AGENDA:
1. War Dance
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Thursday, May 28, 2015
May 29
AGENDA:
1. Vocabulary Review Quiz
2. "The Talking Goat"
HW: Lit books completed and binders/presentations
1. Vocabulary Review Quiz
2. "The Talking Goat"
HW: Lit books completed and binders/presentations
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
May 20
AGENDA:
1. Introduction to African Literature continued
2. "How Africa Could Feed the World" by Olusegun Obasanjo
3. World on Fire by Sarah McLaughlin
HW: Lit circles tomorrow
Images of starving children, epitomised in news coverage from Ethiopia in the 1980s, have given Africa a reputation for famine that does an injustice to the continent’s potential.
It’s true that a recent report by three U.N. agencies said nearly 239 million in Africa are hungry, a figure some 20 million higher than four years ago. And recent crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel certainly highlight the desperate uncertainties of food supply for millions – malnutrition still cuts deep scars into progress on health and education.
But the Africa Progress Panel and many others believe that Africa has the potential not only to feed itself, but also to become a major food supplier for the rest of the world.
Consider, for example, Africa’s agricultural land. According to an influential recent analysis, Africa has around 600 million hectares of uncultivated arable land, roughly 60 percent of the global total.
And on the land that is being used, outdated technologies and techniques mean productivity is low. African cereal yields, for example, are just over one-third of the developing world average and have barely increased in 30 years. One major issue is that as much as 80 percent of Africa’s agriculture still depends on rain not irrigation.
So what should be done to increase agricultural productivity in Africa?
First, African and donor agricultural policies must focus on the smallholder farmers. Some African governments see the efficiencies of large scale commercial farming as a means to increase productivity. But Africa cannot increase its food production, create jobs and reduce poverty on the scale required without unlocking the potential of smallholder agriculture.
In addition, Africa’s rapidly growing youth population makes job creation an urgent matter for many of the continent’s governments. Already, nearly two out of three Africans depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
And in countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, agriculture is key to reducing poverty. In these countries, agricultural growth has been shown to reduce poverty twice as fast as any other sector.
Governments must invest in infrastructure that gives these smallholders better access to markets, including storage facilities to keep produce in good quality, and new and better roads. Governments must also invest in research and development to help smallholder farmers access new techniques and technologies such as drought resistant seeds. They should encourage innovations in information and communication technologies, which may also help to involve young Africans in the sector.
Second, African governments must deal with the land grab issue, as mentioned in an earlier article for this series by my fellow Panel member Michel Camdessus.
Population growth, a burgeoning global middle class, and the search for low-carbon energy sources mean that demand for food and biofuels has shot through the roof. Spotting profit opportunity, foreign investors are scrambling for a piece of the action. They rent land, use the latest agricultural methods (plus precious water from nearby sources), export the food, and make a fortune.
Africa has been at the epicentre of global land deals. Between 2000 and 2011, for example, Africa saw an estimated 948 land deals, covering 124 million hectares – an area larger than France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. Many of these transactions involve countries along the Nile and Niger rivers, whose water will be used to irrigate thirsty agricultural schemes. Typically, foreign investors win concessions at low rent and with extensive tax exemptions.
Contracts are often negotiated behind closed doors without consulting affected communities. Indeed, many of these schemes have seen local communities forcibly removed from their land.
Some deals have been complicated for investors, too. In Ethiopia, an armed group ambushed workers from a Saudi-owned agribusiness project, killing five. Analysts say the ambush in April 2012 was linked to the project’s plan to use large amounts of precious water from the nearby Alwero River, upon which thousands of people depend for their survival.
At the Africa Progress Panel, we support the combination of foreign expertise with local knowledge to increase production, generate jobs, and transfer technical know-how. But what Africa does not need, and cannot afford, is the use of African land and water by foreign investors who use Africa’s scarce resources to supply food and biofuels to other countries. And for Africans, the benefits of large-scale land acquisitions have been questionable.
Africa’s smallholder farmers need protection in such deals. The African Union should develop a framework for managing foreign investment in agriculture, and governments should assess large-scale land deals and consider a moratorium pending legislation to protect smallholder farmers.
Third, governments and others must help smallholder farmers manage risk more effectively. Crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel have highlighted the risks faced by smallholder farmers, who are barely able to feed themselves and their families as it is.
Governments and donors should provide cash or food that enables rural producers to get through the difficult periods of drought, for example, without compromising long-term productivity or withdrawing their children from school. Governments and donors should help household enterprises reduce their dependence on agriculture.
Fourth, we want to see the international community devote more money and more effort to improving food security and nutrition in Africa, an issue that goes to the heart of so many other development challenges. By weakening a child’s resistance to disease, malnutrition is a major contributor to child mortality. A global study in 2008 found that an average one third of all child deaths were related to malnutrition.
The Panel welcome this year’s Camp David G-8 commitments to launch a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. This New Alliance aims to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next decade. And we will be watching eagerly when the United Kingdom assumes presidency of the G-8 next year.
Fifth, and finally, the international community should step up their support for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Higher temperatures, increased water evaporation, less predictable rainfall, increased water stress and an expansion of drought zones is likely undermine production. Cassava and maize yields could fall by 15 percent and 30 percent respectively by 2050, for example. And research by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) suggests that climate change effects alone will push an additional 1 million children into malnutrition by 2030.
At the Africa Progress Panel, we hope these risks and the enormous opportunities of a growing global market will lead African governments to invest in agriculture and raise productivity. We fear that such risks could lead to a dramatic worsening of poverty and malnutrition among vulnerable communities.
But while rich countries have been spending billions of dollars on climate change adaptation, such as flood defenses, Africa has been receiving peanuts.
One recent study for Tanzania concluded that an annual investment of $100 million in adaptation for smallholders – encompassing support for small-scale irrigation, terracing, rural roads and research – would prevent annual losses of several hundreds of millions of dollars.
Consider that while the U.K. spends $1.2 billion annually on flood defenses, African nations receive just $100 million to $200 million for climate adaptation through the specialized multilateral funds created for this purpose. This amounts to what Desmond Tutu has aptly described as “adaptation apartheid.”
African leaders and their partners must all do more to shape the continent’s mighty farming potential. One day Africa could feed the world. But first it must feed itself.
