Thursday, August 22, 2013

Great Article on FOLKLORE

(CLICK TITLE IT´S THE LINK TO THE ARTICLE)

¨The Basics:

CULTURE: Everything that human beings (and possibly some other species) do that isn’t motivated solely by natural instinct. Sleeping is natural, not cultural, but sleeping using a pillow is cultural. Eating acorns to stave off starvation is natural; eating acorn bread is cultural. Laughing is natural; laughing at a knock-knock joke is cultural. Culture includes tool-making and -using, creative and artistic expression, language development and use, and formulation of beliefs and values. Culture is also a word used to describe groups of individuals who share common cultural traits but who differ in some way(s) from members of other such groups.

TRADITION: Meaningful cultural behavior (or lore) that exhibits continuity in time— often over several generations—and continuity in space (or among the folk, because by “space” we mean the people within a folk group). The adjective traditional is sometimes used synonymously with the adjective folk. For example, we can call “Sleeping Beauty” a traditional narrative or a folk narrative and mean pretty much the same thing.

NARRATIVE: A story of any kind, almost always involving both plot (a sequence of causally and/or logically linked events) and characters (who both enact and react to the plot). Stories usually involve conflict, rising action, a climax, and a resolution of some kind. Different cultures have a differing “sense of story” telling them what is and isn’t appropriately narrative.

ORALITY: A quality of anything that is spoken, chanted, recited, sung, or read aloud rather than written down or read quietly. Most folk or traditional narrative is oral in nature, or was once upon a time. See literature, below, for a consideration of the differences between oral and written literature.

PERFORMANCE: An essential artistic dimension of anything oral, performance refers either to an individual rendition of a traditional narrative (or song, or dance, or drama), which may well also constitute a unique variant of the work being performed. Performance also refers more broadly to all those aesthetic features of such a rendition that cannot be fixed in print. These performative features include tone of voice, dynamics, pacing, interaction with an audience, kinesthetic gestures, and costume. For instance, a folklorist might analyze the performative dimensions of a performance of
“Little Red Riding Hood,” taking note of the storyteller’s adoption of distinct voices and gestures for the different characters, noting the young audience’s gasps of fear at the appropriate moments, and the total length of the telling compared to other performances of the same narrative.

VARIANT: Any version of a folk/traditional narrative that bears a striking resemblance to another version of the same narrative. Variants may result from monogenesis (multiple tellers imitating and/or modifying one initial, original version of a story) or from polygenesis (different tellers independently arriving at the same basic tale type). 



Folklore and its Component Terms:
FOLKLORE: First coined in 1846 by William John Thoms, a British antiquarian. Folklore can be divided into its two component words, folk and lore. Folklore is thus all the lore shared by a particular folk.

THE FOLK, a.k.a. A FOLK GROUP: Any two or more people who share at least one significant cultural thing in common. The things that a folk group shares in common are often traditions, which help to create a shared identity for the group and its members and which also help the group endure over time. Everyone belongs to at least a few folk groups; most people belong to many. Some folk groups are very broad and diverse (all Americans, or even all students at the same school), while some are very exclusive and specific (two best friends). The more cultural factors a folk group shares, the more traditions they are likely to share as well: while we can generalize to a certain extent about Irish Catholics, Irish Catholics who live in the same town, work the same fields, and worship at the same church are far more likely to share lore than, say, a Catholic business executive living in Dublin and a Catholic peat farmer in a small rural village.

THE LORE, a.k.a. TRADITIONAL CULTURE: Lore is traditional behavior or material shared by members of a folk group. Lore includes but is not limited to all of the following:
Traditional narratives (epics, magic tales, legends, jokes, folk drama) Traditional costumes (professional clothing, sports uniforms, hairstyles) Traditional beliefs (religions, superstitions, ethical values)
Traditional non-narrative speech (slang, jargon, nicknames)

Traditional material culture (architecture, folk art of all kinds) Traditional calendar customs (holidays, festivals, birthday parties) Traditional music and dance (folksongs, folk dances)
The most important thing to remember is that lore is traditional—it has continuity over time and through space. If a hairstyle is in fashion for only a short while, it isn’t
traditional. Tradition lasts and has meaning for a particular group of people over the long haul.¨

Identify the Type of Poem


Analyze each poem

Poem 1

Refrain: Oh, do you know the mountain road That leads to yonder peak? A few will walk that trail alone, Their dreams they go to seek. (I) One such was Marian Blacktree, A lowly sheperdess, And courting her was Tom, the swain, Who loved her nonetheless. (II) A thought occurred to Marian While watching o'er her sheep, And gazing at the mountain thus She nodded off to sleep. (Refrain) (III) That night she came to Tom and said She longed to know the sky. "I'm weary of this valley, love, I want to learn to fly!" (IV) Poor Thomas did not want to leave, This valley was all he knew. So when she turned and left him there Her heart, it broke in two. (Refrain) (V) Her faithful swain did track her, All night the trail led on, And finally at the mountain top He looked, but she was gone. (VI) As morning broke and lit the sky An eagle he did see: It circled 'round him thrice and cried. He knew now she was free. (Refrain)



Poem 2

Job came down
in a
woosh, outstretched
and gliding into the horizon.
Blue shadowed
flight
arrested by
the beckoning marsh.
His greatness bears
much
yet not
the anguish of ancient
prophecy.
Situated grievances weigh
feathery
on this long,
strong back.  Unconscious
emotion
numbs while
time drifts out
another
sun salted
day. 

