Wednesday,+March+28

= Our New Unit! =

‍Essential Question: What are the possibilities and limitations of forgiveness?

 * Anchor Text:** //The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness// by Simon Wiesenthal

Bell Ringer:
Read the following sentence from the book we are about to read. The author, Simon Wiesenthal, is describing his fellow prisoners in a Jewish concentration camp during World War II.

In the polyglot mass of humanity were members of varied social strata: rich and poor; highly educated and illiterate; religious men and agnostics; the kindhearted and the selfish; courageous men and the dull-witted (Wiensenthal 5).

Lets look at a couple words you need to know... polyglot agnostic antithesis (This is an important rhetorical term. It fits into the category of syntax as it describes the structure of a sentence. Write this one down!)

After discussing the author's syntax, write a sentence of your own that mimics this structure. Leave your sentence as a comment on my blog post.

Read/Think:
Read each of the sample situations on the Anticipation Guide handout. Next to each, check either "Yes" or "No" indicating whether or not the situation deserves to be forgiven.

‍‍‍ Discuss:
After completing the Anticipation Guide, turn to a partner and discuss the situations you checked "Yes" on, and the situations you checked "No." What factors went in to making your decision?

‍‍ ‍Think/Write:
Choose one statement from the guide and __take a position__ on whether or not a person deserves forgiveness. Write a __thorough__ response on your blog at least 5 sentences long.

Include the word "forgiveness" in a thought-provoking title. Label the post "forgiveness."

Next time, we will link to Ms. Pickett's student blogs and take some time to respond to each other!

Reading Journal Assignment
As we read the narrative section of //The Sunflower//, I want you to focus on honing your skills for style analysis. You need to do 10 journal entries for this book. All 10 entries should be in "chunk format" and focus on the analysis of a part of DIDLS (diction, imagery, detail, language, syntax). These will be due shortly after we finish reading the narrative section.

Teacher Sample:
Wiesenthal describes the "polyglot mass of humanity" gathered together in the camp as spanning the "rich and poor; highly educated and illiterate; religious men and agnostics; the kindhearted and the selfish; courageous men and the dull-witted" (5). This use of antithesis encourages readers to contemplate on the broad range of citizens who have been persecuted for their race, removed from their everyday lives, and brought together in these cramped and cruel prisons. This emphasis removes any blame from the victims as we are abruptly reminded that these people were united soley through their common race, providing a warning to all that we must always remember our common humanity.

Notes:

 * Make sure to focus on DIDLS!
 * You must include a proper MLA citation for Wiesenthal's book at the end of your journal. (Mini-lesson to come on this!)
 * You must include page numbers as parenthetical citations for your CD sentences. Notice that the period comes after the parenthetical.

Homework:
Remember that final drafts of essays are due on Tuesday, April 3! It must be typed in MLA format. You must submit your paper in both print and electronic forms (meaning you need to print it AND email it to eharmon@batesvilleschools.org).

Read pg. 3 - 20 in //The Sunflower//. Begin working on journal entries.

Click here to check out your book!