1. Introduction to African Literature continued
2. "How Africa Could Feed the World" by Olusegun Obasanjo
3. World on Fire by Sarah McLaughlin
HW: Lit circles tomorrow
How Africa could feed the world
By Olusegun Obasanjo, Special to CNN
Editor’s note: Olusegun Obasanjo is a former president of Nigeria and a member of the Africa Progress Panel, chaired by Kofi Annan. The views expressed are the author’s own.Images of starving children, epitomised in news coverage from Ethiopia in the 1980s, have given Africa a reputation for famine that does an injustice to the continent’s potential.
It’s true that a recent report by three U.N. agencies said nearly 239 million in Africa are hungry, a figure some 20 million higher than four years ago. And recent crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel certainly highlight the desperate uncertainties of food supply for millions – malnutrition still cuts deep scars into progress on health and education.
But the Africa Progress Panel and many others believe that Africa has the potential not only to feed itself, but also to become a major food supplier for the rest of the world.
Consider, for example, Africa’s agricultural land. According to an influential recent analysis, Africa has around 600 million hectares of uncultivated arable land, roughly 60 percent of the global total.
And on the land that is being used, outdated technologies and techniques mean productivity is low. African cereal yields, for example, are just over one-third of the developing world average and have barely increased in 30 years. One major issue is that as much as 80 percent of Africa’s agriculture still depends on rain not irrigation.
So what should be done to increase agricultural productivity in Africa?
First, African and donor agricultural policies must focus on the smallholder farmers. Some African governments see the efficiencies of large scale commercial farming as a means to increase productivity. But Africa cannot increase its food production, create jobs and reduce poverty on the scale required without unlocking the potential of smallholder agriculture.
In addition, Africa’s rapidly growing youth population makes job creation an urgent matter for many of the continent’s governments. Already, nearly two out of three Africans depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
And in countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, agriculture is key to reducing poverty. In these countries, agricultural growth has been shown to reduce poverty twice as fast as any other sector.
Governments must invest in infrastructure that gives these smallholders better access to markets, including storage facilities to keep produce in good quality, and new and better roads. Governments must also invest in research and development to help smallholder farmers access new techniques and technologies such as drought resistant seeds. They should encourage innovations in information and communication technologies, which may also help to involve young Africans in the sector.
Second, African governments must deal with the land grab issue, as mentioned in an earlier article for this series by my fellow Panel member Michel Camdessus.
Population growth, a burgeoning global middle class, and the search for low-carbon energy sources mean that demand for food and biofuels has shot through the roof. Spotting profit opportunity, foreign investors are scrambling for a piece of the action. They rent land, use the latest agricultural methods (plus precious water from nearby sources), export the food, and make a fortune.
Africa has been at the epicentre of global land deals. Between 2000 and 2011, for example, Africa saw an estimated 948 land deals, covering 124 million hectares – an area larger than France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. Many of these transactions involve countries along the Nile and Niger rivers, whose water will be used to irrigate thirsty agricultural schemes. Typically, foreign investors win concessions at low rent and with extensive tax exemptions.
Contracts are often negotiated behind closed doors without consulting affected communities. Indeed, many of these schemes have seen local communities forcibly removed from their land.
Some deals have been complicated for investors, too. In Ethiopia, an armed group ambushed workers from a Saudi-owned agribusiness project, killing five. Analysts say the ambush in April 2012 was linked to the project’s plan to use large amounts of precious water from the nearby Alwero River, upon which thousands of people depend for their survival.
At the Africa Progress Panel, we support the combination of foreign expertise with local knowledge to increase production, generate jobs, and transfer technical know-how. But what Africa does not need, and cannot afford, is the use of African land and water by foreign investors who use Africa’s scarce resources to supply food and biofuels to other countries. And for Africans, the benefits of large-scale land acquisitions have been questionable.
Africa’s smallholder farmers need protection in such deals. The African Union should develop a framework for managing foreign investment in agriculture, and governments should assess large-scale land deals and consider a moratorium pending legislation to protect smallholder farmers.
Third, governments and others must help smallholder farmers manage risk more effectively. Crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel have highlighted the risks faced by smallholder farmers, who are barely able to feed themselves and their families as it is.
Governments and donors should provide cash or food that enables rural producers to get through the difficult periods of drought, for example, without compromising long-term productivity or withdrawing their children from school. Governments and donors should help household enterprises reduce their dependence on agriculture.
Fourth, we want to see the international community devote more money and more effort to improving food security and nutrition in Africa, an issue that goes to the heart of so many other development challenges. By weakening a child’s resistance to disease, malnutrition is a major contributor to child mortality. A global study in 2008 found that an average one third of all child deaths were related to malnutrition.
The Panel welcome this year’s Camp David G-8 commitments to launch a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. This New Alliance aims to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next decade. And we will be watching eagerly when the United Kingdom assumes presidency of the G-8 next year.
Fifth, and finally, the international community should step up their support for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Higher temperatures, increased water evaporation, less predictable rainfall, increased water stress and an expansion of drought zones is likely undermine production. Cassava and maize yields could fall by 15 percent and 30 percent respectively by 2050, for example. And research by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) suggests that climate change effects alone will push an additional 1 million children into malnutrition by 2030.
At the Africa Progress Panel, we hope these risks and the enormous opportunities of a growing global market will lead African governments to invest in agriculture and raise productivity. We fear that such risks could lead to a dramatic worsening of poverty and malnutrition among vulnerable communities.
But while rich countries have been spending billions of dollars on climate change adaptation, such as flood defenses, Africa has been receiving peanuts.
One recent study for Tanzania concluded that an annual investment of $100 million in adaptation for smallholders – encompassing support for small-scale irrigation, terracing, rural roads and research – would prevent annual losses of several hundreds of millions of dollars.
Consider that while the U.K. spends $1.2 billion annually on flood defenses, African nations receive just $100 million to $200 million for climate adaptation through the specialized multilateral funds created for this purpose. This amounts to what Desmond Tutu has aptly described as “adaptation apartheid.”
African leaders and their partners must all do more to shape the continent’s mighty farming potential. One day Africa could feed the world. But first it must feed itself.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
May 19
AGENDA:
1. Tablets
2. "I will be a hummingbird"
3. World Changes
4. Introduction to Africa Literature
HW: Papers and revisions completed and due by Thursday.