Trimestral Review

Obj: review concepts learned this trimester.

1. Name the 2 major types of poetry. Provide an example for each one.

2. Illustrate the 12 Olympian Gods. (Draw each one or a symbol to represent them)

3. Complete the following chart.


Characteristics + Purpose
Example
Epic





Legend





Mythology





Folk Tale





Tall Tale





Fable







4. Define and provide an example of an epic hero and a chivalrous character.


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Bonus points for The Giver



Book Title: ______________________________________________________________________________ Author: ______________________________________________________________________________ Genre: ______________________________________________________________________________


Write 1-2 sentences that give a brief summary of the book, without giving away the ending. Use main characters’ names. 

Write 3 sentences that describe the setting (time and place) of the book. 
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-
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In your own words, explain how is the setting significant to the story?  

Describe each main character in the book. Use the character’s own thoughts, words and/or actions to develop the characteristics that are important to the story. 

List the main events of the book in the order they happen.   (10)

Monday, August 12, 2013

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight


This week vocabulary words:  cumbersome, daunting, demeaning, integrity, lanky, revere, sever, unperturbed, succulence and baleful.




History of Britain King Arthur

Grammar





Intermediate Grammar: Pronoun Inflection - Objective Case









Personal Pronouns for Kids!














Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Pronouns: the Nominative Case


NOMINATIVE CASE

A pronoun used as the subject of a sentence or as a predicate nominative  is a nominative case pronoun. 
The nominative case pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, we, and they.

Subject
He ate the slice of pizza. 
Eva and I went shopping. 
We picked wild berries.

Predicate Nominative
The winner is she.
The singers will be Evelyn and I. Our neighbors are they. 


BEOWULF translated by Burton Raffel


The Arrival of the Hero from Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel 
         Epic 2
125     . . . Then Wulfgar went to the door and addressed
            The waiting seafarers with soldier’s words:
            “My lord, the great king of the Danes, commands me
            To tell you that he knows of your noble birth
            And that having come to him from over the open
130     Sea you have come bravely and are welcome.
            Now go to him as you are, in your armor and helmets,
            But leave your battle-shields here, and your spears,
            Let them lie waiting for the promises your words
            May make.”
            Beowulf arose, with his men
135     Around him, ordering a few to remain
            With their weapons, leading the others quickly
            Along under Herot’s steep roof into Hrothgar’s
            Presence. Standing on that prince’s own hearth,
            Helmeted, the silvery metal of his mail shirt
140     Gleaming with a smith’s high art, he greeted
            The Danes’ great lord:
            “Hail, Hrothgar!
            Higlac is my cousin and my king; the days
            Of my youth have been filled with glory. Now Grendel’s
            Name has echoed in our land: Sailors
145     Have brought us stories of Herot, the best
            Of all mead-halls, deserted and useless when the moon
            Hangs in skies the sun had lit,
            Light and life fleeing together.
            My people have said, the wisest, most knowing
150     And best of them, that my duty was to go to the Danes’
            Great king. They have seen my strength for themselves,
            Have watched me rise from the darkness of war,
            Dripping with my enemies’ blood. I drove
            Five great giants into chains, chased
155     All of that race from the earth. I swam
            In the blackness of night, hunting monsters
            Out of the ocean, and killing them one
            By one; death was my errand and the fate
            They had earned. Now Grendel and I are called
160     Together, and I’ve come. Grant me, then,
            Lord and protector of this noble place,
            A single request! I have come so far,
            Oh shelterer of warriors and your people’s loved friend,
            That this one favor you should not refuse me—
165     That I, alone and with the help of my men,
            May purge all evil from this hall. I have heard,
            Too, that the monster’s scorn of men
            Is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none.
            Nor will I. My lord Higlac
170     Might think less of me if I let my sword
            Go where my feet were afraid to, if I hid
            Behind some broad linden shield: My hands
            Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life
            Against the monster. God must decide
175     Who will be given to death’s cold grip.
            Grendel’s plan, I think, will be
            What it has been before, to invade this hall
            And gorge his belly with our bodies. If he can,
            If he can. And I think, if my time will have come,
180     There’ll be nothing to mourn over, no corpse to prepare
            For its grave: Grendel will carry our bloody
            Flesh to the moors, crunch on our bones,
            And smear torn scraps of our skin on the walls
            Of his den. No, I expect no Danes
185     Will fret about sewing our shrouds, if he wins.
            And if death does take me, send the hammered
            Mail of my armor to Higlac, return
            The inheritance I had from Hrethel,° and he
            From Wayland. Fate will unwind as it must!”

