Mr. Massel's E606 Class

This page is ONLY and experiment for my E606 class.  IF you have any questions or need any clarification please e-mail me at RMassel@schools.nyc.gov.  

Monday, February 1
No Class 

Tuesday, February 2
Today we read Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.”  The full text is available here. 

Questions for thought were:
1.      The descriptive details used in “The Cask of Amontillado” create a specific mood. Write an essay describing what that mood is, which key details create it, and in which scenes that mood is most strongly expressed.
2.      Consider the many details given about Montresor: the way he is dressed, his family name, his coat of arms, and family motto. Explain what significance each of these details has to the story.
3.      Montresor places a great deal of importance on “connoisseurship,” or being an expert at something. Explain how he plans his revenge on Fortunato like an expert. Support your argument by giving at least 3 examples of how he plays with Fortunato, his victim, or examples showing how much he enjoys his revenge.
4.      Fortunato is dressed like a fool, and Montresor wears a “mask of black silk.” Explain why these costumes are appropriate for the roles they play in the story. Use details from the story to support your opinion.
5.      Reread Montresor’s description of Fortunato toward the beginning of the story. According to Montresor, in what ways is Fortunato a “respectable” man? In what ways is he a “quack”? What kind of person do you think he is? Why? Support yourself with details from the story. 

Wednesday, February 3
Introduction to Horatio Alger’s novel Ragged Dick or Street Life in New York (The full text is available here.)
In Class we discussed two major questions:
1.      As you walk down a street in a large city, a boy, about fourteen, looks at your scuffed shoes, approaches, and asks to shine your shoes for $2.00. The boy’s face and hands are streaked with dirt; his clothes are worn and ragged.  How do you feel about the boy approaching you with this request?  How do you respond? Why do you respond in this way?
2.      You are on your own at the age of fourteen, living on the streets in a big city. You are basically uneducated and too young for most regular jobs.  If you do not receive support from a social service agency or a quality education, how might you survive?  How can you earn money to buy food?  Where would you sleep?  What are the dangers you might encounter?  What are your chances of surviving on your own?

We also discussed the concept of the American Dream.  The unedited text of the article we read is available here.
Homework:  Read through page 42

Thursday, February 4
We began class by looking at a picture of downtown NYC in 1867.  From there we started discussing study questions from the first few chapters of the book.  We only made it through the first two questions:
1.      What does it mean to have a “noble nature”? Are humans born with a tendency to do good or evil or is goodness learned?
2.      How are Dick and Johnny Nolan different? Why doesn’t Johnny work harder to earn more money?
We got stuck on question 1.  It is a heavy question.
Homework:  Read through page 88.

 Friday, February 5
We spent today looking at the question, “Are humans born with a tendency to do good or evil or is goodness learned?”  To do this we look at the philosophies of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron De Montesquieu, Voltaire (François Marie Arouet) and Jean Jacques Rousseau.  The Enlightenment Thinkers handout is here.  We also discussed the psychological principals of Sigmund Freud and how his ideas relate to personality.  The unedited PowerPoint is available at here.
Homework:  Read through page 107.

Monday, February 8
Today we discussed the SAT Exam and why your SAT score is massively important to your college admissions.  We went over the Kaplan SAT Prep applications were most of you needed to write the essay:
Please respond to one of the essay questions below.  Please use additional pages if needed.
Choice 1:  Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
Choice 2:  Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
Choice 3:  Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
We continued to review Questions from our study pack.  We discussed:
1.      What are the main difficulties faced by bootblacks trying to make a living in New York City?
2.      Mr. Whitney thought that Dick looked honest and could be trusted. Do you think that honest people have a certain look that can be detected by others?
3.      Dick encounters several swindlers on the streets of New York. What attributes make people vulnerable to swindlers? Why is Dick able to avoid being swindled?
4.      Frank tells Dick that he is “none the worse for being a bootblack” (39). What clues has the author given to support or contradict this statement?
Homework:  Read through page 134, Work on the Kaplan SAT Prep application essay.

Tuesday, February 9
Today we discussed:
1.      What is the moral of the story about Dick Whittington, Lord Mayor of London? Did he gain his wealth through ability or luck? Explain your answer.
2.       Frank tells Dick what he must do to grow up respectable and honored. Is being respected by others a worthy goal? What must a person do today to be respected by others?
3.      Why does the lady on the horse-car accuse the boys of robbing her even though their appearance suggests they are upper class? How does Alger use this incident to comment on class issues?
4.      Dick and Frank meet a young man when they are leaving the Custom House. What does the appearance of the young man suggest about his level of sophistication?
Homework:  Finish book.  Write Kaplan Application Essay for Thursday.

Wednesday, February 10
No School    Snow Day!  

Thursday, February 11
We focused today on your research paper books selection.  The document we the book choices are available here.  The link to library resources is here.  You have until Tuesday, February 23 to make your selection.

Over break you will be starting our next book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  We will start Ragged Dick essays after the break. 

Friday, February 12
Today I distributed your next book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  The e-text of the book is available here.  In class we discussed Bruce E. Coad’s essay on Horatio Alger Jr.
If you have not submitted the Kaplan SAT Application Essay please e-mail it to me before the end of break!
Don’t forget to make your Research Paper Book Selection.
Homework:  Read Pages 39 – 96 of The Great Gatsby.  Complete vocabulary activity.  You are likely to be tested on these words on Monday, February 22.

Monday February 22
We reviewed your Ragged Dick paper assignment  Papers are due Thursday, March 4, 2010 by 10:55 am.  The assignment is available here.
Your paper timeline is:

• Monday, 2/22:  Make you selections from the above lists and e-mail your choices before 11pm tonight.
• Homework Monday, 2/22:  Write 20 quotes cards (or electronic quote cards) from the primary source that match to your choices.
• Homework Tuesday, 2/23:  Find your secondary sources.  Write at least 10 quote cards from secondary sources that relate to your choices.
• Homework Wednesday, 2/24: Write at least 10 more quote cards from secondary sources (total of 20) that relate to your choices.  Begin outlining your paper.
• Homework Thursday, 2/25: Write 10 more quotes cards from the primary source (a total of 30).  Finalize your draft outline of your paper. 
• Friday, 2/26:  Paper outline due in class.  (Given how few grades there are this marking period this counts a lot more then usual)
• Homework Friday 2/26 – Wednesday, 3/3: Writing paper.
• Your final DRAFT version on your paper is due typed Thursday, March 4, 2010 by 10:55 am.  If for any reason you are absent, you must e-mail your paper to me (RMassel@schools.nyc.gov) before 9:00 am on the same date.
• In addition to the above, you will still have reading to do from the Great Gatsby most nights.

Remember that you thesis needs to include all 5 elements of the below chart.

Tuesday, February 23
We review a character summary and the Enotes analysis for Chapters 3 and 4 from The Great Gatsby.  

Wednesday, February 24
I did not make it to class today.  The handout you were assigned is here.  I count assignments from days I am out of class A LOT so make sure you complete them.

Thursday, February 25
We looked at the difference between using search engine and a database.  We discussed search techniques that will help you in your paper writing process.  Remember 5 amazing reviewed sources beats 50 million random sources.
    The link for Bloom’s is http://www.fofweb.com/
    The link for Enotes is http://www.enotes.com
Usernames and passwords were e-mailed to all of you.  If you need it, e-mail me.

Friday, February 26
NO SCHOOL:)   Snow Day!!
Keep working on your paper this weekend.  Remember they are due Thursday, March 4.
SAT Prep class starts tomorrow.

Monday, March 1
A copy of the e-mail on Citation is here.