Thursday and Friday

Presentations continued for A-day, and then class finished the movie version of The Piano Lesson. B-day has not yet seen any of the movie, so we will return to that in January.

Wednesday

A-day students started the movie version of The Piano Lesson. B-day should expect to continue presentations before starting the movie.

Tuesday

More presentations completed today. Continued Thursday.

Monday

A-day completed analyses of  The Piano Lesson by August Wilson. Prepare for a commentary on a selection from the text.

Friday

Students presented themes, characters, and concepts from The Piano Lesson. We will continue Tuesday.

Thursday

Students presented themes, characters, and concepts from The Piano Lesson. We will continue Monday.

Wednesday

Students spent today's class in the lab working on a teaching presentation on August Wilson's The Piano Lesson. The lesson is due Friday. See posts below for rubric and general requirements.

Tuesday

Today we reviewed the requirements for Thursday's presentation. (The other class presents on Friday).

Monday

Sorry for my absence today -- 

Please see the topics below for Friday's lesson -- which YOU will teach! Today, select a topic (one person per numbered topic). Present information about the topic as if you were the perfect teacher providing students with exactly what you would need to know. Note the rubric below: I have emphasized good management of technology and delivery. No lengthy fiddling about with a computer while the class waits, and no talking to yourself. Present!

Rubric

Due on December 11, 12

	Strong  2	Adequate 1	Weak 0
Five or more slides
Use of graphics, correctness
Professional handling of technology: no delay
Serious, appropriate demeanor while presenting
Content: Developed, connected, clear
Eye contact, personal communication
Note handouts provided ahead of time	12	6	0
Square root curve:

Close research into the play:

1. male/female relationships (select at least three)

Doaker/Coreen

Wining Boy/Cleotha/Lymon's mother

Berniece /Crawley/Avery/Lymon

Lymon/Grace

Boy Willie

Berniece's mother and father

2. Songs and music -- function in the play

3. Motif: Parts or halves: (belief/Bible/piano)

4. Charles family tree: get fluent and clear about relationships

Sutter family tree

Characters (philosophies, motives, loci of power, primary function in moving the play forward)

5. Doaker

6. Avery

7. Wining Boy

8. Boy Willie

9. Berniece

image/symbol

10. piano

11. Sutter's ghost

12. Ghosts of the Yellow Dog

13. Maretha (small bit character: her impact is largely symbolic, n'est-ce pas?

Theme and comment

14. Final scene

Friday

Close research into the play -- and here is the rubric.

Presentations due on Thursday, December 11.

1. male/female relationships (select at least three)

Doaker/Coreen

Wining Boy/Cleotha/Lymon's mother

Berniece /Crawley/Avery/Lymon

Lymon/Grace

Boy Willie

Berniece's mother and father

Songs

2. Motif: Parts or halves: (belief/Bible/piano)

3. Charles family tree: get fluent and clear about relationships

Sutter family tree

Characters (philosophies, motives, loci of power, primary function in moving the play forward)

4. Doaker

5. Avery

6. Wining Boy

7. Boy Willie

8. Berniece

image/symbol

9. piano

10. Sutter's ghost

11. Ghosts of the Yellow Dog

Theme and comment

12. Final scene

Begin work on this project OR organize yourselves into reading a crucial part of the play. If you have questions, email me or post comments to this post.

Teacher, next class is Pointe Time. Please encourage them to bring products for Back the Pack and to remember others at holidays.

Thursday

Students took a quiz on The Piano Lesson and finished creative presentations. Now they are to look at the following topics and prepare to teach a lesson on the ideas and their ramifications. Consider a partner or go it alone. Here are the areas to focus your rereading:

Close research into the play:

male/female relationships

Doaker/Coreen

Wining Boy/Cleotha/Lymon's mother 

Berniece /Crawley/Avery/Lymon

Lymon/Grace

Boy Willie

Berniece's mother and father

Songs

Halves (belief/Bible/piano)

Charles family tree

Sutter family tree

Characters, philosophies, motives, loci of power

Doaker

Avery

Wining Boy

Boy Willie

Berniece

Wednesday

Students took a quiz on The Piano Lesson and finished creative presentations. Now they are to look at the following topics and prepare to teach a lesson on the ideas and their ramifications. Consider a partner or go it alone. Here are the areas to focus your rereading:

Close research into the play:

male/female relationships

Doaker/Coreen

Wining Boy/Cleotha/Lymon's mother

Berniece /Crawley/Avery/Lymon

Lymon/Grace

Boy Willie

Berniece's mother and father

Songs

Halves (belief/Bible/piano)

Charles family tree

Sutter family tree

Characters, philosophies, motives, loci of power

Doaker

Avery

Wining Boy

Boy Willie

Berniece

Tuesday

Students presented creative projects. Read the remainder of The Piano Lesson by Thursday, and expect a reading check-type quiz.

Monday

Students presented creative projects. Read the remainder of The Piano Lesson by Wednesday, and expect a reading check-type quiz.