Honors English 12-3rd block Assignments

You may use the attached document or come up with your own (like in Google Slides) to record your textual evidence that shows the various elements of tragedy as you see them in Hamlet. Be prepared to explain/defend your answers.

Work on this in class and finish for homework if necessary.

Read the sonnet on the attached handout and do your best to answer the accompanying questions. I'd rather you try on your own and be a little "off" in your interpretation than have you consult outside sources.  Just do your best!

Use the notes you took during the video to write an obituary for William Shakespeare. Please include as many facts from the video as you can. Your obituary should be 3/4 of a page to a page in length.

1. Based on your reading of The Canterbury Tales prologue, what traits/habits/behaviors do you believe Geoffrey Chaucer valued the most? Make a list of 3 to 5 characteristics. Can you group/combine them in any way or make any general statements about those characteristics?
2. List textual examples (characters plus line numbers where possible) that demonstrate that those are the traits Chaucer valued. Be sure to have 2-3 examples of each characteristic.
3. Of what characteristics/behaviors was Chaucer the most critical? Repeat steps 1 & 2 for the negative traits.

4. Using this pre-writing, write an introduction paragraph for the following prompt:
In the prologue of the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer reflects the values and concerns of the Medieval people by describing portraits of admired behavior and discouraged behavior. He often uses satire to focus the reader on behaviors or attitudes that need to change.
In a well-organized essay, analyze how Chaucer uses foils and/or parallel characters to satirize some behaviors and values while extolling (praising/encouraging) others.

YOU ARE ONLY WRITING THE INTRO RIGHT NOW. Be sure to develop a STRONG, DEFENSIBLE thesis that doesn't merely restate the prompt, but that takes an approach about the kinds of characters and traits Chaucer values and those he criticizes.

Watch the video posted below and TAKE NOTES.  You will need those notes for an assignment next week. 

Remember that I am looking for ORGANIZED notes.  Please try to have at least 4 of your 6 sources represented.

I would like for you to do a little bit of research today into PHYSIOGNOMY, which is the practice of judging characters based on their facial and other physical features. This is an approach Chaucer uses in his character portraits in The Canterbury Tales prologue. Based on your research, create a list/chart of commonly considered physiognomic features and their assumed meanings (the list should have at least 8 to 10 features, but doesn't need to include more than 20, max). Then go back through the Canterbury Tales characters and find examples of where/how Chaucer uses physiognomy to create satire and to tell us something about the character's personality traits (you should be able to find 5 to 10 examples in the portraits).

Read the General Prologue of the Canterbury Tales. Use the attached Slides document OR a chart you can print to take notes on each pilgrim from The Canterbury Tales. Feel free to change backgrounds or colors, but you need notes in each of the boxed categories. The listed due date is for the notes in their entirety. I would like for you to have the first 10 characters complete by Monday, 3/29, the next 8 by Wednesday, 3/31, the remaining 5 by Thursday, 4/1. This will facilitate our class discussion. You need to complete EITHER the slides or the chart.

Write a thank you note for a gift you might receive for graduation from a family member or family friend OR for a scholarship. You can choose whether it's a monetary gift or something else, but use the format we discussed in class. You have several days to do this since we have a bunch going on this week, but it should only take you a few minutes, so please knock it out for an easy grade!

The first step in your "Boast Project" is creating a resume. As high school students, you don't necessarily have a lot of work experience to put in a resume, but there are some things that are helpful for you to highlight about yourself, your skills, and your experience, whether you present your resume in a job interview or include it with a scholarship application.
1. Please read and study the article and watch the video I have linked below.
2. Do a couple of searches for "high school resume templates" or "high school resume examples" to see a little bit about what's out there.
3. Start putting together your own resume. You are more than welcome to use one of the FREE templates that you find; or you can design your own.

In a well-planned and developed essay, address the following prompt. Be sure to develop a strong thesis and use plenty of TEXTUAL EXAMPLES AND QUOTATIONS!!! You may use your notes and the text.

Considering that it is an epic, analyze and evaluate how Beowulf reflects the culture, concepts, and traditions of the Anglo-Saxons AND what values those traditions suggest that people of that time held dear.

As you read up to "Another Celebration at Heorot" (line 1650), complete the attached reading note sheet for Beowulf.

There are many ways in which Orwell’s novel is still relevant as a warning to us today, even though the predicted year of his dystopian society has long since come and gone.

1. Choose a specific way in which you feel the book is still relevant.
2. Consider an angle that connects to an issue, concern, or prevalent news topic .
3. Conduct some research on the issue, consulting at least three sources beyond your text.
4. Find quotations or textual references from the novel that connect to your topic.
5. Write a persuasive essay in which you assert that Orwell’s novel can serve as a relevant warning in regards to the particular issue you chose and researched. Please refer to society, not to yourself, in order to avoid first person.
6. Use MLA citations for your research sources and your text and provide a works cited page. Use a minimum of 3 appropriate sources (legitimate news articles, journal/database articles are acceptable) in addition to your text.
7. Your paper should be 2-4 pages in length.
8. Due date = Wed, March 3rd. You will turn in your paper here and upload your paper to turnitin.com.

Watch the attached videos (I recommend watching the commercial itself multiple times to see what you catch/notice/understand before moving on to the others), and then conduct some research of your own into this real life commercial that is conceptually based on Orwell's novel. Type up a response paper (it may be in 1st person) that you model like this:

Paragraph 1 = Discuss your initial reaction to the commercial, understanding of its concepts and the way you saw the novel represented
Paragraph 2 = Discuss the facts about the commercial, its history/development that you find most interesting from your research and how learning any of these things impacts your response to the commercial
Paragraph 3 - Discuss how the videos/research impact your understanding of the importance of this book
At the bottom of your paper, provide a list of the various sources you consult.

Please submit your electronic copy or photos of your handwritten copy of your journal here. If you have a hard copy, please turn that in to me as soon as possible.