YEAR 12 LESSON FIVE [24th Sept 13]: Homework.

The aim of this session was to blast students towards an understanding that the narrative voice used to shape this tale is a construct just like any other character in the novel. Students were pushed towards a consideration of the following questions:

• WHO IS NICK CARRAWAY?
• WHAT KIND OF CHARACTER IS NICK CARRAWAY?
• WHY DOES FITZGERALD CHOOSE TO OFFER HIS TALE VIA A SHY WAR VETERAN?
• WHY DOES NICK FIND GATSBY SO 'GORGEOUS'?

The quality of the class discussion was excellent. Students were asked to consider the representation of Tom, Daisy, the Buchanan house, and America itself. This session was a general overview of the opening chapter.

Homework: Tomorrow we will be comparing the significance of the Buchanan house, the significance of the Valley of Ashes at the beginning of chapter two, and the significance of the description of Gatsby's party at the beginning of chapter three. What kind of America is being presented by Fitzgerald? How does this representation compare with the poetry of Whitman and Lazarus? The speech of Obama?

Students should devour the resources below:

Excellent analysis of the opening chapter by the VLOGBROTHERS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjTS6AhMJ8

The Valley of Ashes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VhYMdnAsyM

A resource to make you smile: http://vimeo.com/15328356

YEAR 13 LESSON FIVE [20th Sept 13]: Homework.

The aim of this session was to blast the opening chapters of Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN at the good youngsters of the Beaverlay. Class discussion considered the nature of the language used by Shelley to express Victor's 'SUPERNATURAL ENTHUSIASM' for his scientific experiment. Specific focus was placed upon the content of Chapter Four but students were asked to consider the significance of the opening three chapters which serve to illustrate the nature of Victor's childhood, his familial connections, and his scientific motivation. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT STUDENTS ARE AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WALTON'S LETTERS AND THE OPENING FIVE CHAPTERS OF THE NOVEL.

Homework: The key homework is to read the text. Students should arrive at the next session having considered the significance of:

• Catherine's death.
• The language used to describe Elizabeth and Victor's attitude toward his 'cousin'.
• The significance of Walton's letters and his representation of Victor.
• The representation of Victor offered by Shelley within Victor's own narrative.
• The significance of location.
• The representation of nature.
• The significance of the language used by Victor to describe how his scientific passion placed him in a 'trance'.
• Author's aim and the extent to which this novel conforms to our understanding of a gothic text.
• The themes being explored by Shelley.

Students were offered material within the lesson that will provide contextual knowledge that should provide assistance with textual understanding. I also offered a potential structure for the first formal essay. The aim of the reading homework this week is for students to be fully prepared for the first essay that will be presented to the class for homework next week. This is a complicated philosophical text and students must offer a detailed reading of the opening section of the novel. We will be discussing possible essay content next week. WATCH THE DOCUMENTARIES FROM THE PREVIOUS BLOG ENTRY. CLICK ON LINK BELOW:
http://becuriouslit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/year-13-lessons-onetwothree-6th11th13th.html

READ. READ. READ. READ.

:)

YEAR 12 LESSON FOUR [18th Sept 13]: Homework.

The session began with the Lord of the Lard modelling a paragraph response to the metaphor essay question. Class response was really good throughout the modelling exercise...I salute you all. The session moved on to a contextual consideration of THE GREAT GATSBY with students encouraged to digest the resources placed on BE CURIOUS.
Students were asked to consider how the following texts represent America:

• The Emma Lazarus poem 'The New Colossus' written in 1883 as this poem can be found inside the Statue of Liberty.
• The lyrics to The Star Spangled Banner
• Walt Whitman's poems 'America' and 'I hear America Singing'.
• Reference was also made to The 1776 Declaration of Independence.

Students were asked to consider how these texts represent the idea of America. This representation is important as Fitzgerald's representation of America is very different to the America being presented in these pre-twentieth century texts. Students need to consider how Fitzgerald represents America and why he chooses to represent his country in this manner.

The final section of the lesson involved a consideration of Nick Carraway's representation of Gatsby in the opening section of Chapter One and the significance of 'foul dust'. The lesson concluded with The Lardmaster shaking violently in a Gatsbyesque manner and staring at a green classroom wall! What can it all mean??

Homework: Students need to read the first three chapters of the novel and consider the following questions:

• What kind of a narrator is Nick Carraway?
• Why does Fitzgerald choose to narrate his tale from the perspective of a rich and traumatised War veteran?
• How would you describe Daisy and Tom?
• How does Fitzgerald want the reader to view Gatsby?
• What is the significance of The Valley of Ashes?

YOUR FIRST ESSAY NEEDS TO BE HANDED TO ME WHEN WE MEET NEXT TUESDAY.

GOOD LUCK FOLKS.

