Here's another version of the poem read, this time by American Christopher Walken—a man known for his uncanny ability to portray mentally unstable and scary characters...
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"
So this is a bit creepy... But here's Poe "reading" you his macabre masterpiece...
Here's another version of the poem read, this time by American Christopher Walken—a man known for his uncanny ability to portray mentally unstable and scary characters...
Here's another version of the poem read, this time by American Christopher Walken—a man known for his uncanny ability to portray mentally unstable and scary characters...
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Iranian Art
The Eleventh Grade is reading "Persepolis," by Marji Satrapi.
Here are some links for further information about art, women and culture in Iran:
VIDEO SERIES
'WOMEN OF ALLAH'
TIME MAGAZINE PHOTO SERIES
INTERVIEW SERIES
TURBULENT VIDEO
ARTICLE FROM THE GUARDIAN
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Researching Historical Figures in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"
The following site will be helpful in doing your research:
Also use regular search engines!
Good luck!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
"The Scarlet Letter"
Sunday, September 26, 2010
"The Giver," by Lois Lowry
Key Historical Figures in "The Crucible"
Monday, September 20, 2010
Organ Donation
In the ninth grade we are discussing organ donation.
Why would someone choose to donate his or her organs? Is this something for healthy people to even think about? Why would a grieving family choose to donate a loved one's organs? What if you or someone you loved needed a transplant? If you wanted to become an organ donor, what would you need to do?
We looking at common myths surrounding organ donation, and we're discussing cultural differences with regard to attitudes about organ donation.
As part of our discussion, we are viewing two videos about Nicholas Green, a seven-year-old American boy who tragically died in a highway robbery in Italy in 1994. Nicholas' family chose to donate his organs to Italians in need of transplants. At the time, organ donation wasn't very common. The Green family's generosity in the face of such tragedy has spurred a surge in organ donation not only in Italy, but throughout the world.
(This video tells you about Nicholas Green and his family's decision to donate his organs).
The Nicholas Effect, Part II
(This video tells you about the people whose lives were transformed—and saved—by the Greens' donation of Nicholas' organs).
In addition, we're listening to this story from American National Public Radio. It is an interview between a grown daughter and her father about a day at work that was his most memorable. A surgeon, he describes what happened when his patient, a young girl, tragically passed away and her family decided to donate her organs.
Look at this medical journal abstract about organ donation and transplants in Russia for practice skimming information and deciding what the main point is very quickly.
This article about the murder trial of transplant doctors in Moscow from 2003—2005 sheds further light on why organ donation is so uncommon in Russia.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Paper Ideas: "The Crucible"
As requested, I've put together a long list of paper topics for you to consider as you finish the play. We will certainly discuss the papers in greater detail in class! (Length, structure and other general expectations).
Social Drama
Compare the 1692 Salem witch hunt with the Communist "witch hunt" of the 1950s in America. Were the investigations and trials conducted differently? Was a particular type of person singled out for persecution?
What social conditions made such a thing as the Salem witch trials possible? Do any of these conditions exist today? If so, is there a chance that this might happen again?
The Crucible had little effect in stopping the "Red-baiting" it was written against. Why do you think it failed? Was there anything Arthur Miller could have done differently in writing the play to make more people listen to him?
Personal Tragedy
Discuss the love triangle of Elizabeth-John-Abigail. What effect does this tense relationship have on each character? What effect would it have on the community if it were made public?
Compare Elizabeth Proctor with Abigail Williams. How well do they understand each other? What does John see in each of them? What makes John reject Abigail and confess to Elizabeth?
Discuss Proctor's "nihilism," or desire for destruction. Where does it come from? How does he escape from it and find his "goodness" in the end?
In Act IV, Elizabeth tells John Proctor that "whatever you will do, it is a good man does it." What does she mean? What is the "shred of goodness" that he finds in himself when he tears up his confession?
What is John Proctor's great dilemma: and how does it change during the course of the play?
Hysteria
The outbreak of witch madness in Salem was tiny compared to the mania that ravaged Europe for two hundred years before and after 1692. Compare the American version to its European "model." Did they start differently? Is there any reason the Salem witchcraft was over so quickly, while in Europe it ravaged for years, killing thousands as compared to Salem's twenty?
What are the psychological conditions that are necessary to produce mass hysteria? Are we immune today?
Superstition
What is the religious background of the Salem witchcraft? Were these people fanatics who were half-crazy anyway? Or were they noble visionaries who somehow went astray?
Greed and Vengeance
How much of what happened in Salem can be blamed on cold-blooded manipulation of events for the purpose of profit or revenge? Is it possible today that a few greedy and/or vengeful people could instigate another witch-hunt?
Discuss the role that grudges and personal rivalries play in the witch trial hysteria.