1. Tablets
2. "I will be a hummingbird"
3. World Changes
4. Introduction to Africa Literature
HW: Papers and revisions completed and due by Thursday.
Monday, May 18, 2015
May 18
AGENDA:
1. Paper and revisions
2. Miniature Earth
3. Maslow's Hierarchy
4. Environmentalist and the first African woman to be given the Nobel Peace Prize - Wangari Maathai
© The Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, 2004.
Your Royal Highnesses
Honourable Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen
I stand before you and the world humbled by this recognition and uplifted by the honour of being the 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate.
As the first African woman to receive this prize, I accept it on behalf of the people of Kenya and Africa, and indeed the world. I am especially mindful of women and the girl child. I hope it will encourage them to raise their voices and take more space for leadership. I know the honour also gives a deep sense of pride to our men, both old and young. As a mother, I appreciate the inspiration this brings to the youth and urge them to use it to pursue their dreams.
Although this prize comes to me, it acknowledges the work of countless individuals and groups across the globe. They work quietly and often without recognition to protect the environment, promote democracy, defend human rights and ensure equality between women and men. By so doing, they plant seeds of peace. I know they, too, are proud today. To all who feel represented by this prize I say use it to advance your mission and meet the high expectations the world will place on us.
This honour is also for my family, friends, partners and supporters throughout the world. All of them helped shape the vision and sustain our work, which was often accomplished under hostile conditions. I am also grateful to the people of Kenya-who remained stubbornly hopeful that democracy could be realized and their environment managed sustainably. Because of this support, I am here today to accept this great honour. I am immensely privileged to join my fellow African Peace laureates, Presidents Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the late Chief Albert Luthuli, the late Anwar el-Sadat and the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
I know that African people everywhere are encouraged by this news. My fellow Africans, as we embrace this recognition, let us use it to intensify our commitment to our people, to reduce conflicts and poverty and thereby improve their quality of life. Let us embrace democratic governance, protect human rights and protect our environment. I am confident that we shall rise to the occasion. I have always believed that solutions to most of our problems must come from us.
In this year's prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has placed the critical issue of environment and its linkage to democracy and peace before the world. For their visionary action, I am profoundly grateful. Recognizing that sustainable development, democracy and peace are indivisible is an idea whose time has come. Our work over the past 30 years has always appreciated and engaged these linkages.
My inspiration partly comes from my childhood experiences and observations of Nature in rural Kenya. It has been influenced and nurtured by the formal education I was privileged to receive in Kenya, the United States and Germany. As I was growing up, I witnessed forests being cleared and replaced by commercial plantations, which destroyed local biodiversity and the capacity of the forests to conserve water.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
In 1977, when we started the Green Belt Movement, I was partly responding to needs identified by rural women, namely lack of firewood, clean drinking water, balanced diets, shelter and income.
Throughout Africa, women are the primary caretakers, holding significant responsibility for tilling the land and feeding their families. As a result, they are often the first to become aware of environmental damage as resources become scarce and incapable of sustaining their families.
The women we worked with recounted that unlike in the past, they were unable to meet their basic needs. This was due to the degradation of their immediate environment as well as the introduction of commercial farming, which replaced the growing of household food crops. But international trade controlled the price of the exports from these small-scale farmers and a reasonable and just income could not be guaranteed. I came to understand that when the environment is destroyed, plundered or mismanaged, we undermine our quality of life and that of future generations.
Tree planting became a natural choice to address some of the initial basic needs identified by women. Also, tree planting is simple, attainable and guarantees quick, successful results within a reasonable amount time. This sustains interest and commitment.
So, together, we have planted over 30 million trees that provide fuel, food, shelter, and income to support their children's education and household needs. The activity also creates employment and improves soils and watersheds. Through their involvement, women gain some degree of power over their lives, especially their social and economic position and relevance in the family. This work continues.
Initially, the work was difficult because historically our people have been persuaded to believe that because they are poor, they lack not only capital, but also knowledge and skills to address their challenges. Instead they are conditioned to believe that solutions to their problems must come from 'outside'. Further, women did not realize that meeting their needs depended on their environment being healthy and well managed. They were also unaware that a degraded environment leads to a scramble for scarce resources and may culminate in poverty and even conflict. They were also unaware of the injustices of international economic arrangements.
In order to assist communities to understand these linkages, we developed a citizen education program, during which people identify their problems, the causes and possible solutions. They then make connections between their own personal actions and the problems they witness in the environment and in society. They learn that our world is confronted with a litany of woes: corruption, violence against women and children, disruption and breakdown of families, and disintegration of cultures and communities. They also identify the abuse of drugs and chemical substances, especially among young people. There are also devastating diseases that are defying cures or occurring in epidemic proportions. Of particular concern are HIV/AIDS, malaria and diseases associated with malnutrition.
On the environment front, they are exposed to many human activities that are devastating to the environment and societies. These include widespread destruction of ecosystems, especially through deforestation, climatic instability, and contamination in the soils and waters that all contribute to excruciating poverty.
In the process, the participants discover that they must be part of the solutions. They realize their hidden potential and are empowered to overcome inertia and take action. They come to recognize that they are the primary custodians and beneficiaries of the environment that sustains them.
Entire communities also come to understand that while it is necessary to hold their governments accountable, it is equally important that in their own relationships with each other, they exemplify the leadership values they wish to see in their own leaders, namely justice, integrity and trust.
Although initially the Green Belt Movement's tree planting activities did not address issues of democracy and peace, it soon became clear that responsible governance of the environment was impossible without democratic space. Therefore, the tree became a symbol for the democratic struggle in Kenya. Citizens were mobilised to challenge widespread abuses of power, corruption and environmental mismanagement. In Nairobi's Uhuru Park, at Freedom Corner, and in many parts of the country, trees of peace were planted to demand the release of prisoners of conscience and a peaceful transition to democracy.
Through the Green Belt Movement, thousands of ordinary citizens were mobilized and empowered to take action and effect change. They learned to overcome fear and a sense of helplessness and moved to defend democratic rights.
