Dream a Little Dream...

This post is for FRESHMEN only.

A Raisin in the Sun is about a family of dreamers.  It is an exploration of where those dreams have brought them and where those dreams are likely to lead them.  The play also challenges the popular view that dreams are always helpful, that people need to have dreams to be happy.  Your task in this essay is to answer the following question:

Can dreams ever be harmful to dreamers?

Your thesis statement should look something close to one of these models:

• While most people believe that dreams usually help individuals by/because __________, dreams can actually harm dreamers by/because ____________.
• While most people believe that dreams usually harm individuals by/because __________, dreams can actually help dreamers by/because ____________.

For each of these, you should use one body paragraph to support the first aspect of your thesis statement, and you should use two body paragraphs to support the second aspect of your thesis statement.

Remember the two tools you have at your disposal:

• The Wonderful World of the Five Paragraph Essay contains all of the details relating to the content of your essay.
• The Road to Formal Essay Editing contains all of the details relating to the mechanics and formatting of your essay.

If you have any questions throughout the writing process, ask your teacher.

Final Exam Review - A Raisin in the Sun

This post is for FRESHMEN only.

You and your classmates are going to publish a final exam study guide for A Raisin in the Sun. In the comments section below, you will record TWO separate entries. Each entry will entail a SIGNIFICANT quotation from the play. Follow the criteria listed below when writing your entries:

1. one significant quotation from A Raisin in the Sun
2. the page number of the quotation
3. the speaker of the quotation
4. to whom the quotation is being spoken
5. a brief context of what is happening in the scene
6. your name (to receive credit)

There are a few stipulations. First, no repeats. Second, first come, first served. Third, the more significant and important your quotation, the more helpful this study guide will become.

A Raisin in the Sun Essay

This post if for FRESHMEN only.

Essay Overview
A Raisin in the Sun is about a family of dreamers. It is an exploration of where those dreams have brought them and where those dreams are likely to lead them. The play also challenges the popular view that dreams are always helpful, that people need to have dreams to be happy. Your task in this essay is to answer the following question:

In what ways can dreams harm dreamers?

Format

1. First, determine three general ways that dreams can be harmful to people.
2. Next, find one example for each way in the text.
3. Finally, find a second example for each way from one of the following exterior sources: current events, other literature, history, or popular culture.

You may wish to consider the following characters and dreams that each has:

• Ruth and Mama dream of becoming homeowners.
• Walter dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
• Beneatha dreams of becoming a doctor.
• Asagai dreams of bringing independence to Africa.

Use the model found HERE to guide your planning.


Organization
While you do not need to complete a formal outline for this essay, you should use the following organizational structure for your five-paragraph essay:

I. Introduction
   A. hook
   B. link/topic
   C. thesis
   D. bridge

II. Harm 1
   A. example from text
      1. claim
      2. evidence
         a. set-up
         b. cited quotation
      3. explanation
   B. example from exterior source
      1. claim
      2. evidence
      3. explanation


III. Harm 2
   A. example from text
      1. claim
      2. evidence
         a. set-up
         b. cited quotation
      3. explanation
   B. example from exterior source
      1. claim
      2. evidence
      3. explanation


IV. Harm 3
   A. example from text
      1. claim
      2. evidence
         a. set-up
         b. cited quotation
      3. explanation
   B. example from exterior source
      1. claim
      2. evidence
      3. explanation


V. Conclusion
   A. reflection of thesis
   B. real-world application (So what?)

This post is for FRESHMEN only.

You and your classmates are going to publish a final exam study guide for A Raisin in the Sun. In the comments section below, you will record TWO separate entries. Each entry will entail a SIGNIFICANT quotation from the play. Follow the criteria listed below when writing your entries:

1. one significant quotation from A Raisin in the Sun
2. the page number of the quotation
3. the speaker of the quotation
4. to whom the quotation is being spoken
5. a brief context of what is happening in the scene
6. your name (to receive credit)

There are a few stipulations. First, no repeats. Second, first come, first served. Third, the more significant and important your quotation, the more helpful this study guide will become.

