11-29/30 2007 Drover's Wife and Chosen Vessel

Lesson:
Quiz on "The Drover's Wife"
Discussed "The Drover's Wife"
Read "The Chosen Vessel" (Full text of the story can be found on the assignments page)

If you were absent, answer these three questions for homework:

1. In what ways do each story portray women living in the outback? How are they similar? How are they different? (A Venn diagram would be helpful here)

2. Compare the two lead characters. Which do you feel is the more realistic portrayal of a woman in the outback?

3.Look at how the author builds suspense. How do the authors accomplish this? (What is the trick?) Make a list of each authors technique. Which way is more effective?

Work on a bush ballads. Everyone needs to turn in a Bush Ballad but you may work with a group. If you were absent, turn in a written copy of your own bush ballad for credit. Next class we will perform for extra credit.

Homework: Vocab Review. We will be having a vocab test next class. This can be found on the assignments page.
Write a bush ballad

11-27/28 2007 Absalom Day's Promotion

Lesson:
Quiz on the story. If absent, make sure you make this up.

We had a small group debate on issues raised in the story. If absent, please expand on these questions. Back as many answers as you can by referring to the text of the story.


1. What decisions would you have made in Absalom DayÂ’s position? Why?
2. Are executions a deterrent to crime? What do you say? What would the author say?
3. Is violence a natural human behavior?
4. What are some examples of Social Darwinism (survival of the fittest applied beyond biology to society) at work in our society today?



Homework:
Read “The Drover’s Wife”
You can read this on -line at:
http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/L/LawsonHenry/prose/billyboils_2/droverswife.html
Answer the questions on the study guide. (this can be found on the assignments page)

There will be a quiz next class.

Extra credit options:
Baking (recipes found on poem sheet)
Convict diary (pick this up in class)
Articles and questions (pick this up in class)

11-21/ 26 2007 Convicts!!!

Lesson:
We turned in our strong paragraph argument.
Went over convict history. If you were absent you will want to answer these questions ont he web. Good sites are:
wikipedia.org
http://www.convictcentral.com/
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/convicts/


Questions:

1. What caused England to send convicts to the US and Australia?
2. Why was convict transportation so awful?
3. What types of jobs did convicts do when they got there?
4. What age were most of the convicts?
5. How many women were there and what did they do?
6. What was convict life like?
7. Three of the worst prisons were Macquerie Harbor, Norfolk Prison, and Port Arthur. Why were they so bad?
8. What is a ticket of leave?
9. Who were drovers? What did they do?

Bush Ballads
A poem in verse form that tells a story about life in the bush.

These poems were often sung in bars and around campfires.

One of the most famous of these is Waltzing Matilda by Banjo Patterson.

Go to this link to take a look at it.

http://www.nla.gov.au/epubs/waltzingmatilda/

Now it's your turn.
with what you have learned about drovers and convicts, write your own bush ballad to the tune of any song of your choice. It should have about 3 verses and a chorus and tie into what you have learned

If you are absent, before next class stop by my room to pick up a copy of Absalom Days Promotion and the study guide that accompanies it. I can't put it up electronically.



HMWK: Read Absalom Day's Promotion. Complete the study guide.
Quiz next class on the reading.

11-19/20 2007 Stolen Generations: Creating an argument

Lesson:
We viewed a documentary looking at Aboriginal teens today.
We then hhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.photo.gifad discussions in groups regarding the following questions:

What way is the more effective way to tell the story of Rabbit Proof Fence? The book or the movie?

What do you see as the best approaches to healing the scars of the Stolen Generation and helping all Australians move forward in harmony?

What do you see as the best approaches to healing the scars of our own country and helping all Americans move forward in harmony?

What can you do here, as a student at our school, to become part of the reconciliation movement here or in Australia?

How would you judge Neville? Can he be a seen as a product of his society and its values, or are the decisions he made universally wrong?
Many Australians support the notion of an official apology for the removal of children, while others resist the idea.

Make a list of arguments in support of an apology and those against the idea.
Australia adopted the official policy of assimilating the aboriginal population. What are some reasons Aboriginal people would want to fully assimilating, not assimilating at all, or partially assimilating (live between two worlds).


If you were absent, please write a short response to each of these. Then, create a one paragraph argument backing up your position to one of these questions.

HMWK:
One paragraph argument to one of the above questions.
Vocab Day 3 and 4

11-15/11-16 2007 Dramatic Scenes

Lesson:
Vocab Test (If absent make up)
Acted out our dramatic scenes. If absent, you will need to complete the individual assignment(poem) that can be found in the previous day's blog entry (11-13/11-14)

HMWK: Australia vocab part 2 Days 1 & 2

11-13/11-14 Dramatic Retelling

Lesson:
We had a book quiz. If absent please make this up.
We worked with groups for our dramatic retelling next class.
If you were absent, I would like you to create a one minute performance of an original poem based on the events of the story you were assigned. Basically, modify the dramatic retelling assignment for one person. You will not have to perform it for the whole class if you choose not to but you will have to perform it in front of me and at least 3 other people (your choice) to get credit. You must make this up! It's 40 points!!
Vocab test is next class as well

Homework:
Vocab Review (see assignments link)
For vocab review please practice the words by using them in a sentence (not the one from the original sheet). Vocab Test next class

11-7/11-8 Rabbit Proof Fence

Lesson:
Today we watched the film Rabbit Proof Fence.
If you were absent, please rent the film. Write down things that were changed and/ or added in the film that were not in the book. Try to find at least 5 main things. Look for symbolism, added characters, suspense, etc.

HMWK: Finish the book
Skit next class
Book quiz next class

11-5/6 2007 Adding the drama

Lesson:
Showed the first 25 minutes of Rabbit Proof Fence (If absent, stop by at lunch next time and we'll watch it)
Took book quiz
We discussed why the book is written in a sparse, factual style and what the movie hopes to achieve.
Began creating a dramatic retelling of scenes from other children who were taken away.
If absent, please see the assignment on the assignments link and get a copy of a story from me next class.


Homework:
Read pages 75-96
Scene rewrite (see assignments link for details)
YIRTB quiz next class

Projects:
Nothing (except extra credit)