Today Giao Bui and Karesha Lillard presented a Lecture on Sound and Sense and Meter. One of their examples was The Darkling Thrush by THOMAS HARDY 1840–1928. I was curious about the poems form and looked it up. The first link was a reputable, more scholarly and formal site: Poetry Foundation.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173590#about


The second was more fun, although the writer knows his or her poetry forms. The language was a lot more informal almost conversational. Certainly if the author's intention was to make poetry forms more accessible to a non scholarly audience, then I believe they are doing a great job. Here is their link: http://www.shmoop.com/darkling-thrush/ I read this in class: http://www.shmoop.com/darkling-thrush/rhyme-form-meter.html

Another interesting note is at: http://www.enotes.com/darkling-thrush The poet wrote this poem at the start of a new century (1900), one he hadn't known he'd see at the old age of 60. Imagine that?! A woman who lives in East Oakland just made 115 this week.

From the London Guardian

"Thomas Hardy's "The Darkling Thrush" was originally called "The Century's End, 1900" and was first printed in The Graphic on 29 December of that year. "A deleted 1899 on the manuscript suggested he had written it a year before," Claire Tomalin tells us in her biography, Thomas Hardy: The Time-Torn Man. Earlier in the same book, Tomalin memorably describes Hardy as a child, waiting each evening for the setting sun to light up the red-painted staircase in the family house, at which point he would recite an "evening hymn" by Sir Isaac Watts, beginning 'And now another day is gone,/ I'll sing my maker's praise.' 'The Darkling Thrush'seems oddly to recall that scene.

"It is one of Hardy's most lyrical poems, musical in execution, metaphor, theme, and even title. The Keatsian word 'darkling' simply means 'in the dark,' but it has the sound of a preludial shimmer of birdsong. Visually, too, it prepares us for the image of the 'aged thrush, frail, gaunt and small,/ In blast-beruffled plume … ' Another use of the -ling suffix is to produce a diminutive of a noun (as in gosling, duckling, sapling, etc.) and though this isn't what is happening etymologically, in 'darkling' we pick up a distant sense of it, and therefore of the bird's littleness and exposedness in his bare tree. . .' (http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/pictures/2009/12/28/1261998406123/A-song-thrush-002.jpg).

Homework is to submit the Poetry Essay. Students were to analyze a poem(s) from Indivisible. Other homework is to start the portfolio narratives. There are 2-3 handouts from Writing with a Thesis and Diana Hacker Rules for Writers (Global Revisions). Bring Hacker to class tomorrow.

In Indivisible we are to read "Public Benefits" (14-15) and follow the assignment on the slip of paper our presenters gave us. Post your comments on the presentation here. What worked well and what you learned. Presenters post your self reflections.

Monday we had another presentation: Brittany, Miriam, and Sara on "Imagery in Poetry." I didn't get the exercise; however, students can post the answers to the exercise and a response here. Presenters comment on the experience and what you learned.

Audience, comment on what worked best.

Wednesday, we will look at Revision and the Portfolio Narratives. I have posted a portfolio checklist here as well. There are three other students who are to present. We can start tomorrow with their presentations.

Persepolis is now an extra credit essay. Students can submit it with the portfolio in the extra credit section. I will show you the author interview Thursday.

Next week, Monday, March 21, 2012, I will host a portfolio workshop, 9-12 and 1-3 in either A-205 or A-232. Our final is Friday, May 25, 8-10 AM in C-211. It can be a potluck if you like. Let me know.

The course portfolios are also due this day by 12 noon. Graduation is Friday, May 25 as well.

The poetry essay was due today via Internet: coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com

Portfolio Checklist Draft

This checklist can serve as the table of contents. Put a check next to the items to show inclusion in the portfolio. Use as the second page to the portfolio, after the cover sheet. Where there are questions for the section, students can post the answers to the narrative there.

Number the pages with a header.

The portfolio is due by Friday, May 25, 2012, 12 noon. Make certain you paste and attach the document. Include the assignment in the subject line: COA Sabir Spring 2012 Portfolio for English 1B Course code 21792 Lec 08:00-08:50 AM, Jan. 25—May 17 and send to: coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com


Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
Class including class code and semester ____________________
Address _______________________________________
Phone number __________________________________
Email address__________________________________


Portfolio Narratives (250 words each, minimally).