A Raisin in the Sun - Essay

This post if for FRESHMEN only.

Essay Overview
A Raisin in the Sun is about a family of dreamers. It is an exploration of where those dreams have brought them and where those dreams are likely to lead them. The play also challenges the popular view that dreams are always helpful, that people need to have dreams to be happy. Your task in this essay is to answer the following question:

In what ways can dreams harm dreamers?

Format

1. First, determine three general ways that dreams can be harmful to people.
2. Next, find one example for each way in the text.
3. Finally, find a second example for each way from one of the following exterior sources: current events, other literature, history, or popular culture.

You may wish to consider the following characters and dreams that each has:

• Ruth and Mama dream of becoming homeowners.
• Walter dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
• Beneatha dreams of becoming a doctor.
• Asagai dreams of bringing independence to Africa.

Use the model found HERE to guide your planning.


Organization
While you do not need to complete a formal outline for this essay, you should use the following organizational structure for your five-paragraph essay:

I. Introduction
   A. hook
   B. link/topic
   C. thesis
   D. bridge

II. Harm 1
   A. example from text
      1. claim
      2. evidence
         a. set-up
         b. cited quotation
      3. explanation
   B. example from exterior source
      1. claim
      2. evidence
      3. explanation


III. Harm 2
   A. example from text
      1. claim
      2. evidence
         a. set-up
         b. cited quotation
      3. explanation
   B. example from exterior source
      1. claim
      2. evidence
      3. explanation


IV. Harm 3
   A. example from text
      1. claim
      2. evidence
         a. set-up
         b. cited quotation
      3. explanation
   B. example from exterior source
      1. claim
      2. evidence
      3. explanation


V. Conclusion
   A. reflection of thesis
   B. real-world application (So what?)

A Dream Deferred

This post if for FRESHMEN only.

First read the following poem by Langston Hughes:

A Dream Deferred

by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up 

like a raisin in the sun? 

Or fester like a sore-- 

And then run? 

Does it stink like rotten meat? 

Or crust and sugar over-- 

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags 

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Now go to my 'tostu' folder (look under the C folder, and then open the jcowlin folder) and open the document entitled "A Dream Deferred: Text and Activity." Complete the activity by typing directly into the document. Be sure to save your copy to your personal folder and to print out a copy to receive credit.

A Raisin in the Sun Essay Revision

This post is for freshmen only.

Here's an editing checklist for your A Raisin in the Sun essays. Be sure to double check all of your work.

Content

• Creative, original title centered (no bold, no ital., no underline, regular font)
• The introductory paragraph must contain (1) a hook, (2) a link, (3) a thesis statement, and (4) a bridge.
• There must be transitions between body paragraphs.
• Body paragraphs must contain topic sentences, evidence, and explanations.
• Each piece of evidence must consist of two components: set-ups and cited quotations.
• The conclusion must answer the question, "So what?"

Mechanics/Grammar

• properly cited quotations
• no first or second person
• present tense only
• no contractions or slang
• book titles italicized

A Dream Deferred

This post if for FRESHMEN only.

First read the following poem by Langston Hughes:

A Dream Deferred

by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up 

like a raisin in the sun? 

Or fester like a sore-- 

And then run? 

Does it stink like rotten meat? 

Or crust and sugar over-- 

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags 

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Now go to my 'tostu' folder (look under the C folder, and then open the jcowlin folder) and open the document entitled "A Dream Deferred: Text and Activity." Complete the activity by typing directly into the document. Be sure to save your copy to your personal folder and to print out a copy to receive credit.

Reactionary vs Progressive

This post is for FRESHMEN only.

As we discussed in class, texts come in two varieties. Well, maybe three. One kind is REACTIONARY. These texts want things to stay as they are, to maintain the 'status quo'. If a country is in war, a reactionary text wants everyone to pitch in...

...even women. (Who pretty much belong in the kitchen making food while the boys go out to fight.)

Reactionary texts are all about tradition...

PROGRESSIVE texts, on the other hand, want things to change. If there's a government policy, a progressive text would try to get it repealed...

