Happy Thanksgiving!!

Learning Target: Stamp out scurvy! Eat some oranges or other citrus during the break. Many pirates suffered from scurvy, but you don't have too! Aaaargggh!

Homework: Read 117-152 and post one discussion question and reply to another person's discussion question - someone whom you have not yet responded to - with a short paragraph (3-5 sentences).

As Westerners reading a book rooted in Eastern religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, there is ample room for misunderstanding and confusion.  Particularly confusing to Westerners are Buddhist terms which are unfamiliar to Westerners, and as a result, often misunderstood.  

The information provided from The Lotus and The Cross website provides some help in understanding how, despite the differences in terminology, some Buddhist concepts overlap with Christian concepts.

god and the unconditioned

Monk at Adam's Peak, Sri Lanka
©Buddha Dharma Education Association

At first glance, Buddhism seems vastly different from Christianity. Christianity is a religion about God, while the Absolute in Buddhism is never personalized, and seldom described, except as being beyond description. Most Christian denominations see the Bible as being of paramount importance (particularly in conservative Protestantism), while the vastly larger collection of Buddhist scriptures are seldom considered as an infallible authority except for a handful of smaller sects.

But delving deeper, the differences become much smaller. For instance, many of the early Church Fathers taught that in his true essence, God is unknowable and unfathomable, beyond all words and all descriptions. This inability to speak of the divine nature is known as apophatic(unspeakable) mysticism, which recognizes God is beyond all words and concepts, and anything we use to say what God is falls short. God's essence (ousia), is within all things, but ever beyond all. Similarly, the Buddhist scriptures refer to the ultimate reality as "the Uncreated," or "the Unmanifest," an absolute Reality which is everywhere present, but beyond this perceived world, resulting from no cause, and limited by no conditions.

buddhist-christian parallels

Parallel Beginnings
God	the Unconditioned
Heaven	Nirvana
Jesus (Yeshua of Nazareth)	Gautama (Siddartha Gautama)
Jewish founder of Christianity	Hindu founder of Buddhism
virgin birth account	virgin birth account
tempted by Satan	tempted by Mara
Good News of the Kingdom of God	the Dharma (law) of Liberation
Sermon on the Mount	Sermon of "Turning the Wheel of Dharma"
taught in parables	taught in parables
Feet kissed by Mary Magdalene	Feet kissed by Pasanedi
Betrayed by Judas	Betrayed by Devadatta
Crucified	possibly poisoned
Ascension	Parinirvana
the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ)	the Awakened One (Buddha, Enlightened)
Savior	Bodhisattva
Parallel developments
Parallel Paths
agape (spiritual love)	maitri (lovingkindness)
the world	samsara
Purification (Purgatory)	Rebirth (Reincarnation)
hell	hell realms
imago Dei (image of God)	Buddha-nature
Christ within you	Realizing your Buddha-nature
Theosis/Deification	Awakening, Enlightenment
the Way	the Dharma
chant	chant
prayer candles	prayer flags

Friday, November 21, 2014

Learning Target: I can read literature and use it as a lens to reflect on humanity's  - and my own - search for meaning.

Baby Dwarf Squirrels...aaawww!

Toronto Zoo Giant Panda Tumbles In The Snow

Cat adopts baby squirrel

Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) Day

Neature...Hey, that's pretty neat!

Discovering Buddhism 

Parallelsl between Buddhism Christianity: Eternal Mind and the Unconditioned or Absolute are Buddhist words for Soul and God

Homework: Read 100-115 and post one discussion question and reply to another person's discussion question - someone whom you have not yet responded to - with a short paragraph (3-5 sentences).

November 21, 2014 Siddhartha

Learning Target: I can read literature and use it as a lens to reflect on humanity's  - and my own - search for meaning.

Toronto Zoo Giant Panda Tumbles In The Snow

Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) Day

Homework: Read 75-100 for Monday
Post one discussion question and reply to another with a short paragraph (3-5 sentences).

November 19, 2014

Have students read and annotate pp 25-61 in Siddhartha and post two discussion questions (interpretive or evaluative) to turnitin.com. (5 points)

Learning Targets:

I can synthesize (combine) knowledge from history, world religions, and literature to reflect on humanity's search for meaning.

