Welcome. We’ll vent a bit about WASL before starting the quiz on chps. 5-7.  Good luck.

Then:

Finally, a little bit of acting, in small groups you’ll imagine that:

Paul and Kat (and any other characters you need to make the scene) have survived the bombardment in the graveyard (described in Chapter Four). While exploring the area you come across the new recruit whose hip has been shattered. After bandaging him as best you can, you discuss the excruciating pain that the young man feels and will feel before he dies within, as the two of you predict, a few days. One of you suggests putting him out of his misery. But in this case, unlike the episode in the book, no other soldiers come near: If you decide to carry out this proposal, you will not be prevented. Will you go for medical assistance, or will you speed his death? Play out the scene, discussing the pros and cons, and make a decision. Write out your own dialogue for Kat and Paul and the other characters.

First, write. Then, act. If we have time, we’ll get a headstart on Chapter 8.

HW: Read Chapter 8

We’ll start with a short writing assignment:

Imagine you are a soldier in All Quiet on the Western Front and you have a little quiet time to write home (to your mom, girlfriend/boyfriend, pet German Shepherd) about what’s going on and how you’re doing.  What information would you give about what’s happening? What would you decided not to tell?  100-200 words.

Next, a few question from chapter 5.  Just to make sure we know what we’re up against.

Then, I’ll ask groups to explore some themes in All Quiet on the Western Front.

1. The Horror of War
2. The Camaraderie of Friendship in War
3. Losing innocence
4. Alienation and Loneliness
5. The Beauty of Nature vs. The Ugliness of War
6. Nationalism and Politics

Each group will be given a theme and your job will be to find 3 paragraph-sized excerpts from All Quiet on the Western Front and a) paraphrase the passage b) explain what the passage has to say about the theme and c) describe how you agree/disagree with the idea. Here’s the full text of the novel to search through.

Create a short Keynote/PP that has the passages included so you can give a short presentation.

Afterward, I’ll want to get a head-start on chapter 6 by reading it out loud.

HW: Read Chapter 6 in AQ for Thursday. Quiz on chapters 6-7 next Tuesday.

Image credit: silentfilstillarchive.com

We’ll start with the quiz. Don’t worry. Remember, it’s not as bad as actually engaging in trench war, at least if you factor in the rats and trench foot.

Next, we’ll read Willfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum est” and analyze it in small groups. One group will note all of the visual examples in the poem. Another group will note the way the poem uses sound in its use of alliteration and onomatopoeia. The last group will concentrate on the poet’s attitude towards the subject and the purpose of the poem.

Then, we’ll visit the First World War Poetry archive and–in small groups–choose one poem and create a poster that uses an excerpt from one of the poems and a visual. You can do this old school (big paper with pens and crayons) or new school (Keynote + images found on the Web). Then, we share.

Poets:

• Isaac Rosenberg
• Edward Thomas
• Vera Britten
• Robert Graves
• Wilfred Owen

Photos

• Digital Collection
• WWI Photo Essay
• Photos of the Great War

Finally, I hope to start reading Ch. 5 in class out loud.

HW: Read Chapter 5 by the Tue we get back.

Image Credit: Gassed by John Singer Sargent

First, we’ll hear a radio commentary on the military: The New Normal. Afterward, I’ll ask you to write a short 100+ commentary in which you respond to the piece and answer the question:

What is the New Normal? How has the fact that a parent in the military changed these children? Would you enter into the military if you had a family? Why or why not?

Then, we’ll go through some questions having to do with chapters 1-3 in AQ.

Next, I want to try a little cellphone quiz. Below there are 5 questions having to do with your attitudes towards war and the military.  Please answer them and then we’ll discuss the results.

Questions:

1. The US should not get involved in war unless directly attacked.
2. If I were over 18 and the US were attacked, I would join the military.
3. The war on terrorism has made me less optimistic (confident, hopeful) about my future.
4. I trust the US Army to do what’s right.
5. I am a patriotic person.

Finally, we’ll start reading out loud from chapter 4 and stopping at times to make sense of what’s happening.

HW: Read chapter 4 and be ready for a quiz on 1-4.

Image Credit: YMCA Greater Providence. org

So, after a bit of WASL-venting about the reading prompts and looking forward to the writing prompts, we’ll finish all of the career speeches left to finish.

Next, we’ll talk a bit about propaganda. How did German society convince these kids to rush out to this horrible, deadly trench warfare? Take a look at the First World War Propaganda site.

We’ll break it down into different countries and small table groups will analyze the propaganda using the following questions.

1. What does the poster want its readers to do?
2. Who is the intended audience?
3. What facts and specific details does the poster use?
4. How does the poster use words and images to create an emotional effect? What is the emotional effect intended?
5. Would the poster work today? Why or why not?

Next, I’ll have you create a propaganda poster (using the WWI posters for inspiration) for today that connects to either one of the messages below or is any message that would be difficult to convince people to do today.

• Eat a good breakfast
• Study for the SATs
• Buy the Seattle Times Newspaper
• Don’t use the laptop to play games!
• Drive more slowly!
• Enlist in the Army.

No HW: But make sure you’ve read through Chapter 2.