YEAR 13 LESSON TWENTY-THREE [29th Nov 13]: Homework

The aim of this session was to prepare students for the VERY IMPORTANT HOMEWORK. Class discussion considered the following questions:

• To what extent can Shelley's novel could be considered a gothic text?
• How does Shelley shape meaning?
• Is Victor a villain?
• To what extent can this novel be considered a celebration of life?

Class discussion involved metaphorical references to wrestling crocodiles and locking questions in cupboards, the literal wearing of  a red gothic cloak, and a text from Kate's Dad about a youth newspaper. There was also some very good text related commentary. Students were encouraged to read  Victor's final words, as reported by Walton, and to consider the nature of Victor's death. Why is he smiling? Students were provoked into a consideration of Victor as a sympathetic character and were offered the reading that Victor's punishment allows Shelley to be critical of a cruel God!! This reading is similar to the reading of TROTAM that was considered last year when the Mariner's punishment was considered so extreme that it might be possible to read the poem as Coleridge criticising the cruel nature of divine power. BULLY GOD!!

HOMEWORK: This essay is MASSIVE. This essay will allow me to gauge the level of student learning linked to one of our examination texts. The fact that the A2 Lit exam is a closed book exam means that students need to have a very precise understanding of Shelley's text. This essay will allow me to gauge the 'precise' nature of this 'understanding'. This is a very significant essay. I have provided a very clear essay structure for the 'Crime and Punishment' question. Students are free to choose one of the three titles. I expect at least three paragraphs and a conclusion. STUDENTS MUST ENGAGE WITH THIS WRITTEN TASK. IF I BELIEVE THE WORK IS RUSHED OR LACKS EFFORT I WILL SIMPLY ASK STUDENTS TO REWRITE THE ESSAY. I will be collecting the essays before the sermon on Wednesday.

On Wednesday we will be discussing the demands of the coursework. ALL students should have selected a text that will provide the focus for their coursework.

YEAR 12 LESSON TWENTY-ONE [27th Nov 13]: Homework

Tuesday's session was postponed and today the aim of the session was to bully students into a consideration of the significance of Chapter Six. The session considered the significance of Dan Cody and the influence that this character had upon the young Jay Gatz, the reason for Daisy being 'offended' by Gatsby's party, the significance of the 'horse moment', and the importance of the references to 'the past' that occur toward the end of the chapter. We also ate sweets, talked about The Smiths and discussed sleep-walking. Kate was late.
Class response...eventually...was good. The session concluded with a brief consideration of why Fitzgerald begins Chapter Seven with references to heat and why Gatsby reacts as he does when inside the Buchanan house.

HOMEWORK: Complete a critical paragraph in response to the question:
Why is Gatsby's reaction to Carraway's belief that 'YOU CAN'T REPEAT THE PAST' so important?
I expect students to produce a one paragraph response that follows the the usual paragraph structure:

• Opinion.
• Textual reference.
• Explanation of how textual reference supports opinion.
• Consideration of question focus and author's aim. THIS IS THE FUSION MOMENT.

When producing this written response students need to consider how Gatsby's comment allows Fitzgerald to present ideas relating to the American Dream and America's past? What do we learn about Gatsby? Does this comment present Gatsby as a sympathetic character or a delusional fool? What does Gatsby represent? Is Gatsby a symbol? What are the opinions and ideas being shaped by Fitzgerald through the character of Gatsby? Why would Carraway admire a man who appears to be trapped in time? Student response needs to be brief but detailed.The consideration of  AUTHOR'S AIM needs to be coherent and precise.Students also need to read Chapter Seven. This is a MASSIVE chapter therefore students must come armed next week with some opinions. The following questions should be used to direct a critical reading of this chapter:

• What is the significance of the heat?
• What is the significance of Gatsby's reaction when inside the Buchanan house?
• Why is the line 'she had told him that she loved him' so important?
• How does Tom react when he perceives Daisy's 'look'?
• How does Fitzgerald suggest that Tom will be humiliated and how does he allow Tom to humiliate Gatsby?
• How does Fitzgerald create a sense of dramatic tension in the Plaza Hotel?
• How significant is music in this chapter?
• What is the significance of Tom's tears?
• At the end of the chapter, is Gatsby a heroic figure?

GET READING LIT FREAKS. See you next week.

YEAR 13 LESSON TWENTY-TWO [27th Nov 13]: Homework

The aim of this session was to prepare students for the next class essay. Students will have a choice of three titles - see previous blog entry- but the focus of today's session was the title:
'Shelley's Frankenstein is a tale of crime and punishment'. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
The learning focus of the lesson was the appropriate use of textual reference as too many students are not supporting their critical argument with convincing textual reference. Class discussion considered the 'sin' and punishment endured by Victor and linked this to author's aim. The session also considered how violent and emotive language is used to represent the traumatic and vicious nature of Victor's experience and how the experience of the creature could be used when answering this question. Class response was good BUT we really need to start developing the following skills when producing a written response:

• The ability to support a critical argument with relevant textual evidence. Students should be begin to use three examples of textual reference to reinforce a critical argument.
• The ability to construct a coherent critical argument that clearly confronts the focus of the essay question.
• The ability to navigate opinion and critical argument toward the author's aim.
• The ability to consider the text in the context of the gothic literary tradition and also consider, and respond to, the interpretations of other readers.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us to improve the clarity of written work and create critical arguments that access all four assessment objectives.

HOMEWORK: Consider one more paragraph that can be used to construct a convincing response to the essay title that was the focus of today's session. Our next session will consider the other two essay titles. Friday will be our last formal Shelley session before we begin to consider the coursework.

