Period 2: Life Advice That Works

Finish Strong.

First Quarter ends @ 2:15 on Friday afternoon. Please keep this in mind. As you know, vocabulary quizzes can be taken once a day until the end of the quarter and major assignments can be rewritten (if they were turned in on time) for the highest grade possible. Consult with snapgrades on how to best end the quarter (and make sure there are no mistakes in your gradebook--your grades are your responsibility too.)

10.26.09. 2nd draft of College Essay due. Argumentative Essay due. In class, we will do our presentations on A Doll's House as test prep.

10.27.09. No class, due to rotation.

10.28.09. finish presentations.

10.29.09. In-class 'essay-test' on A Doll's House (prompt is on page 4). This test is open book & open notebook. You will complete essay in my room over two class periods. If you need extra time, you must stay after school to complete. You may not take essay out of the room.

10.30.09. Finish Essay test. Will be graded on the following Rubric (rubric is on page 4). Reader's Notebooks will be collected and scored for the quarter based on the following rubric.

Things to keep in mind:

• I usually arrive an hour early to school. I am free periods 1, 4, & 5. I will be after school on Tuesday and Wednesday until 4:00ish.
• I will not be here on Thursday and Friday (professional development.) This will not affect your classroom experience. You will still report to class and take essay test.
• Highlighted phrases are links to assignments and rubrics. Please consult them!

Period 6: Life Advice That Works

Finish Strong.

First Quarter ends @ 2:15 on Friday afternoon. Please keep this in mind. As you know, vocabulary quizzes can be taken once a day until the end of the quarter and major assignments can be rewritten (if they were turned in on time) for the highest grade possible. Consult with snapgrades on how to best end the quarter (and make sure there are no mistakes in your gradebook--your grades are your responsibility too.)

10.26.09. 2nd draft of College Essay due. Argumentative Essay due. In class, we will do our presentations on A Doll's House as test prep.

10.27.09. finish presentations.

10.28.09. In-class 'essay-test' on A Doll's House (prompt is on page 4). This test is open book & open notebook. You will complete essay in my room over two class periods. If you need extra time, you must stay after school to complete. You may not take essay out of the room.

10.29.09. Finish Essay test. You will be graded on the following Rubric (rubric is on page 4). Reader's Notebooks will be collected and scored for the quarter based on the following rubric.

Things to keep in mind:

• I usually arrive an hour early to school. I am free periods 1, 4, & 5. I will be after school on Tuesday and Wednesday until 4:00ish.
• I will not be here on Thursday and Friday (professional development.) This will not affect your classroom experience. You will still report to class and take essay test.
• Highlighted phrases are links to assignments and rubrics. Please consult them!

Argumentative Essay

Due: Monday 10.26.09 in class. If papers are not typed, Times New Roman, 12pt. font and double spaced when you walk into class, it will be considered late. Textual evidence must also be properly cited.

The 2nd draft of your college essay is also due.

Choose one of the following two prompts:

• Who is the least sympathetic character is Ibsen's A Doll's House?
• Who is the most sympathetic character is Ibsen's A Doll's House?

You will be graded on the MHS Open Response Rubric.

Which portrayal of characterization is better?

Watch the following two interpretations of the opening of Ibsen's A Doll's House & respond to the prompt below:

Directed by George Schaefer; Julie Harris as Nora and Christopher Plummer as Torvald (1959)

Directed by Patrick Garland; Claire Bloom as Nora and Anthony Hopkins as Torvald (1973)


Objective: Watch the following two versions (posted above) from the opening of Ibsen's A Doll's House and argue which of the two videos is the best interpretation of either Nora or Torvald's character.

• Offering your opinion on this subject with specific reasons on why will help you craft a sophisticated thesis.
• The rest of your essay will go into detail explaining your thesis.

Your critique of the video must be based on your knowledge and understanding of the passage, so you must provide textual evidence from A Doll's House as well as provide descriptions of the video. (I can't watch the video and read your post at the same time, so you need to make me see what you see with your words. It will also help you to take notes on the video while you watch it. Pay attention to what you captures your attention. Notice what you notice!)

Pay attention to:

• delivery of the lines
• imagery the setting / scenery
• the portrayal of the actor
• lighting & camera effects
• sound effects or music

You have the names of the actors and the directors. Make it clear whether you are commenting on Ibsen, the director, the characters, or the actors.

It should be about 1,000 words. Edit and put spaces between paragraphs before you post please!

These should take more than one sitting to complete and show some depth and organizational structure.

I am well aware that neither video follows that play exactly. Your objective is not to point out the differences from the text. Your objective is listed above.


You have until Wednesday 9.30.09 @ noon to complete this assignment.
It is worth 100 points and will be graded by the following rubric.

Post your comments here:

Characterization of Nora or Torvald in Act 1 of A Doll's House

Clair Bloom as Nora in an English Production from 1973 (directed by Patrick Garland.)

Homework assignment: 20 points

1.  Write your impressions of either Nora or Torvald in the first Act of Ibsen's A Doll's House.  You must write a paragraph that:

• makes a claim (thesis)
• provides evidence (page number) that is introduced with context (at least one example)
• & an explanation of how this evidence backs up your impressions of Nora or Torvald's character

Since this is a homework assignment, you will not be graded on whether you are "right or wrong" but whether you completed the assignment.  Your post must be 200 words long & say something different than everyone who has commented before you.

Due:  By class on Tuesday.  Come and see me before that if you are having trouble.  Late work will be given half credit for a 24 hour extension.  After this credit will not be given.