Authority
Discuss the concept of authority under the Puritan theocracy. Who were the powerful? And how did they get their power? How does theocratic authority influence the events in The Crucible?
Part of what went wrong in Salem came from a dispute over who had the authority to decide whether or not witchcraft was being practiced in a particular instance. How did this dispute arise? How was it resolved? How is authority presented in The Crucible?
Is Proctor's downfall ultimately caused by what the judges see as his rebellion against authority?
How do the witch trials empower individuals who were previously powerless?
Why are Danforth, Hathorne, and the other authorities so resistant to believing the claim that Abigail and the other girls are lying?
In The Crucible Arthur Miller is making pointed comments about individuals and how we should operate in society. Discuss with reference to the text.
Theocracy
Compare the theocracy of the Puritans with the looser form of government in Virginia at the same time. Which was better? Which was more successful?
What are the problems inherent in a theocracy? Whose interpretations of God's law are right and whose are wrong? Is it possible to govern people's spiritual lives as well as their physical lives?
Justice
Hale says in Act IV: "Life is God's most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it." Do you agree?
Is there no justice in what happened in Salem, even in the long run? Did any good come of it?
How does The Crucible portray justice or injustice?
What social and religious factors are given to account for the harsh response to witchcraft?
Historical Drama
Arthur Miller has taken quite a few liberties with history in writing The Crucible. Why did he change what he did? How could he have done it differently?
Miller originally wrote The Crucible as a critique of McCarthyism, but he distanced his narrative by using the Salem witch trials as the setting for the play. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this approach.
Despite the way they dress and the language they speak, John and Elizabeth Proctor strike many people as thoroughly modern characters. Do you agree? What about them or their situation is modern, and what makes them purely a man and women of their time and place?
General
Is there real evil stalking Salem in 1692? Where is it? How does it work?
Put yourself in Salem in 1692. Would you have joined the witch-hunt? What would you have done if someone cried you out as a witch? (Use examples from the play to show how your behavior would have been similar/different to that of the characters).
Compare the roles that Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams play in The Crucible.
Analyze Reverend Parris. What are his motivations in supporting the witch trials?
Discuss the changes that Reverend Hale undergoes in the course of the play. What is his function in the drama?
What is your perception of the girls' allegations in the play? Do they really believe in witchcraft or are they fabricating the events?
Is John Proctor a tragic figure? Compare his fate to that of such tragic literary figures as King Oedipus in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and the title character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Compare and contrast the characters of Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor.
Discuss Miller's treatment of women in The Crucible.
What is a tragic comedy? Explain why or why not The Crucible is one.
Explain the symbolic characters and how they develop the themes.
Discuss how the themes of The Crucible make it both universal and enduring.
At the end of the play, John Proctor recovers his sense of goodness by tearing up the confession that would have saved his life. Given his character and the events which have led up to this moment, do you find this act believable? Fully explain your response.
In The Crucible, Miller suggests that sacrifices may be necessary to restore the social order. Discuss the sacrifices made by the play's characters and whether you think they are necessary.
How does the title relate to the story? Discuss the the whole play in your response.
What three characters are responsible for the trials and why?
Compare the character of Elizabeth Proctor to that of Mary Warren. What value systems does each represent?
What is Giles Corey's role in the play?
What motivates Elizabeth to lie? Is a good name more important than the truth?
How are the characters tested and brought down to their essence?
Sources include:
Bly, William. Barron's Book Notes: Arthur Miller's "The Crucible." New York: Barron's Educational Series, 1984.
http://www.goodessaytopics.com/the-crucible-essay-topics.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/study.html
Thursday, September 9, 2010
"The Crucible," by Arthur Miller
We're reading The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, in the high school right now.
Here are some links to help you learn about the Salem Witch Trials, upon which the play is based.
Click here to read an online version of the play.
Here is Part I in a series on the history of the Salem Witch Trials:
Here is Part II in a series on the history of the Salem Witch Trials:
Here is Part III in a series on the history of the Salem Witch Trials:
Here is Part IV in a series on the history of the Salem Witch Trials:
Here is Part V in a series on the history of the Salem Witch Trials:
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Benjamin Franklin
We're reading excerpts of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin in the eleventh grade as part of our seminar on American Literature. Not only was Franklin a founding father, printer, diplomat, benefactor and inventor—he was also a very talented writer whose autobiography is considered to be the first book in the cannon of American Literature.
Here is a lecture by Walter Isaacson that was given at the University of Pennsylvania about Franklin.
In his autobiography, Franklin discusses his life and his beliefs. This lecture helps you to understand what about his life set him up to be the first literary example of "the American Dream in action."