In time, the tree also became a symbol for peace and conflict resolution, especially during ethnic conflicts in Kenya when the Green Belt Movement used peace trees to reconcile disputing communities. During the ongoing re-writing of the Kenyan constitution, similar trees of peace were planted in many parts of the country to promote a culture of peace. Using trees as a symbol of peace is in keeping with a widespread African tradition. For example, the elders of the Kikuyu carried a staff from the thigi tree that, when placed between two disputing sides, caused them to stop fighting and seek reconciliation. Many communities in Africa have these traditions.
Such practises are part of an extensive cultural heritage, which contributes both to the conservation of habitats and to cultures of peace. With the destruction of these cultures and the introduction of new values, local biodiversity is no longer valued or protected and as a result, it is quickly degraded and disappears. For this reason, The Green Belt Movement explores the concept of cultural biodiversity, especially with respect to indigenous seeds and medicinal plants.
As we progressively understood the causes of environmental degradation, we saw the need for good governance. Indeed, the state of any county's environment is a reflection of the kind of governance in place, and without good governance there can be no peace. Many countries, which have poor governance systems, are also likely to have conflicts and poor laws protecting the environment.
In 2002, the courage, resilience, patience and commitment of members of the Green Belt Movement, other civil society organizations, and the Kenyan public culminated in the peaceful transition to a democratic government and laid the foundation for a more stable society.
Excellencies, friends, ladies and gentlemen,
It is 30 years since we started this work. Activities that devastate the environment and societies continue unabated. Today we are faced with a challenge that calls for a shift in our thinking, so that humanity stops threatening its life-support system. We are called to assist the Earth to heal her wounds and in the process heal our own - indeed, to embrace the whole creation in all its diversity, beauty and wonder. This will happen if we see the need to revive our sense of belonging to a larger family of life, with which we have shared our evolutionary process.
In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other.
That time is now.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has challenged the world to broaden the understanding of peace: there can be no peace without equitable development; and there can be no development without sustainable management of the environment in a democratic and peaceful space. This shift is an idea whose time has come.
I call on leaders, especially from Africa, to expand democratic space and build fair and just societies that allow the creativity and energy of their citizens to flourish. Those of us who have been privileged to receive education, skills, and experiences and even power must be role models for the next generation of leadership. In this regard, I would also like to appeal for the freedom of my fellow laureate Aung San Suu Kyi so that she can continue her work for peace and democracy for the people of Burma and the world at large.
Culture plays a central role in the political, economic and social life of communities. Indeed, culture may be the missing link in the development of Africa. Culture is dynamic and evolves over time, consciously discarding retrogressive traditions, like female genital mutilation (FGM), and embracing aspects that are good and useful.
Africans, especially, should re-discover positive aspects of their culture. In accepting them, they would give themselves a sense of belonging, identity and self-confidence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is also need to galvanize civil society and grassroots movements to catalyse change. I call upon governments to recognize the role of these social movements in building a critical mass of responsible citizens, who help maintain checks and balances in society. On their part, civil society should embrace not only their rights but also their responsibilities.
Further, industry and global institutions must appreciate that ensuring economic justice, equity and ecological integrity are of greater value than profits at any cost. The extreme global inequities and prevailing consumption patterns continue at the expense of the environment and peaceful co-existence. The choice is ours.
I would like to call on young people to commit themselves to activities that contribute toward achieving their long-term dreams. They have the energy and creativity to shape a sustainable future. To the young people I say, you are a gift to your communities and indeed the world. You are our hope and our future.
The holistic approach to development, as exemplified by the Green Belt Movement, could be embraced and replicated in more parts of Africa and beyond. It is for this reason that I have established the Wangari Maathai Foundation to ensure the continuation and expansion of these activities. Although a lot has been achieved, much remains to be done.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
As I conclude I reflect on my childhood experience when I would visit a stream next to our home to fetch water for my mother. I would drink water straight from the stream. Playing among the arrowroot leaves I tried in vain to pick up the strands of frogs' eggs, believing they were beads. But every time I put my little fingers under them they would break. Later, I saw thousands of tadpoles: black, energetic and wriggling through the clear water against the background of the brown earth. This is the world I inherited from my parents.
Today, over 50 years later, the stream has dried up, women walk long distances for water, which is not always clean, and children will never know what they have lost. The challenge is to restore the home of the tadpoles and give back to our children a world of beauty and wonder.
Thank you very much.
1. Paper and revisions
2. Miniature Earth
3. Maslow's Hierarchy
4. Environmentalist and the first African woman to be given the Nobel Peace Prize - Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai
The Nobel Lecture (Oslo, December 10, 2004)© The Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, 2004.
Your Royal Highnesses
Honourable Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen
I stand before you and the world humbled by this recognition and uplifted by the honour of being the 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate.
As the first African woman to receive this prize, I accept it on behalf of the people of Kenya and Africa, and indeed the world. I am especially mindful of women and the girl child. I hope it will encourage them to raise their voices and take more space for leadership. I know the honour also gives a deep sense of pride to our men, both old and young. As a mother, I appreciate the inspiration this brings to the youth and urge them to use it to pursue their dreams.
Although this prize comes to me, it acknowledges the work of countless individuals and groups across the globe. They work quietly and often without recognition to protect the environment, promote democracy, defend human rights and ensure equality between women and men. By so doing, they plant seeds of peace. I know they, too, are proud today. To all who feel represented by this prize I say use it to advance your mission and meet the high expectations the world will place on us.
This honour is also for my family, friends, partners and supporters throughout the world. All of them helped shape the vision and sustain our work, which was often accomplished under hostile conditions. I am also grateful to the people of Kenya-who remained stubbornly hopeful that democracy could be realized and their environment managed sustainably. Because of this support, I am here today to accept this great honour. I am immensely privileged to join my fellow African Peace laureates, Presidents Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the late Chief Albert Luthuli, the late Anwar el-Sadat and the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
I know that African people everywhere are encouraged by this news. My fellow Africans, as we embrace this recognition, let us use it to intensify our commitment to our people, to reduce conflicts and poverty and thereby improve their quality of life. Let us embrace democratic governance, protect human rights and protect our environment. I am confident that we shall rise to the occasion. I have always believed that solutions to most of our problems must come from us.
In this year's prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has placed the critical issue of environment and its linkage to democracy and peace before the world. For their visionary action, I am profoundly grateful. Recognizing that sustainable development, democracy and peace are indivisible is an idea whose time has come. Our work over the past 30 years has always appreciated and engaged these linkages.
