Lesson Plan

In World Literature, we talk about All Quiet on the Western Front Chapters 2 & 3.  Specifically, we talk about the death of Franz, the tortuous (yet necessary) training the men receive at the hands of the sadistic Himmelstoss, and the mysterious remark that revenge is "black pudding."  In British Literature, after the students take a test on the Renaissance, I show them a Medieval painting on the ressurection of Lazarus with Gregorian Chant music in the background -- and then the painting fades and a Renaissance Painting of the same subject appears - with Greensleeves playing in the background.  They then work by themselves on the Introduction to the Renaissance Solo work found on this website.Read more

In British Literature the students learned why there were so few writers during the Middle Ages.  The boys were first asked to write using the hand that they usually do not use.  Next they were given an impossible quiz ("How many words total were in last night's reading?")  Next, they were given babies to take care of -- while the girls were given a group work to complete.  The boys were told that they also had to complete the group work -- but in order to do so they had to get up of their own initiative, then sharpen a flattened pencil, get back to their desk Read more

In World Literature we will discuss the opening chapter of All Quiet on the Western Front.  We will talk about the idea that there are two sets of rules: one for the Front and one for Home.  We will also begin to look at the fate of poor Franz, and the fact that Mueller wants the boots that Franz can no longer use.  In British Literature, the students will work in groups on La Morte d'Arthur.

In World Literature, we have an introductory lesson/discussion on war.  We talk about the effect that war movies, books, images, etc.Read more

In World Literature we watch the end of The Graduate - a movie whose ending is much less resolved than the novel, Candide, that we compare it to.  When Ben and Elaine escape to the bus at the end -- they are like the dog that finally catches the car: "What will they do now?."  In British Literature, we will watch an Animated Version of some of The Canterbury Tales.  It was made for HBO year ago and is quite extraordinary in many ways.

We continue watching The Graduate in World Literature and the students link it with Candide and The History of Love.  Their viewing today begins with that wonderful point of contradiction -- Mrs. Robinson says that she knows nothing about Art, but then Ben finds out that was her major.  In British Literature, a special speaker comes in and reads "The Miller's Tale," to once again prove the idea that literature has really not changed as much as students (and others) may think.

In World Literature, students watch the movie, The Graduate, while working on a handout that links the movie to Candide and to other works that they have read this year.  In English III, students work in groups on "The Wife of Bath's Tale," and link it to other works, but specifically to her prologue that we had a discussion on last week.

In World Literature we will finish talking about Candide - the idea at the end is a huge one -- we need to work in our garden.  In British Literature we will talk about "The Prologue to the Wife of Bath's Tale."  We get as much off the text as we do with anything else we study as we talk about the abuse of partners and what we can do to prevent and report it.  There is the paradox that the Wife loves the one husband who was the meanest to her - and we discuss that as well.

Today we are very proud that our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, is a graduate of our school - Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago.  When I walked into this school some 20 years ago this upcoming spring, I knew nothing about it, but fell in love with the students, the staff, and our wonderful diversity.  Last night, that diversity and the promise it holds for our nation and the tale that it relates of our past was made manifest.Read more

In English III students will work in groups on "The Pardoner's Tale" - the group work is available on this site.  In World Literature, the students will work in groups on Candide -- specifically looking closely at the philosophy of Martin and how it compares to some of the other characters as well as their encounter with the six kings and which of them has suffered the worst.

In World Literature, we discuss Chapters 21-22 in Candide.  We do get off the text for just a wee bit and talk about the idea of Nurture (James the Anabaptist) and Nature (Martin).  The conversation got pretty heated at times but always interesting.  In British Literature, the students will work in groups on the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales.

In English III we will turn off the lights and tell Ghost Stories - Happy Halloween - besides just being plain fun, it is also our only modern link with the oral tradition that the students have just learned about in Beowulf.  In World Literature we will have a class discussion on Candide, much of which, will be spent talking about why Candide and Cacambo would ever leave El Dorado (and why do we?)

In class yesterday, the students in World Literature worked, first by themselves and then in groups, on a handout that gave them a lot of quotes from the works that we have looked at so far this year -- and asked them to try and make sense of them by putting them together.  They had the common theme of "looking for that better place," or trying to make sense of our lives.  The quotes included the students first encounter with last page of The Great Gatsby.  While they worked the songs "Closer to Fine," "I still haven't found what I'm looking for,&quotRead more

In British Literature we will start to watch the Illuminated Texts that the students have created on Beowulf and Grendel (and as I've already been through the day, I can tell you that they were terrific).  In World Literature, we will continue our discussion of Candide, from his capture into the Bulgar Army, his escape to Holland, and the Shipwreck that killed his benefactor, James the Anabaptist.  During the course of that discussion we also talked about the irony of those who help him versus those who purport to be faithful.

In British Literature, we will do a whirlwind first day on Ballads.  We will listen to Harry Belefonte sing "Lord Randall," we will act out "Get Up and Bar the Door," we will listen to  Alistair Slaughter's favorite song, "The Bonny Swans," and in each of our classes, to get a taste for the original intent and setting of Ballads -- we will have a Karaoke session.  Read more