YEAR 13 LESSON TWENTY-ONE [22nd Nov 13]: Homework

Today's session considered the nature of Victor's 'punishment'. The last written work was slightly disappointing as the textual reference used to support critical opinion was unconvincing. This suggests that students are not reading Shelley's classic novel with a critical eye and perhaps some students are relying too much on teacher guidance and are not embracing independent study. INDEPENDENT STUDY LEADING TO CRITICAL AUTONOMY IS THE CENTRAL FEATURE OF A LEVEL STUDY. Consequently, the written task in today's lesson was an attempt to encourage students to support their argument with convincing textual reference. The recent round of written work also suggests that students are STILL NOT challenging ALL the assessment objectives so this task was also aimed at students considering the gothic literary tradition within their response.

The written paragraph was a response to the question:
'SHELLEY'S NOVEL IS A TALE OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?
I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT YOU LOT ARE READING THIS NOVEL IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER AS THE WEAK TEXTUAL REFERENCE IS A CONCERN!
THIS IS THE AREA OF OUR WORK THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SESSIONS. INDEPENDENT STUDY LEADING TO CRITICAL AUTONOMY IS THE CENTRAL INTELLECTUAL ETHOS OF THE COURSE.

HOMEWORK: Next week students will be offered three essay titles:

1. 'SHELLEY'S NOVEL IS A TALE OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?
2. 'THIS NOVEL IS A CELEBRATION OF LIFE.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?
3. How does Shelley shape meaning in Frankenstein?

These three essay titles will be the focus of our discussion next week and students will be asked to select one essay title to complete for homework at the end of next Friday's lesson. Student reading should be detailed and use the essay titles to focus your reading of the text. Next week you lot need to prove to me that you are reading the text in an appropriate manner. I intend to concentrate on coursework after Friday's lesson so next week will be the last Frankenstein-specific session.

YEAR 13 LESSON TWENTY [20th Nov 13]: Homework

Today's session began with a consideration of the gothic tradition and how the gothic text represents what it is to be human. An understanding of how our exam texts link to the gothic tradition is an essential feature of the course. The last homework attempted to encourage students to produce written work that considered Shelley's novel in the context of the gothic literary tradition.

The session then waddled into a consideration of the relationship between Victor and Elizabeth. Class discussion was good but I do feel that textual reference needs to be more precise.

HOMEWORK: Students need to read the text. The focus of the reading should be the final section of the novel. I want to have a broad but detailed class discussion on Friday and this homework will determine the quality of class discussion. I would like to discuss:

• Shelley's aim when presenting the relationship between Liz and Vic
• Why Shelley does not conclude the novel with a judgemental comment from Walton
• The significance of Language, Form and Structure
• The themes being explored by Shelley
• The novel as a gothic text.

YEAR 12 LESSON NINETEEN/TWENTY [19th/20th Nov 13]: Homework

The aim of Tuesday's session was to encourage students to produce a clear critical argument when constructing a written response. The last set of essays lacked critical clarity and this informed this week's sessions. Class discussion considered the STRUCTURE section of the question:
HOW DOES FITZGERALD TELL THE STORY IN CHAPTER FIVE OF THE GREAT GATSBY?
After discussing potential content for the structure paragraph, students produced a twenty minute written response.
Today's session continued to consider content for the essay title. Class discussion considered the LANGUAGE paragraph. ChimpNimsky gathered the class in front of the white-board and the class produced an exemplar paragraph. The focus of both sessions was CLARITY. Students need to construct a more precise and coherent written response so these two lessons attempted to illustrate how a paragraph should be structured when constructing a critical analysis. Students were also encouraged to confront the appropriate assessment objective. A handout was provided today. USE IT.

HOMEWORK: Students need to answer the question:
HOW DOES FITZGERALD TELL THE STORY IN CHAPTER FIVE OF THE GREAT GATSBY?
Essays need to be handed to me before Tuesday's session.
Good Luck.

YEAR 13 LESSON NINETEEN [15th Nov 13]: Homework

The aim of this session was to reinforce how students can access ALL the assessment objectives when producing a written response. Chimpnimsky offered exemplar material and class discussion considered the symbolic significance of the novel. Students were asked to consider the BIG IDEAS being offered to the reader through the symbolic nature of Victor, the creature and the De Lacey family. Had we but world enough and time...the class discussion would also have considered the symbolic significance of the natural world. The whole focus of class discussion was to generate notes that can be used to complete the homework task.
Oh...and students also experienced an APOSTROPHE TEST as there were far too many crimes against punctuation evident in the last set of essays. SORT IT OUT LIT FREAKS. CRIMES AGAINST PUNCTUATION WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

HOMEWORK: Students must continue to read the text. We will be discussing the events leading to Victor's 'wedding night' next week so chapters 20 to the reintroduction of Walton's voice need to be the focus of student reading.
The written homework is to produce a one paragraph response to the question:
HOW DOES SHELLEY USE SYMBOLISM TO SHAPE MEANING IN THE NOVEL?
This question is slightly different to the question considered in the last two lessons so this will be an opportunity for me to see who is actually visiting the blog. Students are expected to produce a one paragraph response that explores one key symbol and the response must address ALL FOUR ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES. This task will allow me to gauge the level of learning that has taken place within the last two sessions. Refer to my exemplar paragraph and take care to construct a precise and concise argument. STUDENTS MUST CONSIDER AUTHOR'S AIM IN A MORE CONVINCING MANNER. Use the resource that I offered students at the beginning of the course that has the critical opinion relating to Frankenstein and the gothic genre. This will allow students to confront AO3 and AO4.

GOOD LUCK LIT FREAKS.