My inspiration partly comes from my childhood experiences and observations of Nature in rural Kenya. It has been influenced and nurtured by the formal education I was privileged to receive in Kenya, the United States and Germany. As I was growing up, I witnessed forests being cleared and replaced by commercial plantations, which destroyed local biodiversity and the capacity of the forests to conserve water.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
In 1977, when we started the Green Belt Movement, I was partly responding to needs identified by rural women, namely lack of firewood, clean drinking water, balanced diets, shelter and income.
Throughout Africa, women are the primary caretakers, holding significant responsibility for tilling the land and feeding their families. As a result, they are often the first to become aware of environmental damage as resources become scarce and incapable of sustaining their families.
The women we worked with recounted that unlike in the past, they were unable to meet their basic needs. This was due to the degradation of their immediate environment as well as the introduction of commercial farming, which replaced the growing of household food crops. But international trade controlled the price of the exports from these small-scale farmers and a reasonable and just income could not be guaranteed. I came to understand that when the environment is destroyed, plundered or mismanaged, we undermine our quality of life and that of future generations.
Tree planting became a natural choice to address some of the initial basic needs identified by women. Also, tree planting is simple, attainable and guarantees quick, successful results within a reasonable amount time. This sustains interest and commitment.
So, together, we have planted over 30 million trees that provide fuel, food, shelter, and income to support their children's education and household needs. The activity also creates employment and improves soils and watersheds. Through their involvement, women gain some degree of power over their lives, especially their social and economic position and relevance in the family. This work continues.
Initially, the work was difficult because historically our people have been persuaded to believe that because they are poor, they lack not only capital, but also knowledge and skills to address their challenges. Instead they are conditioned to believe that solutions to their problems must come from 'outside'. Further, women did not realize that meeting their needs depended on their environment being healthy and well managed. They were also unaware that a degraded environment leads to a scramble for scarce resources and may culminate in poverty and even conflict. They were also unaware of the injustices of international economic arrangements.
In order to assist communities to understand these linkages, we developed a citizen education program, during which people identify their problems, the causes and possible solutions. They then make connections between their own personal actions and the problems they witness in the environment and in society. They learn that our world is confronted with a litany of woes: corruption, violence against women and children, disruption and breakdown of families, and disintegration of cultures and communities. They also identify the abuse of drugs and chemical substances, especially among young people. There are also devastating diseases that are defying cures or occurring in epidemic proportions. Of particular concern are HIV/AIDS, malaria and diseases associated with malnutrition.
On the environment front, they are exposed to many human activities that are devastating to the environment and societies. These include widespread destruction of ecosystems, especially through deforestation, climatic instability, and contamination in the soils and waters that all contribute to excruciating poverty.
In the process, the participants discover that they must be part of the solutions. They realize their hidden potential and are empowered to overcome inertia and take action. They come to recognize that they are the primary custodians and beneficiaries of the environment that sustains them.
Entire communities also come to understand that while it is necessary to hold their governments accountable, it is equally important that in their own relationships with each other, they exemplify the leadership values they wish to see in their own leaders, namely justice, integrity and trust.
Although initially the Green Belt Movement's tree planting activities did not address issues of democracy and peace, it soon became clear that responsible governance of the environment was impossible without democratic space. Therefore, the tree became a symbol for the democratic struggle in Kenya. Citizens were mobilised to challenge widespread abuses of power, corruption and environmental mismanagement. In Nairobi's Uhuru Park, at Freedom Corner, and in many parts of the country, trees of peace were planted to demand the release of prisoners of conscience and a peaceful transition to democracy.
Through the Green Belt Movement, thousands of ordinary citizens were mobilized and empowered to take action and effect change. They learned to overcome fear and a sense of helplessness and moved to defend democratic rights.
In time, the tree also became a symbol for peace and conflict resolution, especially during ethnic conflicts in Kenya when the Green Belt Movement used peace trees to reconcile disputing communities. During the ongoing re-writing of the Kenyan constitution, similar trees of peace were planted in many parts of the country to promote a culture of peace. Using trees as a symbol of peace is in keeping with a widespread African tradition. For example, the elders of the Kikuyu carried a staff from the thigi tree that, when placed between two disputing sides, caused them to stop fighting and seek reconciliation. Many communities in Africa have these traditions.
Such practises are part of an extensive cultural heritage, which contributes both to the conservation of habitats and to cultures of peace. With the destruction of these cultures and the introduction of new values, local biodiversity is no longer valued or protected and as a result, it is quickly degraded and disappears. For this reason, The Green Belt Movement explores the concept of cultural biodiversity, especially with respect to indigenous seeds and medicinal plants.
As we progressively understood the causes of environmental degradation, we saw the need for good governance. Indeed, the state of any county's environment is a reflection of the kind of governance in place, and without good governance there can be no peace. Many countries, which have poor governance systems, are also likely to have conflicts and poor laws protecting the environment.
In 2002, the courage, resilience, patience and commitment of members of the Green Belt Movement, other civil society organizations, and the Kenyan public culminated in the peaceful transition to a democratic government and laid the foundation for a more stable society.
Excellencies, friends, ladies and gentlemen,
It is 30 years since we started this work. Activities that devastate the environment and societies continue unabated. Today we are faced with a challenge that calls for a shift in our thinking, so that humanity stops threatening its life-support system. We are called to assist the Earth to heal her wounds and in the process heal our own - indeed, to embrace the whole creation in all its diversity, beauty and wonder. This will happen if we see the need to revive our sense of belonging to a larger family of life, with which we have shared our evolutionary process.
In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other.
That time is now.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has challenged the world to broaden the understanding of peace: there can be no peace without equitable development; and there can be no development without sustainable management of the environment in a democratic and peaceful space. This shift is an idea whose time has come.
I call on leaders, especially from Africa, to expand democratic space and build fair and just societies that allow the creativity and energy of their citizens to flourish. Those of us who have been privileged to receive education, skills, and experiences and even power must be role models for the next generation of leadership. In this regard, I would also like to appeal for the freedom of my fellow laureate Aung San Suu Kyi so that she can continue her work for peace and democracy for the people of Burma and the world at large.
