Senior Vocab. Entries

Seniors, post your vocabulary entries here!

(here's a sample image for the first word "altruistic")

3/10/09 Frankenstein Project Responses

What do you think of the Frankenstein projects? Write about your favorite ones? Have the projects helped you see anything new or interesting in the novel?

Frankenstein Journal 2/4/09

Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret of life and uses this knowledge to create a sentient being. Imagine that you have discovered some previously thought-to-be-impossible technique or ability. What would you create? Describe your creation and tell why you came up with this idea. Respond to two other people’s creations. Early responders, please come back to respond to your classmates’ creations. No inappropriate responses, please.

Writers Club/ Senior English poem challenge for the week of 11/17

This is just to say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

William Carlos Williams

Write an "apology poem" like the one above. Use any style. Make it short, vivid, surprising. All seniors and writers club members are invited to post.

Writers Club post for the week of 10/22

OK, gang. The new rules are: shorter pieces, poems and prose pieces of less than a page, should be posted here. Email me longer pieces and I'll continue putting them up on the website.

This week's challenge: spook pieces. Words to get you going: phantom, shadow, heart, macabre, schizophrenia, sepulcher, crypt, maggots, doll.

Senior poem challenge for Wed. 10/22/08

Delight in Disorder
by Robert Herrick (1591 – 1674)

A sweet disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantonness:–
A lawn about the shoulders thrown
Into a fine distractión,–
An erring lace, which here and there
Enthrals the crimson stomacher,–
A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribbands to flow confusedly,–
A winning wave, deserving note,
In the tempestuous petticoat,–
A careless shoe-string, in whose tie
I see a wild civility,–
Do more bewitch me, than when art
Is too precise in every part.

This is the first older poem I've assigned you folks--from one of the "Cavalier Poets" of the early 17th century. Be sure you understand the meaning of the poem (what's he talking about?). See a word you don't understand? Look it up. Answer one or more of the following questions: Which metaphor(s) do you find most vivid? Why? Can you find the oxymoron? Do you find the poem sexist, seductive, or just plain silly? Any connection to our current dress code issues or general ideas about dress and style? As on the last challenge, respond to at least one person whose posted before you.

Writers Club Challenge

masks, keys, red Mustang, open heart surgery, shoes, damsel in distress, water, holding things together, hide and seek, Dante's Inferno, The Scarlet Letter, Araby, play, plays, playing, snake...

Here are some words and topics from our writing challenges over the past years, and I threw in some of the lit. you folks have been reading in your English classes just for fun. Write a short poem using all or some of these words. Write it and then post so that you don't see anyone else's before you write yours.

And here's a link to that Wordsworth poem I mentioned in my email to you:

"The World Is Too Much With Us" by William Wordsworth