BEOWULF


  • Beowulf , written in Old English sometime before the tenth century A.D., it describes the adventures of a great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century.
  • Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic in British literature.
  • There is only one manuscript of Beowulf exists today. This copy survived both the wholesale destruction of religious artifacts during the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII and a disastrous fire which destroyed the library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1571-1631).
  • Beowulf is written in an Anglo-Saxon Language (sometimes called Old English), but the the story does not take place in England at all. It is about some of the ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons, tribes who lived in countries that are now called Denmark and Sweden.
  • The Anglo-Saxon people began to settle in Britain around 450 A.D. They came from Europe, mainly from the countries we now call Germany and Denmark.



The poem still bears the scars of the fire, visible at the upper left corner of the photograph. The Beowulf manuscript is now housed in the British Library, London.

This week will be reading Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel Epic 2 The Arrival of the Hero

The Adventures of Beowulf
                                                        an Adaptation from the Old English
                                                        by Dr. David BreedenIllustrated 
                                                        by Randy Grochoske



Europe nowadays.
Nowadays
The Angles, Saxons and Jutes came to Britain around 450 A.D.(see map below). 
Some Franks and Frisians also came, as well as some smaller tribes.
450 AD
The people already living in Britain were called the Britons.
They were a Celtic people, like many of the Scots, Irish and Welsh today.
The Anglo-Saxon invaders drove most of the Britons back until they lived
only in the areas now called Cornwall, 

Wales and Scotland.
This map shows where different tribes from Europe settled in Britain.
It is from the names of these tribes that we get some of the names of parts of Britain 
that we still use today:
e.g.
East Angles - East Anglia
East Saxons - Essex
South Saxons - Sussex
Britan
Even the word England comes from Angle-land.





Friday, August 2, 2013

Response to Literature


Interpreting a Story

A response essay is a short piece of writing in which you:

  • retell key events in the story,
  • interpret the theme of the story,
  • show how the development of the main character relates to the development of the theme.
The idea of interpreting a story may intimidate some of you. Yet, keep in mind that interpreting means examining the important events in the story and understanding how they reveal a message about life or human nature. Developing this understanding is sometimes called gaining an insight. 

Traits of a Response to Literature


3 traits relate to the development of the content and the form. They also provide focus during pre write, drafting, and revising.
  • ideas: Write a statement that explains the focus of your response and select details that support it.
  • organization: Organize your response.
  • voice: use a voice that shows interest in the topic and reflects your overall feeling.
3 traits that relate to form.
  • word choice: Use specific nouns and storing verbs.
  • sentence fluency: write sentences that flow smoothly and are easy to understand. 
  • conventions: Correct all grammar, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation errors. 


PREWRITE

Select your point.

TOPICS TO CHOOSE FROM, FOR YOUR RESPONSE TO LITERATURE BASED ON THE GIVER BY LOWRY
  • HOW DOES THE GIVER CHANGE JONA´S LIFE AND HIS PERCEPTION OF THINGS.
  • DO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE WRONG CHOICES, AS SUGGESTED BY THE GIVER?
  • HOW DOES RITUAL CONTROL THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY?
  • DISCUSS THE IDEA OF "SAMENESS". HOW DOES THIS PLAY OUT IN JONA´S COMMUNITY AND WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES?
  • IS JONAS CORRECT IN SAYING THAT "WITHOUT MEMORIES ALL IS MEANINGLESS"?
  • PRECISE LANGUAGE IS OFTEN USED AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL CONTROL. CHOOSE 2 OR 3 WORDS USED IN THE SOCIETY THAT DISTORT OR CONCEAL THE MEANING OF THE WORDS  TO PROMOTE RULES AND DESCRIBE HOW THEIR USE AFFECTS THE BEHAVIOR OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. 


Identify the main character and theme.


 Identify the key events that teach the character something about life (theme) Choose events that change or provide example of your character in that way.


Write a clear focus statement for your essay.

Now that you have identified the character and theme (what the main character learns, you are ready to write your focus statement.

SELF CHECK


Decide on your organization patters.  Write a topic sentence for each middle paragraph.
    After you write a focus statement, the next step is to plan the middle paragraph of your essays. Each middle paragraph should include a topic sentence and deal with one key even. 

    OUTLINE

    Keep in mind the 3 parts of a response to literature essay.

    Beginning- the beginning paragraph introduces an important character and states the focus of your interpretation. 
    FOCUS STATEMENT As he struggles with his injuries, Adam learns that art can help heal his body and mind.

    Middle- FOUR TOPIC SENTENCES
    Adam´s problems start when he hits the car, injuring his legs and his left hand. 

    One day during the next spring, Adam´s life begins to change.

    The art class teaches Adam about drawing and about life.

    At the end of the summer, Adam suddenly shifts his focus from drawing to building.

    Ending - the ending paragraph explains and summarizes the theme. 

    CLOSING SENTENCES  
    In the same way, art trains Adam to think about what is around him rather than thinking only about himself. 

    Write a topic sentence for each middle paragraph.

    After you write a focus statement, the next step is to plan the middle paragraph of your essays. Each middle paragraph should include a topic sentence and deal with one key even.