1. The fist narrative will look at the 18 week semester, the themes we discussed: immigration, family, assimilation, alienation, genocide, disenfranchisement, colonization, war, violence against women. . . . Talk about what you've learned and discovered about writing, college and life, which have transformed or changed you.

What have you learned about yourself this semester? What have you learned about the discipline you are studying in this class: composition and reading that you plan to carry forth into your lifelong pursuit of learning?

Please also comment on the texts and whether or not they were helpful in this process. You can also talk about the instruction, culture of the class and the teacher.

2. Use two essays as evidence to discuss your revision process. Don’t forget to include it in the works cited page. Use a scholarly source as well to talk about the revision process. I gave you two handouts at the start of class. Also use your grammar style book (Hacker, etc.) There will be at least two sources, perhaps three used for this essay.

Checklist

The checklist will list all the assignments, but you know what they are. Post the entire portfolio for each section. On the checklist include all the assignment grades. I will get the other grades to you before Friday, May 18, so you can update that part of the portfolios. If for some reason there is an outstanding assignment, just include it in the portfolio and note that it needs a grade.

All the essays included in the portfolio should be graded essays: Short Fiction, the Novel (1), The Play, Poetry, Final Essay and Presentation (student choice re: genre).

We will toss the lowest graded essay. Include it.

Presentations:

Group presentations: Poetry and individual on favorite poem and final essay. Please include the abstract for the final essay and for the others your poem and the responses received re: presentation. For group essays: Post the essay and any responses to it.

3. Other Cyber-Assignments. Divide them into freewrites and cyber-essays.

4. Extra credit. If you have written any essays this semester for extra credit they would go in this section. If you'd like to include a graded essay from another discipline you can. Include the assignment as well.

5. For all the Cyber-Assignments already included with essay portfolios, do not post them twice. This list of assignments is just a list of all that you have completed (or missed). Just a brief description of the assignment is enough.

6. After the Cyber-Assignments, type any in-class writings, such as freewrites or group work and include it here under: Freewrites and Class Assignments

7. Evaluation and Extra Credit


PORTFOLIO

DANCE BOOTS Essay Unit
Planning________
Outline_______
Peer Review_______
Graded Drafts (How many? What were the grades? _________________
Correction essays or narratives (How many?) _______________
Cyber-Assignments (How many?) _________
Group work___________
Peer Comments__________


GIRL IN TRANSLATION Essay Unit
Planning________
Outline_______
Peer Review_______
Graded Drafts (How many? What were the grades? ______________
Correction essays or narratives (How many?) _______________
Cyber-Assignments (How many?) _________
Group work___________
Peer Comments__________


RUINED Essay Unit
Planning________
Outline_______
Peer Review_______
Graded Drafts (How many? What were the grades? ____________
Correction essays or narratives (How many?) _______________
Cyber-Assignments (How many?) _________
Group work___________
Peer Comments__________

Poetry Essay Unit
Planning________
Outline_______
Peer Review_______
Graded Drafts (How many? What were the grades? ____________
Correction essays or narratives (How many?) _______________
Cyber-Assignments (How many?) _________
Group work___________
Peer Comments__________


POETRY Essay Unit:
Group Project
Lesson Plan________
Activity_______
Comments from peers_______
Self-reflection on the process_________

Poetry Related Cyber Assignments________
Peer Comments_________


Independent Project
Planning________
Outline_______
Abstract________
Grade on Essay_______
Grade on Presentation _________

Correction essays or narratives (How many?) __________
Peer Comments__________

Freewrites
(Any in-class freewrites not posted on the blog, type and put in this section. How many? _________

Semester Cyber-assignments. These are any cyber-assignments not already posted with the other units. Don't post an assignment twice. How many? __________


Extra Credit Essay: Students can turn in a graded essay from another course if the other teacher doesn’t mind. It has to use research and MLA style documentation, so certain courses are not applicable.

Anything else?__________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________


Teacher research
Can I use your work in presentations and publications? Would you like to be anonymous? If I plan on using your essays or work in a book, I will let you know and share any proceeds.

Yes, I agree.
No, do not use my work.


Final Grade

Portfolio checklist _____________
Portfolio Essay 1_______________
Portfolio Essay 2_______________
Portfolio Grade_________

Course Grade_________

Great presentation by William, Ryan James and Vanessa. Here is the homework. Post your response in the comment section. You can post your responses to the presenters here as well. What did you enjoy most? What did you learn? Self-reflections: what did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about the group process? What worked well? What would you change for next time?