Culture plays a central role in the political, economic and social life of communities. Indeed, culture may be the missing link in the development of Africa. Culture is dynamic and evolves over time, consciously discarding retrogressive traditions, like female genital mutilation (FGM), and embracing aspects that are good and useful.
Africans, especially, should re-discover positive aspects of their culture. In accepting them, they would give themselves a sense of belonging, identity and self-confidence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is also need to galvanize civil society and grassroots movements to catalyse change. I call upon governments to recognize the role of these social movements in building a critical mass of responsible citizens, who help maintain checks and balances in society. On their part, civil society should embrace not only their rights but also their responsibilities.
Further, industry and global institutions must appreciate that ensuring economic justice, equity and ecological integrity are of greater value than profits at any cost. The extreme global inequities and prevailing consumption patterns continue at the expense of the environment and peaceful co-existence. The choice is ours.
I would like to call on young people to commit themselves to activities that contribute toward achieving their long-term dreams. They have the energy and creativity to shape a sustainable future. To the young people I say, you are a gift to your communities and indeed the world. You are our hope and our future.
The holistic approach to development, as exemplified by the Green Belt Movement, could be embraced and replicated in more parts of Africa and beyond. It is for this reason that I have established the Wangari Maathai Foundation to ensure the continuation and expansion of these activities. Although a lot has been achieved, much remains to be done.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
As I conclude I reflect on my childhood experience when I would visit a stream next to our home to fetch water for my mother. I would drink water straight from the stream. Playing among the arrowroot leaves I tried in vain to pick up the strands of frogs' eggs, believing they were beads. But every time I put my little fingers under them they would break. Later, I saw thousands of tadpoles: black, energetic and wriggling through the clear water against the background of the brown earth. This is the world I inherited from my parents.
Today, over 50 years later, the stream has dried up, women walk long distances for water, which is not always clean, and children will never know what they have lost. The challenge is to restore the home of the tadpoles and give back to our children a world of beauty and wonder.
Thank you very much.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
literary terms I didn't use this year
ANACHRONISM: Something that shows up in the wrong place or the wrong time.
ANADIPLOSIS: A form of repetition that can help add structure to your writing. Takes the last word of a sentence or phrase and repeats it near the beginning of the next sentence or phrase. Words used this way end up near on another, so their repetition becomes very apparent. "In education we find the measure of our own ignorance; in ignorance we find the beginning of wisdom."
ANAPHORA The intentional repetition of beginning clauses in order to create an artistic effect. For instance, Churchill declared, "We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost shall be." The repetition of "We shall. . ." creates a rhetorical effect of solidarity and determination. It serves to lend weight and emphasis. Anaphora is an example of a rhetorical scheme.
ANASTROPHE: An inversion of the usual syntactical order of words for rhetorical effect. "arms that wrap about a shawl" - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
ANTANAGOGE: A way of ordering points to downplay negative points so that the reader feels less strongly about them. This is done by placing a negative point net to a positive one. The statement should be phrased in a such a way that it becomes apparent that the benefits more than outweigh the costs of the subject you're discussing. "She may be quick to anger, but when you're in need, she'll always be there."
APOSTROPHE: Where a writer breaks out of the flow of writing to directly address a person or personified object. A forceful, emotional device. The Bible uses apostrophe frequently, "O Death, where is thy sting?"
ANADIPLOSIS: A form of repetition that can help add structure to your writing. Takes the last word of a sentence or phrase and repeats it near the beginning of the next sentence or phrase. Words used this way end up near on another, so their repetition becomes very apparent. "In education we find the measure of our own ignorance; in ignorance we find the beginning of wisdom."
ANAPHORA The intentional repetition of beginning clauses in order to create an artistic effect. For instance, Churchill declared, "We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost shall be." The repetition of "We shall. . ." creates a rhetorical effect of solidarity and determination. It serves to lend weight and emphasis. Anaphora is an example of a rhetorical scheme.
ANASTROPHE: An inversion of the usual syntactical order of words for rhetorical effect. "arms that wrap about a shawl" - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
ANTANAGOGE: A way of ordering points to downplay negative points so that the reader feels less strongly about them. This is done by placing a negative point net to a positive one. The statement should be phrased in a such a way that it becomes apparent that the benefits more than outweigh the costs of the subject you're discussing. "She may be quick to anger, but when you're in need, she'll always be there."
APOSTROPHE: Where a writer breaks out of the flow of writing to directly address a person or personified object. A forceful, emotional device. The Bible uses apostrophe frequently, "O Death, where is thy sting?"
ASYNDETON/POLYSYNDETON: Two forms that add stylistic force to your writing by handling conjunctions in non-standard ways. Asyndeton - "It was a great prize, a reward for years of service." OR "They sat under one roof, princes, dukes, barons, earls, kings." Polysyndeton - opposite of asyndeton. Adds increased urgency and power with an almost hypnotic rhythm forming quite quickly, "The runner passed the ten-mile mark and the fifteen and the twenty, and the finish line loomed in front of him."
CATACHRESIS: Catachresis is "misapplication of a word, especially in a mixed metaphor." Another meaning is to use an existing word to denote something that has no name in the current language. Using a word out of context, using a word paradoxically or in contradiction (ex. blind mouths) (T.S. Eliot, MLK)
CONDUPLICATIO: A form of repetition. It takes an important word from anywhere in one sentence or phrase and repeats it at the beginning of the next sentence or phrase. Conduplicatio helps the writer avoid this inadequacy by introducing the point right at the beginning. This will help your reader follow you more easily and will ultimately result in a stronger paper.
CHIASMUS: Chiasmus is a special form of parallelism that flips the original form around. While parallelism might be simply, "He smiled happily and laughed joyfully," a chiasmus of that same sentence could be, "He smiled happily and joyfully laughed." Chiasmus is more ornate and can add some extra impact to your statement. When in doubt try both chiasmus and parallelism and see which works best.
DISTINCTIO: A rhetorical form in which the writer elaborates on the definition of a word, to make sure there is no misunderstanding. "Before we can discuss immigration, we need to agree on the fact that there are huge differences between legal and illegal immigration." Words can have lots of meaning, distinct clarifies exactly what you mean.
