English+10+Journals


 * //Directions for Journals://** Journals should be written in response to the prompt questions and should be at least 12-15 lines in length. Unless otherwise noted, grammatically correct writing is expected. Please label each journal entry with the title, number, and date. Journals will be collected every few weeks and may not be returned for a week.

__Journal #1 "What is Poetry?" 2/7/13__ In your humble opinion, what is poetry? What strategies or skills do you use for interpreting poetry? Do you have any specific memories related to poems? Feel free to express yourself poetically.

__Journal #2 "MEANS & MEANING" 2/8/13__ Annotate the poem "There Will Come Soft Rain" by Sara Teasdale. Then identify the MEANS the poet uses and the MEANING she conveys. Use several pieces of textual evidence in your response.

__Journal #3 "Poet Apprentice" 2/19/13__ Beccome a poet apprentice. Following the pattern of either Wordworth's "Daffodils" or Hughes' "Mother to Son," write a poem on a topic related to one of their themes. Then, write a short paragraph justifying how your stylistic and thematic choices replicate the famous poet's.

__Journal #4 "Friendship Freewrite" 2/20/13__ Define friendship. Then freewrite on the topic of friendship, including your experiences with it. How does George & Lennie's friendship compare with your description?

__Journal #5 "Art Imitating Life?" 2/25/13__ (Watch a short Steinbeck biography here .) After discovering some information about John Steinbeck's life and times, how do you see that his life experiences influenced his writing? Use specific story details. How does this contribute to a deeper understanding of his work?

__Journal #6 "The American Dream" 2/26/13__ (Read the article here .)
 * Historically, what is the "American Dream"? Is it attainable?
 * Does your idea of the "American Dream" differ from the essay? Do you plan to try for the "American Dream"? If so, how?
 * What is George and Lennie's dream? Is it attainable?

__Journal #7 "Was George a Good Friend?" 2/28/13__ Based on what you know about mental retardation and the importance of friendships to people with mental retardation, was George a good friend to Lennie? Defend your opinion with at least 3 instances from the story, including the ending.

__Journal #8 "Castaway" 3/7/13__ If you were a castaway on a deserted island, what would you do? Describe the scenario, as well as how you would feel and what your priorities would be.

__Journal #9 "Motivation" 3/14/13__
 * PART A: What do you see as the major sources of motivation in life? Include examples from your own life and from __Lord of the Flies__.
 * PART B: How do Freud’s ideas of Id, Ego, & Superego factor into your explanation of motivation? Do any characters in __Lord of the Flies__ exemplify these forces? Defend your argument with story details.

__Journal #10 "Temperamental Interpretation" 3/19/13__ After considering the background information on Keirsey's temperaments, do you consider this a valid form of literary criticism for __Lord of the Flies__? If so, explain what this interpretation adds to your understanding of the book. If not, explain your reasoning.

__Journal #11 "Money Equals Happiness ?" 4/17/13__ Do you believe money equals happiness? Be sure to defend your position with examples from real life or __The Great Gatsby__. If money does not equal happiness, what does?

__Journal #12 "Gold" 4/25/13__ This will be a 25-minute timed writing. Read and annotate the poem provided. Then explain the thematic connections between __The Great Gatsby__ and this poem.