EUPHEMISMS

1. Copy and paste this into your blog.
2. Put the title "Euphemisms" on your post.
3. Add your answers to YOUR POST!
4. When you are done, POST A COMMENT under this post!

What is a EUPHEMISM? (It's pronounced "yoo-fa-mizzum".) Look this up in the dictionary.

WRITE THE DICTIONARY DEFINITION HERE:

WRITE YOUR DEFINITION HERE (Put the dictionary definition in your own words):

In The Giver Jonas and his friends some times get in trouble for not using "precision of language." Think about some of the words Jonas got in trouble for using. ("Love" and "starving" are two examples.)

Why did Jonas' mother chastise him for asking if she loved him?

In many cases, some of the so-called precise language they used in Jonas's community actually hides the true meaning of what the words represent. Think about the following words as they are used in The Giver. What do they mean when used in Jonas's community?

• Release
• Feelings
• Animals
• Nurturer
• Stirrings
• Replacement child
• Elsewhere

Why do you think Jonas's community members use these words instead of the words they've replaced?

We use euphemisms in our society as well. For example, when someone dies, we often say they "pass away." Another example is when someone doesn't have a job we say he/she is "between jobs." Try to think of at least three euphemisms that we use commonly today -- in regard to ideas that might be uncomfortable otherwise (such as death, bodily functions, being rich, being poor, an argument, unemployment, animal euthanasia, etc.)

Do you think euphemisms are necessary in polite society? Why or why not?

Proceed to the PLOT ASSIGNMENT.

PLOT

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION AND CHART!

PLOT
A series of related events that make up a story

Basic Plot Chart



Remember the above chart is the BASIC plot chart. There are variations of that chart. A story does not HAVE TO follow that ordering. The information below also gives a BASIC overview of what happens at each point in a story. However, this is not always the case either. Some times a story may stray in one way or another. What is explained below is the way stories generally unfold, but many authors like to stray from conventions and may surprise you by starting in the middle of the action or ending at the climax with little or no resolution.

Exposition – The story is introduced. You meet the narrator and main character(s). You get a feel for the setting.

Rising Action – The conflict is introduced.

Climax – This is the most intense moment of the plot. Generally something happens here that reveals how the conflict will turn out.

Falling Action – Problems begin to work out, and things start to go back to “normal.”

Resolution – Also known as the denouement (unraveling of the knot), the conflicts of the story are resolved and the story is brought to a close.

Summarize the PLOT of The Giver using COMPLETE SENTENCES and Standard English Grammar, Punctuation, and SPELLING. Use the TIPS from our PREVIOUS POST on grammar. POST your summary in YOUR BLOG. Entitle it "Plot Summary."

When you are done, proceed to the CHARACTERIZATION ASSIGNMENT.

CHARACTERIZATION

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

CHARACTERIZATION
Techniques used to develop a character, making him or her believable.

PROTAGONIST
Main character in the story

ANTAGONIST
The character or force working against the protagonist in the story

Also, be familiar with the following techniques used in characterization:

1. telling the audience directly what the character is like (generous, brash, deceitful, timid, etc.) (DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION)
2. describing how the character looks and dresses (INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION)
3. through the characters words (INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION)
4. through the characters inner thoughts and feelings (INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION)
5. revealing what other characters say or think about the character (INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION)
6. through the character’s actions (INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION)

Answer these questions:

Who is the PROTAGONIST in The Giver?
Who or what is the ANTAGONIST in The Giver?
Find three examples of CHARACTERIZATION techniques Lois Lowry used to characterize JONAS in The Giver. Describe the example AND provide the page number where you found the example. Post your answer in your blog. Entitle it "Characterization."

Proceed to the SETTING ASSIGNMENT.

SETTING and MOOD

MEMORIZE THESE DEFINITIONS!

SETTING
Time and place in a story

MOOD
The feeling created by the writer’s use of details and language in a story

Describe the SETTING of The Giver. Remember to include the time and place. Be specific in your description, using clues from the text and class discussions.