We finish Monday with Miriam, Brittany, Sara (group); Allen and Demetria (individuals).

1.
For A Good Friend

To travel with a friend is to travel on a cruise ship,
For there will be laughter, music, dance and wine;
Yet you still secretly check for life jackets and rafts,
And only sleep safe when your swimming is fine.
To travel with a true friend is to travel in a wooden boat,
With just a limbless you, him, against the mighty tides;
Yet your eyes will close, knowing there can happen only two:
His hands will save you, or with you in him he would, fly...
-Pradeep Dhavakumar
Speaker:________________
Listener:________________


2.
Ocean Flow

Wave, and wave, and wave and current,
The sea keeps going and turning and churning.
From the currents to the waves, to the waves,
One to another, it flows, it flows.

Eternally spinning, turning, churning,
All men caught up in the undertow.
All men swimming, and swimming, and swimming,
Eternally caught up in the ocean flow.
-Celine Koe

Speaker:________________
Listener:________________



3.
Defy Greed

Pay no heed
To your greed
Do it once
Just to give your greatness
A chance.
Once and then once more
As never before
Defy the greed
Pay it no heed.
Here and there
A small sacrifice
Would suffice
You’re learning to share.
You’re learning to defy greed
Learning the worth of a good deed
You’ve it to take the lead
To free the world from greed.
-Pradip Chattopadhyay
Speaker:________________
Listener:________________



4.
Land as a forgotten factor of Life

In the country
The Land will produce the food
You take just what you need
In the city
Money produces the food
You take what you can afford
-Malcolm Bacchus

Speaker:________________
Listener:________________

Respond to the presentation on Poetry forms with Marie Heide and Sherrlynne Apostel. What did you learn? What did you like most?

Homework is to prepare for the presentation. Email and bring me a copy of your lesson plan, the exercise handout or instructions. Bring in enough copies of the exercises for everyone.

Rehearse the presentation in advance. If you need to test or set up technology, I will be in the classroom a bit earlier tomorrow morning.

Have an alternative plan. Do not base everything on Internet. Put PowerPoint docs on a CD. We will write an essay about poetry on Thursday. You can have 90 minutes to write a 2-page essay on a poem of your choice from Indivisible. Watch the video first. Read the author's website as well.

There other two sources will be a part of your bibliography. Email the essay to me at coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com It is due by 12 noon tomorrow. If it is late, you have a zero. Homework for the weekend is to bring in an Initial Planning Sheet for your independent book project for Monday. We will do more with Indivisible and Persepolis for those who chose to write the second essay on fiction. It is optional.

I will show you the interview with the author, Marjane Satrapi. Next week we will talk about the portfolio and start assembling it.

Indivisible Cyber-Assignment

Revisions
Today in class we worked on revisions of essays. Tomorrow I will give students time to work on presentations.

Presentations
In the presentations, students need to use an example from Indivisible. We will write an essay on poetry Thursday. It will be a short essay: 2 pages. Think about two poems from Indivisible you'd like to analyze.

Homework
We were going to watch this video of a poetry event at UC Berkeley celebrating the release of Indivisible November 30, 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8faRwFvqLHU
We have instead spent the time revising essays, so now it is homework.

Write a response to the video by Thursday, May 10, 2012. Post here.

Grades
Today I also spoke to students about how they were doing in the class. Today is the last day I can drop students with a W. If you have questions, call me this afternoon or text me.

Today in class students chose aspects of Writing about Poetry they'd like to present their lessons on next week. Wednesday, May 9, 2012. Students got together in groups and started planning.

Homework is to find a poem in Indivisible to share tomorrow. Use WAL to help in the analysis.

We will also critique the Ruined essays.

Yesterday I demonstrated my writing process in a composition based on a theme from Ruined. I emailed the completed draft to students.

Today we reviewed the section on Writing about Poetry from WAL. Homework is to read the section, complete the Ruined essay, for the peer grading session tomorrow morning, and decide what scetion on Writing about Poetry (82). You might want to present your lesson next week on.

We also went over the 3-part thesis looking at the topic of love in Ruined. The freewrite is to develop a 3-paragraph essay looking at love from the perspective of a character(s) in the play.

My thesis is: Love saves one from ruin. Use the student essay and the poem to develop an argument. Post here. Comment on a student essay (1) as well.