Final Blog

We are so close to the end. I'm so amazed as to how quickly this year has gone. There is so much more I'd like to share with you. There are poems, books, and songs that you need to be exposed to. There is still Bob Dylan songs that you need to hear.

All you need to do for your last blog is to answer two questions.

Question 1:
What was your favorite assignment and why?
Question 2:
What was your least favorite assignment and why?


Have a great summer and I will see you next year.

Mr. Lunn

Writing Problems

Here is your chance to vent about writing. Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Try to come up with three on both sides.

Have fun

Ahhhh the toga

We are going to be putting on Julius Caesar. I want to make sure everyone is aware of how to put on a toga. So here are a couple of websites on how to do so. Enjoy. Write a comment after you have finished watching.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4606823_put-greek-toga.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvKfxoL61os&feature=related
I love this guy's pink sheet.

If you are in the general class then you will need to go to the following website and check out Macbeth in 32 seconds.

http://britlit.podomatic.com/entry/2006-05-05T09_41_56-07_00

Have fun

Julius Caesar/Mean Girls

So many of Shakespeare's plays are similar to films today. Watch this four minute comparison of Julius Caesar and "Mean Girls." After viewing the clip, do you agree that they are simliar or does the comparison not work? Also think of other films that you think might make for a better comparison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTDzAAZc2dk&NR=1

Have Fun

Monday's lesson

For this week's blog, you may not do it until after you have had class on Monday. If you miss class on Monday, then do it on Tuesday. I want you to tell me on a scale of 1-10 how engaged were you in the lesson. In other words, how well were you able to pay attention and grasp the information.

Thanks
Mr. Lunn

Julius Caesar

This week we are beginning the play Julius Caesar. This is a play that is considered a historical play as well as a tragedy. Much of the play is true, but Shakespeare did take certain liberties. However, for this week's blog, I'd like you to search the Internet and post two facts about Julius Caesar the man. You may not post a fact that someone else has already posted. So make sure you read over the previous post.

You will be responsible for knowing all of the facts that are posted.

Survey Says...

This week, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the class and the blog. Here is the list of questions that I would like you to answer. Please be honest; your grade will have no impact on what you say.

1. How helpful has the blog been to your learning? Do you enjoy doing it, or is it just annoying?
2. What would you like to learn in class? Is there anything that you feel like you need to know? This could be literature, writing, or reading.
3. What is your favorite aspect of class, and what is your least favorite?

Bath

This week you are traveling to Bath in Somerset. The Wife of Bath is of course from Bath. Bath is a beautiful city in the southern portion of England. Take a look at a few of the pictures of the city with the below website.

http://www.terragalleria.com/europe/united-kingdom/bath/picture.uken35929.html

Make sure you notice the Sally Lunn's. My parents ate on one of these while they were in Britain.

Also, I'd like you to take a look at the Spa in Bath. Bath is known as the only place in Britain with natural spas. I remember in Korea, walking into my first spa. It is a strange feeling walking into a spa in a foreign country. I'll tell you why in the classroom.

http://www.thermaebathspa.com/index.html

Virtual Tours of Canterbury Cathedral

I thought you might enjoy taking some tours of the cathedral. Go ahead and get lost in the tours. Make sure you look at the Thomas A Becket section of the first website listed, and make sure you look around on the second website. The second website has some beautiful pictures of the cathedral.

http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~dvess/ids/medieval/canterbury/canterbury.shtml
Go down to the bottom of this page. Look for the section that says "Pictoral Tours." Make sure you look at "the location Becket was martyred."

http://www.request.org.uk/main/churches/tours/canterbury/tour.htm
Click on the different red dots.

Make a comment after you have looked at the websites.

Mr. Lunn

Goin' on a trip

This week we are going to be looking at Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The plot is based on going on a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a trip to a religious place. Tell about either a funny childhood trip that you have been on or about a trip you would like to go on some day.

When I turn forty, I am going to Scotland to play The Old Course. A buddy and I have been planning this trip for a year now. I can't wait. Only 8 and 1/2 years ago. We are going to golf every day while our wives go shopping or whatever they want to do. It's going to be awesome.