Below is the trailer used to promote the recent film version of the novel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rARN6agiW7o

YEAR 13 LESSON FOUR [18th Sept 13]: Homework.

Students were asked to consider Walton's letters at the beginning of Shelley's novel. Discussion considered how Shelley uses Walton's narrative to introduce the character of Victor and students considered how this opening section of the novel could be considered to be 'gothic'. Focus was also placed on the significance of the North Pole as a location for the novel. Students considered how theme could be linked to location. The significance of the Prometheus myth was also thrown into the pot of discussion. A good session.

Homework: Students need to digest the resources placed on the last blog entry. These two documentaries are superb for developing contextual/historical understanding. Furthermore, it would make your LARDY teacher incredibly blissful if students could read the first five chapters of Victor's narrative before Friday's lesson. Go on...treat yourself.
Your first essay title will be:
HOW DOES SHELLEY CREATE A SENSE OF DRAMATIC EXPECTATION IN THE OPENING SECTION OF FRANKENSTEIN?

Sayonara.

GATSBY: HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

The following resources will allow students to develop an understanding of the historical and cultural context of Fitzgerald's famous novel:
http://becuriouslit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-great-gatsby-historical-context.html

YEAR 12 LESSON THREE [17th Sept 13]: Homework.

The aim of this lesson was to consider the use of metaphor in the three poems that were introduced in the last session. Students were placed in groups to discuss how metaphor is used by each author to shape meaning. Students were also asked to consider how form and structure allows the author to shape meaning and present key ideas.

Homework: Read the opening chapters of The Great Gatsby and keep reading Wordsworth/Marvell/Heaney as the more you read, the more you will perceive!! Tomorrow we will begin our assault on Fitzgerald's fine novel. We will discuss the structure of your first essay in tomorrow's lesson. The magic word is rhubarb. Bring this word with you tomorrow.

YEAR 13 LESSONS ONE/TWO/THREE [6th/11th/13th Sept 2013]: Homework.

The first three lessons contained a discussion concerning the demands of the Anthology coursework, a consideration of elements that are associated with the gothic genre, and a consideration of Walton's letters at the beginning of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Guy de Maupassant's short story 'Was It a Dream?' was used as an example of a gothic text. The discussion that followed the reading of this tale attempted to gain an understanding of what could be considered 'gothic'.


Students were introduced to the Anthology were encouraged to identify a poem or short story that will be the textual focus of their coursework essay. Students have the freedom to select their own text and are encouraged to select the 'metaphor' question or the 'canon' question. Below is a link to the BBC Poetry archive:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/poetryseason/  
Here is a link to the National Poetry archive:
http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/home.do
Students should delve deep inside these two resources and hunt for some poetry!!

Students were encouraged to examine the significance of Walton's letters in the opening of Mary Shelley's novel. We will be discussing the opening section of this magnificent novel over the next couple of lessons therefore students must be indulging in a close reading of the text.

Homework: Students should be considering their Anthology coursework and reading Frankenstein. When reading Frankenstein students should consider:

• The significance of the location
• The first impression of Victor
• Walton's motivation
• Shelley's use of language
• The opening as an example of the gothic genre.

Below are some resources that will help students develop an understanding of Shelley's novel. ALL STUDENTS SHOULD DIGEST THESE RESOURCES:

Nick Dear discusses the text: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFsvLYtGGXg

http://becuriouslit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/nick-dear-discusses-his-adaptation-of.html

Brilliant Channel Four documentary that refers to Danny Boyle's recent theatrical version of the novel that was performed at The National Theatre:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjwV0axmgJY

Excellent History Channel Documentary. This is a decent resource when considering cultural and historical context: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Ca4-DyobY

Welcome back folks. The work starts NOW.....

YEAR 12 LESSONS ONE AND TWO [10th/11th Sept 2013]: Homework.

Students were introduced to the strange and wonderful world of AS Literature. The three poems that students were asked to consider were:

• Daffodils by William Wordsworth.
• Digging by Seamus Heaney.
• To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell.

The critical focus of analysis was how each author had used metaphor to shape meaning. Class discussion considered the metaphorical significance of each text and also considered other key areas such as how rhyme and rhythm are manipulated to shape content. Class response was OUTSTANDING.

Homework: Read the three poems. One of these poems will be the critical focus of the first AS essay. The title of this essay will be:

How does the author use metaphor to shape meaning?

Students will have the freedom to decide which poem will be the focus of their written analysis.

Students also need to begin reading F.Scott Fitzgerald's THE GREAT GATSBY. This will be one of your examination texts.

Below are readings of two poems we have discussed in the first two lessons:

Daffodils: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQnyV2YWsto

Digging: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIzJgbNANzk
To His Coy Mistress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhZuxUyNA14