Justin, Dale
9.25-9.50: Sapon, Estrella, Jill
9.50-10.15: Nicole, Za, Victoria
10.15-10.40: Jazmin, Kham, Teresa
Small Group Conferences on Final Essay: March 3
As we discussed in class today, on March 3rd we'll hold small group conferences to discuss progress on final essays rather than meet as a whole class.
You need to come prepared with questions and ideas about your essay.
Please be on time, and come to the outdoor dining tables in front of the MU facing the quad--fresh air helps essay-thinking. If the weather is terrible, we'll relocate to my office in Voorhies.
If you were absent today, please email me to join one of the groups that only have 2 students so far...
Here's the schedule:
7.45-8.10: Brittany, Kevin, Kyle
8.10-8.35: Brett, Anthony, Kristen
8.35-9: Alejandro, Kelsie, Sharie-Ann
9-9.25: Arafat, Justin, Dale
9.25-9.50: Sapon, Estrella, Jill
9.50-10.15: Nicole, Za, Victoria
10.15-10.40: Jazmin, Kham, Teresa
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Blog Writing for Thursday, Feb. 19
As a way of reflecting on fiction before we move into drama, I'd like you to write an entry, 200-300 words, on which story among those we've read you would recommend to a friend. Explain why you'd recommend it, and try to incorporate literary terms and concepts (pov, narrator type and impact, imagery, characterization techniques, motif, setting, etc.).
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Reading for Tuesday, Feb 17
Here's the link to our online text for Tuesday's class.
Remember, it takes time for pages to load, so give yourself some time to get through the story--the text itself is quantitatively rather small.
Please read it carefully with a notebook next to you so you're ready for a good discussion.
Things you might keep in mind:
How does the visual component make it different from a text-only story?
What does the technological component add to the story?
What does it take away from it?
What kind of changes or shifts do you notice in what the author does with the technological images, and how do they relate to the shifts in the story's plot??
http://www.wetellstories.co.uk/stories/week1/
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