DOGMATIC: Rigid in beliefs and principles
ENUMERATIO: The act of supplying a list of details about something. To expand a central idea. It can simply be, "I went to the store, the park, the river, the salon, and, finally, home." Or, it can go into greater detail in a point b point analysis, "There are three main reasons we should pay attention to this: first, the impact on our home town could be substantial; second, as voting citizens, we have a responsibility to keep abreast of changes in the political structure; and third, if no one......"
EPONYM: Similar to an allusion, specifically referring to a famous person to link his or her attributes with someone else. Balancing act between someone famous enough and not enough famous. Ex. Gary was a real Abe Lincoln in yesterday's debate. and Agnivesha would have been proud of the patients recovery. Eponyms should be used sparingly, but with the right touch they can give a perfect finish to a piece.
EUPHEMISM: Using a mild or gentle phrase instead of a blunt, embarrassing, or painful one. For instance, saying "Grandfather has gone to a better place" is a euphemism for "Grandfather has died." The idea is to put something bad, disturbing, or embarrassing in an inoffensive or neutral light. Frequently, words referring directly to death, unpopular politics, blasphemy, crime, and sexual or excremental activities are replaced by euphemisms.
EVOCATIVE/EVOCATION: A calling forth of memories and sensations; the suggestion or production through artistry and imagination of a sense of reality.
EXEMPLUM: Providing an example to illustrate your point. Used in research papers frequently. "America should never intervene in foreign affairs; after all, we lost over 100,000 soldiers during WWII."
HYPOPHORA: A technique of asking a question, then proceeding to answer it. Very common in writing to inform or persuade. "Why am I for putting more police officers on the streets? Their presence prevents crime." It can also be unwed to anticipate questions and concerns the reader may raise. But addressing these concerns directly, the writer/speaker helps to strengthen their case.
DOGMATIC: Rigid in beliefs and principles
ENUMERATIO: The act of supplying a list of details about something. To expand a central idea. It can simply be, "I went to the store, the park, the river, the salon, and, finally, home." Or, it can go into greater detail in a point b point analysis, "There are three main reasons we should pay attention to this: first, the impact on our home town could be substantial; second, as voting citizens, we have a responsibility to keep abreast of changes in the political structure; and third, if no one......"
EPONYM: Similar to an allusion, specifically referring to a famous person to link his or her attributes with someone else. Balancing act between someone famous enough and not enough famous. Ex. Gary was a real Abe Lincoln in yesterday's debate. and Agnivesha would have been proud of the patients recovery. Eponyms should be used sparingly, but with the right touch they can give a perfect finish to a piece.
EUPHEMISM: Using a mild or gentle phrase instead of a blunt, embarrassing, or painful one. For instance, saying "Grandfather has gone to a better place" is a euphemism for "Grandfather has died." The idea is to put something bad, disturbing, or embarrassing in an inoffensive or neutral light. Frequently, words referring directly to death, unpopular politics, blasphemy, crime, and sexual or excremental activities are replaced by euphemisms.
EVOCATIVE/EVOCATION: A calling forth of memories and sensations; the suggestion or production through artistry and imagination of a sense of reality.
EXEMPLUM: Providing an example to illustrate your point. Used in research papers frequently. "America should never intervene in foreign affairs; after all, we lost over 100,000 soldiers during WWII."
HYPOPHORA: A technique of asking a question, then proceeding to answer it. Very common in writing to inform or persuade. "Why am I for putting more police officers on the streets? Their presence prevents crime." It can also be unwed to anticipate questions and concerns the reader may raise. But addressing these concerns directly, the writer/speaker helps to strengthen their case.
MALAPROPISM: An act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound. (I have no delusions to the past. (allusions); Having one wife is called monotony. (monogamy)
MEME: An idea or pattern of thought that "replicates" like a virus by being passed along from one thinker to another. A meme might be a song or advertising jingle that gets stuck in one's head, a particularly amusing joke or entertaining story one feels compelled to pass on, a memorable phrase that gets quoted repeatedly in public speeches or in published books, a political ideology, an invention, a teacher's lesson plan, or even a religious belief.
METABASIS: Metabasis is a device used to sum up a body of work that has come before, so that you can move on to a new point. Sometimes over the course of pages, the argument can be lost. Metabasis gives the writer a chance to tell the reader exactly what you were doing and to remind them of the most crucial areas you covered. "Having dealt as we have with the many devices used by a writer in his craft, we shall now proceed to examine those devices a reader may make use of to analyze a piece of literature."
METONYMY: Using a vaguely suggestive, physical object to embody a more general idea. The term metonym also applies to the object itself used to suggest that more general idea. Some examples of metonymy are using the metonym crown in reference to royalty or the entire royal family, or stating "the pen is mightier than the sword" to suggest that the power of education and writing is more potent for changing the world than military force. One of my former students wrote in an argumentative essay, "If we cannot strike offenders in the heart, let us strike them in the wallet," implying by her metonym that if we cannot make criminals regret their actions out of their guilty consciences, we can make them regret their actions through financial punishment. We use metonymy in everyday speech when we refer to the entire movie-making industry as the L. A. suburb "Hollywood" or the advertising industry as the street "Madison Avenue" (and when we refer to businessmen working there as "suits.") Journalists use metonymy to refer to the collective decisions of the United States government as "Washington" or when they use the term "the White House" as a shorthand reference for the executive bureaucracy in American government. When students talk about studying "Shakespeare," they mean metonymically all his collected works of drama and poetry, rather than the historical writer's life alone, and so on.
PARAPROSDOKIAN - A figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect. Examples:
I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
PROCATALEPSIS: A relative of hypophora. While hypophora can ask any sort of question, the procatalepsis deals specifically with objections, sometimes without even asking the question. For example, "Many other experts want to classify Sanskrit as an extinct language, but I do not." By directly addressing the objections, procatalepsis lets the writer further his or her argument and satisfy readers at the same time. Strategically, procatalepsis shows your readers that you have anticipated their concerns, and have already thought them through. Very strong in arguments.
SURREALISM: A style in literature and painting that stresses the subconscious or the non rational aspects of man's existence characterized by the juxtaposition of the bizarre and the banal.
ZEUGMA: A device in which unexpected items in a sentence are linked together by a shared word. Helps to eliminate the repetition of a verb. "The runner lost the race and his scholarship."