Bellringer: It's A _______________ World sharing

Introduction to Hinduism Part 1

Introduction to Hinduism Part 2

Map of Nepal

Discovering Buddhism 

HW: Read and annotate pp. 13-24: Submit one interpretive or evaluative discussion question to turnitin.com and respond to at least one other question with a short paragraph. (5 points)

Learning Target:

I can use literature as a tool to reflect on my values and goals for life.

Group interpretive activity: How does Aristotle define happiness?  Use textual evidence to support your answer.

On Happiness

Inferential and Evaluative Questions - Socratic Discussion

What do you feel that you need to be happy in life?

Can a selfish person be happy?

Could you, personally, be selfish and be happy? Why or why not?

Do you think people need goals or purpose to be happy?

Is happiness is the same as peace of mind?  

What do you need to be happy? 

If these things don't happen, can you still be happy?

“Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else ... Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.”

Journal Entry One

Fully describe a goal you are working toward. What is the purpose of this goal? What will it help

you to achieve after attaining it (your Ultimate Boon)? What strengths do you possess that will

help you along the way?

Journal Entry Two

Re-examine your goal. What fears or weaknesses within you (inner obstacles) need to be

overcome in order to attain this goal? Do not reflect on outside obstacles. What knowledge or

skills do you lack at this point which may hinder your progress if not addressed?

Vocab:

Ātman (/ˈɑːtmən/; Sanskrit: आत्मन्, IAST: Ātman) is a Sanskrit word that means 'inner-self' or 'soul'. In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism, Ātman is the first principle,^[1] the true self of an individual beyond identification with phenomena, the essence of an individual. In order to attain liberation, a human being must acquire self-knowledge (atma jnana), which is to realize that one's true self (Ātman) is identical with the transcendent self Brahman:

If atman is brahman in a pot (the body), then one need merely break the pot to fully realize the primordial unity of the individual soul with the plentitude of Being that was the Absolute.^[2]

HW: Read pp. 1-12; annotate and look up all vocabulary/allusions that you do not understand.

Submit one inferential or evaluative question to turnitin discussion before 7am tomorrow.

Typed "It's A Woman World" inspired poems due tomorrow.


Rig Veda
Prajapati

Collect 1984 papers
Subordination and Complex sentences
turnitin.com sign-up info
Revisiting Happiness
On Happiness by Aristotle - Read and generate one inferential and one evaluative question
It's A Woman's World inspired poem




Veteran Story


Homework: 

Revised due date: November 18, 2014 (handwritten rough draft due Monday - quick visual check): Formal Journal Entry: It’s a _______________ World Your original poem inspired by It’s A Woman’s World – due Monday, November 18 (typed and formatted like Boland’s poem)…Enrichment Activity: Imitating the style, syntax, and structure of Boland’s poem, write a poem which traces the history to the present of some people or thing.

Read On Happiness by Aristotle.  Write one interpretive and one evaluative question for discussion on Monday

Bring Siddhartha on Monday

Enroll in turnitin.com; then, submit your 1984 paper to turnitin

Period 1 turnitin.com

Class ID: 9055754

Password (all lower case): wesley

Period 2 turnitin.com

Class ID: 9055818

Password (all lower case): wesley

Period 3 turnitin.com

Class ID: 9056015

Password (all lower case): wesley

Learning Targets:

I can review and edit an essay;

      

I can reduce clutter in my write topic sentences which are like mini-thesis statements, previewing the supporting argument for each paragraph and directly supporting the thesis.

Does my introduction capture the reader's attention and give him or her a reason to keep reading? 


Easy Tips To Cleaner Prose

• italicize the title 1984 
• Cleaning up word clutter
• get rid of "This quote shows..." type of sentence starters following quotes (page 42 of gold book)
• except for the first paragraph, eliminate all "in the book" or "in the novel" or "in 1984)
• no passive voice
• no nominalization
• reduce the use of weak verbs
• verbs of being (was, is, am, was, were, are, be, been, seem, like)
• have, had, has 
• get rid of this is, that is, those are, these

Homework: Read 1124-1127 in The Language of Composition and do Exercise 1, #'s 1-4 in your notebook.

