Welcome back from that extremely unexpected FOUR-day weekend!

This week you will generate a presentation COMPARING AND CONTRASTING Mona Lisa Smile and Dead Poets Society.  The distinguishing should apply to characters, setting, themes, outcome, plot, etc. The presentation should consist of at least 15 slides, have graphics, scenes, character photos that apply to each slide, and have correct grammar usage and content for accurate description.  The first slide should have your name and a title, and the last slide should provide an explanation of which movie you preferred/related to most and why.  This leaves at least 13 slides to be used for distinguishing.  How creative can you get? This is due (emailed) by the end of class on MONDAY.

Make this fun! There is no limit to what or who you can compare and contrast so try to think outside the box!

We will begin presenting on Tuesday.

Tuesday, February 17th

WEBINAR TODAY FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS...
CLICK LINK FOR WEBINAR

WEBINAR LINK

BLOG for Friday, February 20th...
(*All of the blogs from this week are due by Monday morning.)

Again, be thorough in your responses!

1. Who is the most influential leader you have ever had? Why did he or she have such an influence on you?

2. “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering; these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love; these are what we stay alive for.” Professor John Keating says this—what do you think it means? Do you agree? What are your views on poetry and why we read it?

3. “I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way. The world looks very different up here… Just when you think you know something you have to look at it in another way… When you read, don’t just consider what the author thinks, you must consider what you think.” Comment on this quote from Professor Keating. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you have a personal story about a time you took another perspective?

4. Keating asks his students to consider what their ‘verse,’ or lasting impression, will be when they leave either Welton or this world. What ‘verse’ will you contribute in your lifetime? What do you hope will be the lasting impression you leave behind?

BLOG for THURSDAY, February 19th...

Be thorough in your responses!

1. Would Neil still have committed suicide if Mr. Keating had never come into his life? Consider multiple perspectives here as you draft your group response.

2. Who was really the bravest of Keating’s boys? Who was a coward? Be explicit and support your answers.

3. How did the poetry book make it into Neil’s room? (Did Keating put it there?) And if so, why, after telling the boys that the present administration would not look favorably on it, would Keating do that?

BLOG FOR WEDNESDAY February 18th...
Title the Blog with the Theme you choose to describe.

Theme:

As the film progresses, it becomes readily apparent that each primary character faces a challenge. These conflicts help suggest a theme, or central message, that the author and director are trying to impart to the audience.

What do you consider to be Dead Poets Society‘s central theme? Explain with examples in a well-developed paragraph of at least 200 words.

Tuesday, February 10th

DUE at the END of CLASS TOMORROW!!!

Add these to your study questions...complete sentences please.

Answer each question thoroughly—use at least three reasons to support each of your arguments:
18. Do you think Charlie is too daring? Why or why not?
19. Do you think Mr. Keating is a bad influence? Why or why not?
20. What does Mr. Keating do well as a leader? What are his downfalls as a leader?
21. Keating provokes defiance into his students without providing the social discourse (or, in other words, something to try and change) for true change. What is the effect of this when the students act on their defiance?

(The rest of the movie –approx. 30 minutes)
22. Who is most to blame for Neil’s death? Mr. Keating? Neil’s father? Neil himself? Why?
23. Do you think Neil would have committed suicide if Mr. Keating had never come into his life? Why or why not?
24. Who, do you think, was the bravest of all the Dead Poets boys? Why?
25. In the initial screenplay, Todd specifically does not sign the paper at the end. In the movie, we are not told one way or the other. Did Todd sign it or not? What do you think?
26. What happens next? What does the future hold for Keating and the boys?
27. Comment on each of the themes below—which theme were you most able to relate to? Which did you think was the most powerful?
              Feelings of alienation
              Dealing with increased feelings of independence and rebellion
              Academic pressure
              Symbolism and imagery
              Influence of role models
28. How has this movie helped you to think differently about poetry, teaching, school, alienation, etc. Pick one thing and focus on it.
29. Which piece of poetry used in the film did you like best and why? Why did it stand out to you?

If you need to see other questions that you skipped earlier in the film I will be back tomorrow to show you those.  Finish all that you can today so that you can play catch up tomorrow.
WORK DILIGENTLY!!! This is NOT group work so you don't need to be having conversations with ANYONE!
FYI- If there is a phone out it will be taken.

Last Day to Focus on Mona Lisa Smile...DUE TODAY!!!!!!!

Choose TWO of the discussion questions below to write about on your blog.  They must be answered thoroughly with a lot of thought and detail.  After that, Make sure to respond to at least THREE classmates ON YOUR CURRENT ROW with thorough responses (no one-sentence responses!). 

This is DUE TODAY so please stay focused!

We will begin Dead Poets Society tomorrow and will not finish it until Friday.  PLEASE try to be at school every day.  We are having an abundance of absences in every class.  You will be responsible for catching on your own so it is definitely easier to BE IN SCHOOL.  

1. Discuss the role(s) of women in the 1950s as portrayed in the movie. How are they different from the view of Katherine Watson?
2. Katherine Watson's teachings were labeled as "unorthodox". Explain and cite examples from the movie.
3. Betty is seen to have a tremendous reaction towards Joan's application to study in Yale. Why? If you were Betty, would you have similar reaction?
4. Katherine Watson was said to be "subversive". What is your understanding of this term?
5. Betty's marriage to Spencer – do you think she was happy? Note her mother's refusal to let her stay with her. Why?
6. The movie shows relationships of several characters. Were they acceptable in the society at that time? Why / not?