What is the MOOD of The Giver? (How does it make you feel overall ?)

Post your answers in your blog. Entitle it "Setting and Mood".

When you are done proceed to the POINT OF VIEW ASSIGNMENT.

POINT OF VIEW

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

POINT OF VIEW
Vantage point from which a story is told

Types of Point of View:

1. First Person – The narrator uses the first-person pronoun I and is a character in the story. We hear and see what the narrator hears and sees. We may have to interpret what the narrator says, because a first-person narrator may or may not be objective, honest, or perceptive.
   
2. Third-Person Limited – The narrator, who plays no part in the story, zooms in on the thoughts and feelings of one character.
3. Third-Person Omniscient – Omniscient means, “all knowing”. The narrator plays no part in the story but can tell us what all the characters are thinking and feeling as well as what is happening in other places.

From which point of view is the story of The Giver told? From whose perspective is it told?

How would the story be different if it were told from one of the other points of view?

Proceed to the THEME ASSIGNMENT.

THEME

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

THEME
The central idea or insight revealed by a work of literature.

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Most of the time, themes are implied. In other words, the author rarely comes out and says, “The theme of this story is …” As a reader you must use clues from the text to discover what the work’s meaning is.

Two Important Clues to Determine Theme:
1. The way the main character has changed
2. The way the conflict has been resolved

You should note that there is no single correct way to express a theme. Many stories have multiple themes, and others have ambiguous themes, open for interpretation (even opposing ideas some times).

The theme is what the writer wants the reader to discover about the subject.

To find a theme many times all you have to do is ask -- what did the main character learn throughout the course of this story? Many times that is how the author reveals the theme.

What is the theme of The Giver? Make sure that you express the theme in at least one COMPLETE SENTENCE.

Proceed to the TONE ASSIGNMENT.

TONE

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

TONE
The attitude a writer takes toward the reader, a subject, or a character
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As a reader, you must infer the tone of a story or poem. In other words, you must use clues from the writer’s choice of words and details the writer includes to decipher the tone.

What is the overall tone of The Giver? (What is the attitude conveyed through the language the writer used, and the events and actions of characters described in the story?)

Proceed to the IRONY ASSIGNMENT.

IRONY

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

IRONY
Contrast or discrepancy between what is expected and what actually happens.
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Three Types of Irony

1. Verbal Irony – a speaker says one thing, but means another.

2. Situational Irony – when what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected to happen.

3. Dramatic Irony – when the reader or audience knows something important that a character does not know.

Find at least one example of irony in The Giver. What type of irony did you find?

Proceed to the WRAP-UP ASSIGNMENT.

THE GIVER WRAP-UP

The Giver ends ambiguously. In other words there are many interpretations of what happened to Jonas and Gabriel. Think about your own interpretation of the end of the story.

Now that you've explored the Elements of Fiction through The Giver, leave me a comment under this post. In your comment, tell me what you think happened to Jonas and Gabriel.

You will be taking a UNIT FINAL very soon. (See Mrs. M. for an exact date as it will depend upon class progress on this project.)

Assignment #5

Complete the following activities in your own blog. Feel free to visit other students' blogs and make comments on their posts.

1. Answer the following questions:

• Explain the relationships in the book. For example, what kind of relationship do Jonas and his parents have?
  
• Is it the same type of relationship you have with your parents or guardians? Please explain!
  
• Which type of relationship is better? Explain.
• How important is choice to you? Explain.
• What are some small choices you must make every day?
• What is one big choice you've made during your life?
• Would you prefer that some choices were made for you or do you like making all of your own decisions? Please explain!
• Are rules important? If so, why? If not, why not?
• What are rules you follow at home?
• What some rules you follow at school?
• Which rules make sense?
• Which rules do you feel are pointless? Why?

2. Take a stand.
Decide which side of the debate you feel most compelled to defend.

SIDE A -- A world full of diversity is better than a world where everyone is the same.