Print your final essay for tomorrow.  This weekend you will submit it to turnitin.com

Revised due date: November 17, 2014: Formal Journal Entry: It’s a _______________ World Your original poem inspired by It’s A Woman’s World – due Monday, November 17 (typed and formatted like Boland’s poem)…Enrichment Activity: Imitating the style, syntax, and structure of Boland’s poem, write a poem which traces the history to the present of some people or thing.

Learning Targets:

·       I can write a thesis which will guide and preview my paper;

·      

I can write topic sentences which are like mini-thesis statements, previewing the supporting argument for each paragraph and directly supporting the thesis.

Bellringer: How would you define “happiness”? What is necessary for a person to be happy?

November 10-13, 2014: Formal Journal Entry: It’s a _______________ World Your original poem inspired by It’s A Woman’s World – due Thursday, November 13 (typed and formatted like Boland’s poem)…Enrichment Activity: Imitating the style, syntax, and structure of Boland’s poem, write a poem which traces the history to the present of some people or thing.

·       Thesis and topic sentences review

·      

Independent writing time: You may work on your poem or on your essay. 

Learning Targets:  I can make connections between literature, history, and the world I live today.

I can write a logically coherent argument supported by multiple smaller arguments and proofs. 


Bellringer: What connections do you see between Heroes and 1984?

London Calling

What is the tone of Heroes?  What words, images, and sounds contribute to that tone?  Use your AP Writing source book for guidance on how to talk about the effects of particular word choices?

Revised due dates: 

2nd draft due Wednesday November 12

Final Draft due Friday, November 14

This poem was written in 1991 by a 40 year-old woman in Ireland. Is it relevant to young American men and women in 2014? Explain your answer. 


Is it more or less relevant for young men and women in India or Afghanistan?






Do women or men spend more time with children and housework?

Does Boland think that women have been too passive?

UNC Style Manual
UNC Style Handout - Good Guidance for Good Prose

What questions do you have about pages 12-14 of the AP Writing Sourcebook?  Did you notice...?

Thesis primer

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain's Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave "civilized" society and go back to nature.

Through[wsw1]  one girl’s hatred and another’s desire, Johnson explores the human need for love and the affect the absence of love can have on a person[wsw2] .

Although Fitzgerald’s “Babylon Revisited” is set in Paris during the Great

Depression and Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” takes place in the South during the 1920’s, both stories weave back and forth in time through retrospection and flashback.

Although Jane does not condemn Blanch Ingram, Rochester, and the rest of the party individually, she disapproves of the principles of the upper class as a whole[WSW3] .

While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended their own right to self-government.

In The Tide Turned, O’Brien’s tale of love between a father and his son illustrates the theme of optimism[wsw4] ; even[wsw5]  in utter desolation, there is still hope enough for one’s posterity to lead a decent life[wsw6] .

---

 [wsw1] Kati begins her thesis with a subordinate (helping/supporting ) clause).  This helps set up the main clause by explaining a means by which the author develops the theme.

 [wsw2]Complex sentences can get lengthy and awkward; note how Kati avoids this , creating a sentence that says just enough.  One simple means of avoiding thesis sentence sprawl is to leave the title of the book out of the thesis.  Since Kati mentioned the title of the book  earlier in the paragraph, there is no need to mention it again.

 [WSW3]Complex sentence – subordinate clause, main clause

 [wsw4]First clause introduces a broad theme; it sets up the main clause that follows.

 [wsw5]The second clause, Brian’s main point, is more specific.  Brian uses the adverb even to emphasize just how bad the conditions are and yet…then he delivers his main point, a more specific explanation of the optimism he saw in the novel.

 [wsw6]Imagine you are giving a speech.  How would yolu open it so that you connect with your audience and then flow naturally from one sentence to the next - from Charles.  Using this strategy will help you remember that you are writing for an audience and that every sentence and paragraph should serve a purpose. This in turn will encourage unity and coherence.

Page 43: Avoiding "this" sentence starters.