Stupid Fights

This week we are reading "Get Up and Bar the Door." It is a short ballad about a stupid fight that a married couple gets into. The most common argument that my wife and I get into is based on temperature. I remember driving to Indiana during the winter last year. I believe we were driving for Christmas. Well, about ten minutes into the drive my wife cranked the heat up as high as it would go. Granted she had her winter coat on, and I only wore a t-shirt. Immediately I turned it all the way down. Then she turned it all the way up and I turned it back down. This went on until we were both screaming at each other over the temperature. Stupid right, but my guess is we have all had fights like this. Tell a story about some stupid argument that you have had. Please change the names of the people involved. I'd hate for someone to be embarrassed.

Middle Ages Review

You need to do research over the Middle Ages. Look at the following websites and take notes in your notebook. When you have completed this, leave a comment about what you have read. You are responsible for all of the material on these websites.

http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/feudal.html

For this website, I'd like you just to read about the Black Death.

http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/plague/05.shtml

I know that this might take longer this week, but the last couple have been pretty short.

Have FUN!!!

Week Four

We talked in class last week about how important revisions are. I wanted to show you a poem entitled "My Papa's Waltz." First read over the poem.

The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.

Now that you have finished reading the final draft of tghe poem. I'd like you to click on the link to look at the orginal drafts.

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/Virtualit/poetry/cultural_docs/roethke_draft.html

You can look at both drafts. Notice some of the changes that he made. How much thought do you think went into each draft? In the comment section, put your thoughts.

I've looked at the first 17 comments. Make sure you look at the fact that he/she was changed. Minor changes?

Depictions of Grendel

We have talked in class about how we create images of what we read in our heads. I love reading books, and I love watching movies, but many times I am disappointed in movies made from books that I have read. The reason for this dissappointment is the manner in which the director creates characters that I have already created in my head. I realize it is an impossible task, but I cannot help it. Below you will see some different depictions of Grendel. I'd like you to look at the pictures and vote on your favorite one. In your comment, I would like you to give at least one reason that explains why you liked the particular depiction.

Pic 1

Pic 2 Pic 3
Pic 4

Pic 5

Independent Reading Assignment

There are two parts of this week's blog, so please make sure you do both parts. Here I'd like you give the title of your book, along with three sentences summarizing the book. Finally end with your rating of the book.

1 - 10. 10 means "The greatest book ever."

Have fun and read some of the other comments. It will give you ideas for your next Independent Reading Assignment.

Week Two

We are beginning our exploration of Beowulf. This week I'd like you to go to the below website and explore the site. You need to go to the original text and try to read it. Good Luck. After reading the original text, then take a look at the modern text. After spending 5 to 10 minutes reading it, make a comment.

http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~beowulf/

Have fun,
Mr. Lunn

Welcome to British Literature

We are at the beginning of an exciting adventure. This adventure may be painful, sorrowful, and excruitiating at times. These are the times when you will need to rely on your own fortitude and the help of your fellow adventurers. As a group of people at the beginning of this trek, we may seem like a bunch of individuals, but by the end we will have gone through many trials and tribulations that will bring us closer together as a people group. You will create bonds in the class that could last forever. As your guide, I feel that it is my responsibility to begin by introducing myself.

This is my second year at Anderson High School, and my second year teaching British Literature. I am married and have a daughter who is almost one. She has completely changed my life. If you'd like to know more about her, then check out Sara's blog. (Just click on my profile.) Look to your right. I also have another child on the way. Ahhhhhh!!!! You can check that blog out as well. I am an avid golfer and baseball fan. I also coach both sports at Anderson. Before teaching at Anderson, I spent a year teaching English in South Korea and before that I spent five years in the Business world. I love teaching and working with students. I love to see students succeed and work hard. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you. Please take a minute and introduce yourself using the comment button. Tell us something about yourself, where have you traveled, your favorite movie, and what your future occupation will/or would like to be.

Thanks,
Mr. Lunn