SIDE B -- A world of sameness would be a better place to live, rather than how we live now.

Take a stance and argue your side of the debate on your own blog. You should start out with a statement such as,

"I believe the world should be full of people of all kinds."

OR

"I believe the world would be better off if everyone were exactly the same."

Make sure you support your argument with a paragraph of at least five sentences.

3. Take a survey.

Copy and paste these statements into your own blog, then indicate if you believe they are true or false statements.

Answer TRUE or FALSE to these statements:

__________ 1. An ideal community would not have any hunger or starvation.

__________ 2. An ideal community would not have any jealousy or competition.

__________ 3. An ideal community would not have any unemployment.

__________ 4. All children should have equal possessions and privileges at a certain age, regardless of the status of their families.

__________ 5. Families are much closer when they share their feelings.

__________ 6. Life would be better and easier if we did not carry bad memories in our heads.

__________ 7. Overpopulation is such a problem that families should not be allowed to have more than two children.

__________ 8. There is no real need to learn about world history.

__________ 9. There is no real need to learn about one’s own family’s history.

__________10. One’s job or occupation in life should be a careful match of one’s interests, talents, and skills.

Be prepared to explain your answers to the class!

These survey questions were borrowed from the following site: Tallmania

4. Complete the vocabulary from page 21 in your Giver Packets.

5. Post a comment under this post AFTER you've COMPLETED 1 - 4!

Examples Sentences for Assignment #4

These are all example sentences you can use to compare your own sentences. In fact, I borrowed many student examples for this post. See if you can recognize your own. If you have questions, just ask!

1. Mandy came up with a rueful plan to cheat on the test.
2. My mom was ecstatic when I got a good grade on my test.
3. That man is very bad and that's why he's been banished to a life of solitude.
4. I was imploring to Cole's mom so that I could play with him.
5. There was a pervading odor of sour milk.
6. The tractor was obsolete when he bought a new one.
7. The cologne permeated the entire room.
8. She looks wretched in the lime green sweater.
9. I feel very dejected now that my best friend is dating my ex-boyfriend.

Here are the corrections!

Check below to see if you got all of the corrections. Leave me a comment to let me know which ones stumped you.

A. David usually visits me during fifth hour, but yesterday he didn't.

B. Does Cole like hunting?

C. Leonard decided to visit Kentucky.

D. On Thursday, I bet Garyn will eat plenty of turkey.

E. I heard it wasn't going to snow, but then a blizzard blew in and we had a snow day.

F. Hey! What's up? Do you want to come to my house on Friday?

G. I love English class.

H. Don't you wish Drew would return from I.S.S.?

I. Annie played hide-and-seek with Mrs. M.'s daughter yesterday.

J. I am going to ask Santa for a big bag of gold. What are you going to ask for?

Reminders, Tips, and Assignment #4

Hello Class!


Before I forget, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


REMINDERS
1. These blog entries are part of your English class assignments. That means you should be using Standard English. I know you are used to the casual online environment, but for this blog, you should be aware of grammar and spelling.

2. Speaking of spelling, use the spell check function of blogger before making a post. It's the button on the top of the post with an ABC and a check mark. If you have trouble spotting it, let me know and I'll help you find it.

3. The comments you post on my blog should be grammatically sound as well.

TIPS
1. Capitalize the first letter of every sentence.
2. Capitalize all proper nouns, like John Smith, Pennsylvania, Russia, and Johnson High School. This also includes the pronoun "I."

3. When you are forming a contraction, make sure to include an apostrope.

EXAMPLES:
do + not = don't
is + not = isn't
should + not = shouldn't

4. Use punctuation, particularly at the end of the sentence. If your sentence is over, signal that with a period, exclamation point, or question mark.

5. If you're not sure about something, please ask someone who knows, like your parents or me!

ASSIGNMENT #4
Post this assignment in your own blog.
1. If you haven't already read the above reminders and tips, do so now.