...and to make tomorrow different from today...

Progressive texts want change...

The third type of text, I suppose, are the ones that pretend to be one but are really the other. Look at this ad for Apple. Get it? It wants you to BE DIFFERENT! To BE AN INDIVIDUAL! Pretty progressive, right? (Except that it wants to to buy more stuff and spend more money just like everyone else.)

Be radical! Be outrageous! Be an individual! (How? It's easy...Obey!)

Your task: In a thoughtful, thorough paragraph, respond to the following prompt...

Identify a book or film you have recently read or viewed,

and explain, in detail, why it is either reactionary or progressive. 

Remember, your instructor likely will not have read/seen your book/film, so be sure to summarize adequately and supply plenty of details.

Your editing conventions of the week: 

• No 1st or 2nd person. (1st: I, me, we, us, our, ours, my, mine, etc.; 2nd: you, your, yours, yourself) Write in third person only. (3rd: he, she, him, her, it. its, they, them, themselves, one, etc.)
• No contractions. ("It is" instead of "it's." "Cannot" instead of "can't." "Is not" instead of "isn't." Etc.)

Freshmen Final Exam

This post is for FRESHMEN only.

Master Control Program here.

Greetings, programs.

Okay, so you know how your class didn't do too well on the Of Mice and Men and the A Raisin in the Sun final exam reviews? How some people didn't do their work? How as a class you didn't hit many of the quotations that are on the exam? Well, this is me being nice...

Over there on the right side of the screen, under "LABELS", are the exact same review assignments from the past two years. You can also check out here and here. Those are the review assignments from a few years ago. Those two are really good.

Reminder: If you don't study, you won't do well on the exam.

End of line.

Freshmen Final Exam Review Part 2 - A Raisin in the Sun

Final Exam Review Project - Period Schedule

Please follow the following schedule
when completing each final exam review activity.

Tuesday, 5/31 - Period 3 - A Raisin in the Sun
Tuesday, 5/31 - Period 6 - Of Mice and Men

Thursday, 6/2 - Period 3 - Of Mice and Men
Thursday, 6/2 - Period 6 - A Raisin in the Sun

In the comments section, record an entry the contains the following components:

1. one significant quotation from A Raisin in the Sun
2. the speaker of the quotation
3. to whom the quotation is being spoken
4. a brief context of what is happening in the scene
5. the page number
6. your name (to receive credit)

There are a few stipulations. First, no repeats. Second, first come, first served. Third, the more significant and important your quotation, the more helpful this study guide will become.

Raisin vs Rocky

This entry is for FRESHMEN only.

In the COMMENTS section below, post a thoughtful and thorough answer to the following question:

Why did we view Rocky after reading A Raisin in the Sun?

Another way to think of it is, "How do these two stories compliment each other? How do they tackle similar themes? How similar are the protagonists - Rocky and Walter?"

Read the entries posted before yours, and comment on them as you formulate your own response. Remember, this should not simply be a list of paragraphs. We are aiming for a discussion, a back-and-forth sharing of ideas. I'll be checking in periodically to see how it's going.

A few notes: 

• Spelling, grammar, etc. count.
• You may post additional entries and earn extra credit.
• You should plan on checking back in after you respond to see if anyone has commented on your post. If so, feel free to respond in turn.

Final Exam Review - A Raisin in the Sun

Final Exam Review Project - Period Schedule

Please follow the following schedule
when completing each final exam review activity.

Friday, 1/7 - Period 2 - A Raisin in the Sun
Friday, 1/7 - Period 7 - Of Mice and Men

Monday, 1/10 - Period 2 - Of Mice and Men
Friday, 1/10 - Period 7 - A Raisin in the Sun

In the comments section, record an entry the contains the following components:

1. one significant quotation from A Raisin in the Sun
2. the speaker of the quotation
3. to whom the quotation is being spoken
4. your name (to receive credit)

There are a few stipulations. First, no repeats. Second, first come, first served. Third, the more significant and important your quotation, the more helpful this study guide will become.