Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong

Today we discussed the issues surrounding women in the military and began reading SSTB.

The Things I Carry essay

Today students were introduced to their next writing assignment and began the brainstorming process. Write your own “Things I Carry/Carried” essay or poem. This needs to be something you carry both literally and figuratively. The more emotion you incorporate, the better it will be! Include the weight of some of the items you carry due to this figurative condition. While writing and editing, pay close attention to your use of voice and incorporate elements of figurative language. Your final draft must include at least: ______ five similes and/or metaphors, ______ two uses of personification, and ______ one example of hyperbole. You will have time to edit and add these elements in class. Complete the brainstorming worksheet to help you decide on a topic. Some example topics include: (This is just a brief list. The options are endless.) • “The Things I Carry as the Son of a Perfectionist” • “The Things I Carry as the Daughter of Breast Cancer Survivor” • “The Things I Carry as the Black Sheep of My Family” • “The Things I Carry as a Waitress” • “The Things I Carry as Wrestler”

The Man I Killed/Ambush/Good Form

We read all 3 stories in class and had a group discussion in response to the following prompts: “The Man I Killed” Why does O’Brien go into so much detail about the man’s life? How does he know these things? What is the focus of this story? “Ambush” This is another story about the same event. What is the reason for this? What is the focus of this story? Explain the repetition of the dead man’s description in both stories. “Good Form” What is the focus of the 3rd story dealing with the same subject? Explain why O’Brien would write the story 3 different ways with the focus and the facts changing each time.

Story truth/happening truth

Students worked in groups discussing the happening truth of each of the stories we have read from The Things They Carried.

How to Tell a True War Story

Today we read "How to Tell a True War Story" and discussed the importance of facts in a story. Final drafts of Division/Classification essays are due on Monday.

Enemies/Friends

Today we discussed the characteristics of friends and enemies. We then read two stories about this topic and discussed.

Division/Classification

Students completed a peer editing activity today. The final draft of their division/classification essay (100pts) is due on Monday.

Love/Spin

Today we read and discussed the story truth of the stories "Love" and "Spin".

The Things They Carried

Today we discussed the importance of tangible and intangible items carried by soldiers and students.

The Things They Carried

We continued reading and discussing the story in class. Students are to finish reading the story for HW and complete the following questions: The Things They Carried Study Questions The Things They Carried: 1. In what sense does Jimmy love Martha? Why does he construct this elaborate (mostly fictional) relationship with her? What does he get out of it? 2. When is Jimmy most likely to think about Martha? Why is he thinking about her while one of his platoon members is in the tunnel? 3. Why did Lieutenant Jimmy Cross feel guilty about Ted Lavender’s death? In what sense is Ted Lavender’s death his fault? 4. Here is his excuse for allowing his men to be lax: “He was just a kid at war, in love.” Why does Jimmy use this excuse? In what sense does it excuse him? In what sense, doesn’t it? 5. Why do the soldiers tell jokes about war, about killing? Why do they use profanity? 6. How is the idea of weight used and developed in this story (“Jungle boots, 2.1 pounds.”)? How do you, as a reader, feel reading those lists of weight? What effect does it have on you? 7. If this is a story about sacrifice, what does Jimmy sacrifice, and why? 8. How has Jimmy changed by the end of the story? How will he be a different person from this point on? What has he learned about himself? Or, to put it another way, what has he lost and what has he gained? 9. Do you think the war will affect him in a different way now that he refuses to think about Martha? How will it be different? What did “Martha” save him from?

Division and Classification essay

On Friday, students continued working on the D/C essays in class. I also returned their Why I Write essays along with a goal sheet that they will continue to fill out as the year progresses. The D/C essay is due Tuesday.

Division/Classification

Today we discussed tone, audience, purpose, effectiveness, and structure regarding the assembly the students attended yesterday. We then continued brainstorming ideas for a division/classification essay which is due Tuesday 10/9.

Division/classification essay

Today the students began brainstorming topics for their essay. We read a sample essay and then discussed hobbies/interests and began breaking them down.

Division and Classification

Students continued brainstorming topics that I gave them. They had to classify them according to their personal views. We then began putting them into an outline form.