2. Do the vocabulary from page 20 in your packets. You will have a quiz over these words next Tuesday.

3. Post any questions you have about The Giver. Everyone should post at least one question. If you don't have a question, think of a question you think might help your classmates to understand the
book better.

4. Rewrite the following sentences so they are grammatically correct.


A. david usually visits me during fifth our, but yesterday he didnt

B. Does cole like hunting

C. leonard decided to visit kentucky.

D. on thursday, i bet garyn will eat plenty of turkey

E. i heard it wasnt going to snoww, but then a blizzard blew in and we had a snow day

F. hey wazzup do u want to come to my house on friday

G. i love english class.

H. dont you wish drew would return from iss

I. annie played hide-and-seek with Mrs. M.'s daughter yesterday

J. i am going to ask santa for a big bag of gold what r u going to ask for


5. Leave a comment under this post when you are done. In your comment, tell me that you are done and tell me about one thing for which you are grateful.

Assignment #3: The Job

Hello Everyone!

1. In your packet, on page 13, you will see an assignment entitled, "The Giver -- Your Job Assignment." We will be doing this activity in class today. In fact, by the time you read this, we will have already started the activity and you will have already been assigned a job.

2. I want you to post your responses to the questions on the sheet on your blog.

3. Next, write sentences using the vocabulary on page 19 in your packets. You may do this in the same post or create a separate one -- I will leave that up to you.

4. As soon as you complete all parts of this assignment, post a comment on THIS POST telling me that you're done! DON'T FORGET THIS STEP! This will tell me that it is time to come over and visit your blog.

This process should become easier as you become more comfortable with Blogger.

I know you all are used to posting online things in myspace and communicating through email and I.M. but you must remember that this is part of your English grade, so make sure you are using proper grammar and spelling when you post anything, including comments.

As always, ask me questions!

Happy Blogging!
-Mrs. M.

PS: If you have extra time, why not go and visit your classmates' blogs? You can leave them a comment or two.

Assignment #2: WEDNESDAY

Now, you've read through Chapter 6 in The Giver. You should now complete the following tasks:

1. Do the vocabulary assignment on PAGE 18 in your packets. This will take you through the next few chapters in the book. You should do this in the form of a post on your blog.

2. Then, read chapters 7 and 8 in The Giver.

3. When you are done reading those chapters, post the questions that you have about those chapters on your blog.

4. After you post your vocab assignment, read chapters 7 and 8, and write questions you have about chapters 7 and 8, make a comment in this post, telling me that you're done. You might also go make comments on your classmates' blogs. Remember that I will be reading everything you post, so keep it appropriate and be respectful to one another. I will show NO TOLERANCE for bullying or unkindness of any sort!

5. When you are done with 1-4, you may work on enhancing your blog. You may change the template, add links, pictures, or videos. You should make certain that everything you include on your blog is appropriate for school. Eventually, we will invite Principal Shepard to read these blogs, and possible even Dr. Chevalier.

If you have questions, post them in a comment of this post or come and see me directly.

ALSO -- If you haven't confirmed your email address at home, do so!

Assignment #1: My Thoughts on *The Giver*

My Top Ten Thoughts On The Giver So Far:

1. Why is Jonas so nervous about the Ceremony of Twelve?

2. Why did Jonas' dad want to bring Gabriel home with him?

3. I thought it was interesting that Jonas took an apple because he saw it change. What is the change?

4. I thought it was strange that Jonas and his community members were so frightened by a jet plane. We see jet planes all the time and many of us don't think twice about them.

5. I wonder why Lois Lowry wrote this. What inspired her?

6. I wonder what it means to be "released."

7. Would it be easier to live in this type of society or is freedom of choice too important to me?

8. Which of the jobs would I have been assigned to?

9. I wonder in what direction OUR future is headed. Will it be like this?

10. So far, I love this book. I want to continue reading it.

Now Presenting ... The Class!

Welcome

Welcome to my first classroom post.

I will be asking my students to create posts for this site. Stay tuned for exciting news from Period 7!

-Mrs. M.