Here is a another video that discusses Franklin as a writer:
This video discusses the The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin as a work of literature:
Here is a video about Frankin's wit:
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
University Tour in the United States
From March 21st to April 1st, 24 teachers and students from the high school traveled to America to tour top US universities. The students' goal while there was to learn about the system of higher education, what student life is like at universities, and how to successfully apply. Many students were also interested in learning about opportunities for summer study at American universities, or about programs for graduate study after a Russian university education.
We toured Columbia University, New York University, Yale University, Harvard University, Boston University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Dartmouth College (University). These universities are all excellent, yet unique in their own ways. We attended information sessions with Admissions counselors, toured the campuses, met with students, and even sat in on classes.
In addition, we took in as much as possible as tourists in New York and Boston!
While in New York, students visited Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, the World Trade Center site, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, a Broadway play, 5th Avenue and Broadway, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and Greenwich Village.
While in Boston, students explored various historic sites along the Freedom Trail, the Boston Pier, "Little Italy," the Museum of Science, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Cambridge and the Boston Commons. We also visited "Old Sturbridge Village," a "living" museum where you spend the day in a town that appears to be frozen in time in the early 1800s.
Throughout our time in America, it was a pleasure to watch as many of our students discovered the country for the first time. Almost daily I heard students remark about "this or that" with surprise and delight. Certain things that I, as an American, take for granted were intriguing and exciting to our Russian teenagers. Here are the highlights of their impressions of both the USA and university education there:
Best Impressions of the USA in General:
• American breakfasts (ranging from quick & healthy —bagels and fruit salads, to rich & hearty—blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and homemade sausage)!
• modern architecture in New York (towering skyscrapers and sweeping streets)
• Colonial architecture in Boston
• wonderful atmosphere of living in a small town
• museums where you can interact with the exhibits, learning in an exciting, hands-on way (especially at Old Sturbridge Village, where actors portrayed New England life in the 1820s, paying attention to family, housework, farming, trades, commerce and politics)
• kind, friendly & helpful people
• relative ease of daily life
Impressions of University Education in the USA:
• beautiful and inspirational college campuses
• friendly, invigorating relationships between professors and students
• optimal facilities for academic and extracurricular success
• communities on college campuses where learning extends beyond the classroom
• endless opportunities for students within and beyond the university (research, internships, grants)
• freedom to study a variety of subjects throughout the four years of education, even while focusing on one's area of specialization (major)
• real sense of honor and pride in one's studies and university
• university acceptance based not only one's grades and exam scores, but also on one's character, extra-curricular pursuits, recommendations and personal essay
Tamara Smith
General Reflections about the Trip
(found etched in front of 21 Burdenko after we returned to Moscow)
"I believe that the trip was very helpful. I had a chance to actually look at the universities where I want to apply and this helped me to make my choice."
Tanya Lukyanova
"I decided that I would like to do a post-graduate program in an American boarding school after high school. This will help me to truly understand the American educational system in the USA before I attend university there. This trip helped me to clarify my goals."
Maria Kustikova
"I liked this trip, because we saw different types of educational programs. I liked Yale and Harvard a lot. The trip helped us to know how to make a choice about where to study."
Yana Khammer
Columbia University
"I waited for a long time for this trip to America... America is a country where many people believe that all dreams can come true.
Now that I'm here for ten days, I can see why! I am so impressed, especially by New York City! What a colorful, fast, multi-cultural, accepting and fantastic city it is! It is true when Jay-Z sings that "New York is an Empire State of Mind."
There we visited [...]Columbia University. Columbia is a multi-cultural place where students of all religions, races, cultures and nations study together. The campus is beautiful, with an infrastructure that meets any needs the students could possibly have. Columbia is the oldest university in the USA; it was founded in 1754 as King's College by royal charter from King George II of England.
I liked the atmosphere at Columbia; it's one of excitement for learning and friendship.
Barrack Obama studied there! More than 54 Nobel Prize winners have been professors at Columbia. This shows that the university offers the highest level of quality in its education.
I was impressed by how involved students are involved in their campus. They don't just study there; friendship is very important and most students participate in a wide variety of activities. Since 1968, they even help to manage the university. They can vote on school policies! Columbia is a very socially-minded place.
Graduates of Columbia University are very well-rounded, having studied a wide variety of subjects. They have great opportunities to develop their minds and to better themselves and the world around them."
Pati Mussaeva
"During our trip to the USA, we visited several universities and each one of them had something to offer its students. I liked Columbia most of all. I liked the campus and how it made you feel while you were there—inspired to study. It also offered many different types of facilities for its students. As our tour guide mentioned, there are sixteen different libraries, each with something unique. If I study abroad, I would like to study at Columbia."
