Journal Prompt 8/31

I hope you all enjoyed the first bit of reading for A River Runs Through It!  It only gets better...

Here is your journal prompt for this lovely last day in August...

In the beginning of this novella, Maclean writes "he was anxious to be on the hills where he could restore his soul."  What does this passage mean to you?  What does it mean to "restore" one's soul?  The Maclean men use the outdoors and fly fishing as a means to unwind their minds and bodies in order to restore their souls.  What is that one thing that you fall back onto in order to find peace within yourself?  What do you do in order to "restore" your soul?

*Read pages 10-22 tonight for homework - don't forget to write down your vocab words!

A River Runs Through It Reading Schedule

August 30 – 1 -10 (stop at “angleworms” mid page)

August 31 – 10 -22 (start at “My brother”; end at “I was molecular”)

September 1 – 22 – 34 (start at “Since our fish”; end at “What?”)

September 6 – 34 – 48 (start at “Paul was in Wolf Creek”; end at “roots of my hair”)

September 7 – 48 – 58 (start at “The truck emerged”; end at “couldn’t be any good”)

September 8 – 58 -71 (start at “And it wasn’t”; end at “three women either”)

September 9 – 71 – 78 (start at “For most of the trip”; end at “tried to be to him”)

September 12 – 78 -94 (start at “On the way”; end at “I’ll just sit”)

September 13 - 94 – 104 (start at “I could see”; finish the novella)

*Please note that this reading schedule is subject to change as the unit progresses

August 30th Agenda

A River Runs Through It Vocab

Since one of your class' requests of me this semester was to broaden your vocabulary, we will implement vocab into the A River Runs Through It unit.  As you read, write down words that you do not know.  Before you finish reading the text, you should have at least five. 

Today I will give you a sticky note to keep in your book.  On this sticky note, you will write 1-5, and before you finish the book, you will write down five different words from the reading that you are unfamiliar with.  This list will be due on Tuesday September 13th, our last reading day for this unit.  Each member of the class will hand in 5 words from the reading - no exceptions!

*Make sure to review your notes on Norman Maclean's biography - you will be quizzed on the information later this week!

Homework for tonight:

Read pages 1-10 in the story - come to class tomorrow prepared for discussion (remember to write down your first unfamiliar vocab word!)

And the Top Book Picks are...

1. Forrest Gump by Winston Groom (this one shocked me!) - 7 votes

2. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (excellent pick!) - 6 votes

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald (we are definitely reading this one) - 5 votes

4. Rocket Boys: A Memoir by Homer Hickman (another that shocked me) - 4 votes

5. Gangs of New York by Herbert Ashbury (I'm going to have to do some research on this one) - 4 votes

6. Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1 by Bryan Lee O'Malley (yay for graphic novels!) - 3 votes

Journal Prompt 8/29

J.W. Eagan once said "Never judge a book by its movie."  How do you feel about this quote?  Are all books better than their films or have you come across a movie that was actually better than the text?  What film was it?  Why was it better? 

If you haven't seen a film that was better than to book, explain why you think this is.  Will it ever be possible for a director to outshine an author?  Why or why not?

Your Expectations

Thanks to all of you for taking the time yesterday to write about what you hope to learn or gain from this class, as well as what you expect of me, your teacher.  I will try my best to accommodate each of you this semester as we read a variety of texts, watch an array of films and discuss our thoughts on each!

Some things you'd like to learn/gain/obtain from this class:

a. expanded vocabulary
b. better writing skills
c. read faster
d. interpret novels and films
e. how to film close-ups
f. how to change film into a photo/how it works
g. watch movies
h. read books
i. write a little
j. learn how to link movies and books
k. read/write with more understanding
l. have discussions comparing/contrasting books and their films
m. enjoy genres in which I have never been exposed
n. how to make a movie
o. learn "how" to read
p. read more
q. process of books getting made into films
r. read, watch, learn, do some cool stuff
s. read new books and watch new movies
t. get to know the teacher better
u. learn how to count to 3 (ha).
v. learn more about English in general
w. read literature out of my comfort zone
x. more knowledge of literature
y. reading texts more in depth
z. find a new interesting author

Your expectations of me:

a. have fun with you
b. enforcing deadlines
c. make stuff clear
d. be available for questions/concerns
e. be fair
f. learn my views and understanding of certain subjects
g. Otter Pop Friday, Shark Week off, Muffins (ha).
h. teach well and a lot
i. not a lot of homework
j. explain stuff if you don't get it
k. respect your opinions
l. actually read your homework
m. have class discussions more than lectures
o. don't be too hard on you
p. laugh a lot
q. challenge your reading and writing responses

Due Dates!

Remember what you need to have by Friday, August 26th -

1. Letter of Introduction (25 points)
2. Notebook for Journaling
3. SSR Book

And by Monday, August 29th, please return your Student Behavior Acknowledgment Forms - signed by you and your parent/guardian!  They will be an easy 20 points, so make sure to get them in!

Welcome!

Welcome to Miss Perkins' Film and Fiction Blog Site!  I hope that all of you are taking this class because you love to read (and write!), love to watch great films, and enjoy having intellectually stimulating conversations regarding both!  I am looking forward to getting to know each one of you in my classroom and through reading your weekly blog posts concerning the many interesting things we will cover this semester in Film and Fiction.

Please look to this web site as a source for any assignments that may be due, to peruse and comment on your fellow classmates' posts, and to have access to any helpful or interesting links that I may post throughout the semester.  Happy blogging!

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it." -Norman Maclean