Writing first drafts without quotes

TBTT - Tie back to thesis

Take time to research and revise; I want to conference with you quickly. (25 minutes)

Last night's Homework: 

Do a little research on the causes of the French Revolution. 

Read page 12 in the gold AP Writing Sourcebook. Note how you can cite embedded quotes into sentences and put the page # at the end of the sentence.

Bring a typed draft tomorrow (10 points); you will do a self-assessment of your paper and I will conference with people.  We will also do some follow-up work with It's A Woman's World.

Continue discussion about "When the King's head gored it's basket" and the French Revolution"

Write an evaluative question

Heroes by David Bowie: What is the tone and what contributes to it?

Learning Targets:  I can make connections between literature, history, and the world I live today.

I can write a logically coherent argument supported by multiple smaller arguments and proofs. 


Bellringer: What did you learn about the French Revolution, its causes and women?

Revised due dates: 

2nd draft due Wednesday November 12

Final Draft due Friday, November 14

This poem was written in 1991 by a 40 year-old woman in Ireland. Is it relevant to young American men and women in 2014? Explain your answer. 


Is it more or less relevant for young men and women in India or Afghanistan?






Do women or men spend more time with children and housework?

Does Boland think that women have been too passive?

UNC Style Manual
UNC Style Handout - Good Guidance for Good Prose

What questions do you have about pages 12-14 of the AP Writing Sourcebook?  Did you notice...?

Thesis primer

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain's Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave "civilized" society and go back to nature.

Through[wsw1]  one girl’s hatred and another’s desire, Johnson explores the human need for love and the affect the absence of love can have on a person[wsw2] .

Although Fitzgerald’s “Babylon Revisited” is set in Paris during the Great

Depression and Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” takes place in the South during the 1920’s, both stories weave back and forth in time through retrospection and flashback.

Although Jane does not condemn Blanch Ingram, Rochester, and the rest of the party individually, she disapproves of the principles of the upper class as a whole[WSW3] .

While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended their own right to self-government.

In The Tide Turned, O’Brien’s tale of love between a father and his son illustrates the theme of optimism[wsw4] ; even[wsw5]  in utter desolation, there is still hope enough for one’s posterity to lead a decent life[wsw6] .

---

 [wsw1] Kati begins her thesis with a subordinate (helping/supporting ) clause).  This helps set up the main clause by explaining a means by which the author develops the theme.

 [wsw2]Complex sentences can get lengthy and awkward; note how Kati avoids this , creating a sentence that says just enough.  One simple means of avoiding thesis sentence sprawl is to leave the title of the book out of the thesis.  Since Kati mentioned the title of the book  earlier in the paragraph, there is no need to mention it again.

 [WSW3]Complex sentence – subordinate clause, main clause

 [wsw4]First clause introduces a broad theme; it sets up the main clause that follows.

 [wsw5]The second clause, Brian’s main point, is more specific.  Brian uses the adverb even to emphasize just how bad the conditions are and yet…then he delivers his main point, a more specific explanation of the optimism he saw in the novel.

 [wsw6]Imagine you are giving a speech.  How would yolu open it so that you connect with your audience and then flow naturally from one sentence to the next - from Charles.  Using this strategy will help you remember that you are writing for an audience and that every sentence and paragraph should serve a purpose. This in turn will encourage unity and coherence.

Page 43: Avoiding "this" sentence starters.

Writing first drafts without quotes

TBTT - Tie back to thesis

Take time to research and revise; I want to conference with you quickly. (25 minutes)

Last night's Homework: 

Do a little research on the causes of the French Revolution. 

Read page 12 in the gold AP Writing Sourcebook. Note how you can cite embedded quotes into sentences and put the page # at the end of the sentence.

Bring a typed draft tomorrow (10 points); you will do a self-assessment of your paper and I will conference with people.  We will also do some follow-up work with It's A Woman's World.

Continue discussion about "When the King's head gored it's basket" and the French Revolution"

Write an evaluative question

Heroes by David Bowie: What is the tone and what contributes to it?

London Calling

First Draft due Friday, November 7.

Almost Final draft due Tuesday, November 11

Final Paper Due November 12