Fedor Gara
"Most of all, I like Columbia University. There are many different opportunities there. They even have an advertising program which interests me... I also liked the students' way of life. For now, however, I can't decide whether I will study in Russia or America. If I choose America, I would like to study at Columbia!"
Ivan Kovalenko
New York University
"New York University was the first university we visited. There were things I both liked and disliked about it.
First the negative parts... I did not like the campus. All the buildings are on different streets, so there's no enclosed campus. It's hard to tell where the school actually is since it's mixed in with the city. I didn't think it was very comfortable.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed our tour. The guides told us so many interesting things about their school, and they made you want to study there. I enjoyed seeing dormitory rooms! They were nice! I also thought their library was fantastic.
I personally wouldn't want to study there, but I can see why others really like it."
Katya Boldina
"New York University is located in the center of New York City. Studying there is a great opportunity, especially if you want to have your own business or if you like economics. It is also a great university for people interested in the arts, or for people who are very creative.... I didn't, however, like the campus. I also don't think the university has a family atmosphere, something that would be really helpful for foreign students trying to fit in... That said, the people were very kind and welcoming."
Viola Syutkina
"New York University was the first one we visited. I don't know why, but my impression was definitely not very good, especially after seeing other universities like Yale, which I liked best... The presentation wasn't very interesting and it didn't motivate me to want to study there at all... The tour didn't impress me, either. All the buildings were in different places. Although they are near each other, it just doesn't feel like one university. The cafeteria, where we ate lunch, also wasn't very good. The food wasn't very healthy and the building was awful. All in all, I don't think that I'll study at NYU in the future."
Sonya Lipa
Yale University
"Yale is the most amazing university in America because there are so many opportunities there! It's extremely hard to get in there, though. If you want to study there, you have to work very, very hard to be accepted! Yale professors are fantastic, so if you go there, your studies will be so interesting! I loved the class I attended there that morning. The professor loved teaching and it was exciting. I'd like to study there!"
Kristina Lyutarevich
MIT
"Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in the heart of Boston, is the university we liked most during our trip to the USA. As soon as you get there, you take in the beauty of the gigantic campus with its big green fields and old oak trees, perfect for studying and relaxing.
In order to apply there as an international student, you are required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and two SAT subject tests. You don't need to take the SAT 1 exam, which is considered really hard for international students!
MIT mainly specializes in sciences, so if you are really into science, then MIT is the right place for you. MIT has rigorous physics, biology and chemistry programs, and it offers all students, including freshman, the opportunity to do real research and participate in lab activities. MIT is a very unique place.
While taking the campus tour, we had a chance to take at a look at the very well-equipped labs, comfortable classrooms and cafeterias where you can eat a variety of different cuisines.
In conclusion, MIT is a great place to study science and spend four years of your higher education."
Tanya Lukyanova & Maria Kustikova
Harvard University
"I have always heard about Harvard from my friends, parents, and at school.... But I had no idea that it would be such an amazing place to study! Harvard is a fantastic university!
At first my group and I went to a lecture about architecture and the Italian Renaissance. It was very interesting and I really enjoyed it!
After the lecture we had lunch in one of the Harvard cafés. It wasn't big, but the food was very tasty! There was pizza, sushi, salads, soups, fruits, Indian food, Mexican food, Italian food, and so on...
After lunch, we had a tour of the university. I liked the architectural style of the campus! The buildings are made of red brick and are very beautiful. It is a very calm, sunny, and happy place.
I think that Harvard offers many great opportunities to get a good education. I recommend that you visit it; I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
Amina Mussaeva
Boston University
"This university is really nice and big. The presentation about it was very interesting. There are many opportunities there for studying, sports, arts and internships. It's too bad that the weather was so bad that we couldn't go on a tour. I really enjoyed visiting it, though, especially since my grandmother lives nearby! I liked how you can study anything at all there! The professors are world-class and really involved with the students. I think it would be exciting to study there."
Dasha Vassilieva
Dartmouth College
"Last, but not least, we visited Dartmouth College. We had heard a lot of positive comments about this university from Mrs. Smith, who graduated from there.
Dartmouth is an Ivy League university that has an emphasis on foreign languages. It is literally one of the best universities where you can study languages. It is also famous for Political Sciences, Sciences, Engineering and Humanities.
We were amazed by the educational system there. By the end of freshman year, most students in the foreign language classes can already communicate with foreigners. For instance, the students who were taking Russian were easily able to talk with us, native Russian speakers.
Moreover, Dartmouth is famous for its awesome campus. It is situated in the heart of Hanover, a pretty small town in the state of New Hampshire. If you really want to study in a calm and academic atmosphere away from big, busy cities, then Dartmouth is the right place for you!"
Tanya Lukyanova & Maria Kustikova
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