METABASIS: Metabasis is a device used to sum up a body of work that has come before, so that you can move on to a new point. Sometimes over the course of pages, the argument can be lost. Metabasis gives the writer a chance to tell the reader exactly what you were doing and to remind them of the most crucial areas you covered. "Having dealt as we have with the many devices used by a writer in his craft, we shall now proceed to examine those devices a reader may make use of to analyze a piece of literature."
METONYMY: Using a vaguely suggestive, physical object to embody a more general idea. The term metonym also applies to the object itself used to suggest that more general idea. Some examples of metonymy are using the metonym crown in reference to royalty or the entire royal family, or stating "the pen is mightier than the sword" to suggest that the power of education and writing is more potent for changing the world than military force. One of my former students wrote in an argumentative essay, "If we cannot strike offenders in the heart, let us strike them in the wallet," implying by her metonym that if we cannot make criminals regret their actions out of their guilty consciences, we can make them regret their actions through financial punishment. We use metonymy in everyday speech when we refer to the entire movie-making industry as the L. A. suburb "Hollywood" or the advertising industry as the street "Madison Avenue" (and when we refer to businessmen working there as "suits.") Journalists use metonymy to refer to the collective decisions of the United States government as "Washington" or when they use the term "the White House" as a shorthand reference for the executive bureaucracy in American government. When students talk about studying "Shakespeare," they mean metonymically all his collected works of drama and poetry, rather than the historical writer's life alone, and so on.
PARAPROSDOKIAN - A figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect. Examples:
I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
PROCATALEPSIS: A relative of hypophora. While hypophora can ask any sort of question, the procatalepsis deals specifically with objections, sometimes without even asking the question. For example, "Many other experts want to classify Sanskrit as an extinct language, but I do not." By directly addressing the objections, procatalepsis lets the writer further his or her argument and satisfy readers at the same time. Strategically, procatalepsis shows your readers that you have anticipated their concerns, and have already thought them through. Very strong in arguments.
SENTENTIA: A fancy term for a quote, a wise saying. Sententia is best used to sum up what you've been talking about in the preceding paragraph. A strong sententia seems familiar, obvious, and often witty. It adds the weight of the centuries of belief to your argument or discussion topic, making it much harder for your reader to ignore. It adds ethos to what you are writing or saying. "We would do well to remember, however, that all is fair in love and war."
ZEUGMA: A device in which unexpected items in a sentence are linked together by a shared word. Helps to eliminate the repetition of a verb. "The runner lost the race and his scholarship."
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
May 13
AGENDA:
IF you missed class today - you owe me an analysis - choose from the two listed below. Due the day you return to class.
Write an analysis in which you present arguments for and against Frankenstein's relevance for a person today. Your own position should emerge in the course of your essay. You may refer to other works of literature written later for the purpose of contrast or comparison if needed.
or
IF you missed class today - you owe me an analysis - choose from the two listed below. Due the day you return to class.
Write an analysis in which you present arguments for and against Frankenstein's relevance for a person today. Your own position should emerge in the course of your essay. You may refer to other works of literature written later for the purpose of contrast or comparison if needed.
or
Choose a complex and important character in Frankenstein who might on the basis of the character’s actions alone be considered evil or immoral. Explain both how and why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more sympathetically than we otherwise might. Avoid plot summary.
HW: Vocabulary this week
HW: Vocabulary this week
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
May 8
AGENDA:
1. Turn in your Doppleganger exercises
2. JOURNAL WRITE: Pick a quote from novel and comment on it: for its wording, its idea, its meaning to the text as a whole. Give it some relevance and context.
3. Name 6 motifs in this novel - why are they motifs? How are they used?
HW: Read this over the weekend and be prepared to draw some comparisons to Frankenstein in class on Monday - this will be a graded discussion/writing assignment in class for those of you who plan to skip the weekend homework.
1. Turn in your Doppleganger exercises
2. JOURNAL WRITE: Pick a quote from novel and comment on it: for its wording, its idea, its meaning to the text as a whole. Give it some relevance and context.
HW: Read this over the weekend and be prepared to draw some comparisons to Frankenstein in class on Monday - this will be a graded discussion/writing assignment in class for those of you who plan to skip the weekend homework.
May 11
AGENDA:
1. Fish Bowl - Frankenstein/"The Birthmark"
HW: Vocabulary on Friday (last new words)
1. Fish Bowl - Frankenstein/"The Birthmark"
HW: Vocabulary on Friday (last new words)
Friday, May 8, 2015
CAHSEE SCORES
Happy to say that ALL students in English Honors 2
passed their English CAHSEE test.
CONGRATS to Harrison, Lindsey and Emily for perfect scores!
Well done guys!
passed their English CAHSEE test.
CONGRATS to Harrison, Lindsey and Emily for perfect scores!
Well done guys!
Thursday, May 7, 2015
May 7
AGENDA:
1. Dr. Phil Show
2. Chapters 20-22 in book
3. What's it about? Themes
HW: Finish book; Doppleganger handout completed
1. Dr. Phil Show
2. Chapters 20-22 in book
3. What's it about? Themes
HW: Finish book; Doppleganger handout completed
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
May 6
AGENDA:
1. Dr. Phil Show - planning time
2. Dr. Phil Show LIVE!
HW: Dopplegangers handout - due on Friday in class; read Chapter 22
1. Dr. Phil Show - planning time
2. Dr. Phil Show LIVE!
HW: Dopplegangers handout - due on Friday in class; read Chapter 22
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Monday, May 4, 2015
May 4
AGENDA:
1. Discuss Chapters
2. Discuss Frankenstein through a feministic lens
HW: Read Chapters 18 and 19 tonight
1. Discuss Chapters
2. Discuss Frankenstein through a feministic lens
HW: Read Chapters 18 and 19 tonight
Friday, May 1, 2015
May 1
AGENDA:
1. Quiz - vocab and Frankenstein
2. Discuss the special effects. Consider lighting, music, and sound. How do these elements add to your understanding of the novel? What differences exist between the film's interpretation and your own while reading? Do these differences add or change your analysis of Shelley's work? Explain.
"I think, therefore, I am" - Enlightment credo
"I suffer, therefore, I am" - Romantic credo
HW: Read Chapters 14-17 this weekend for Monday class.
1. Quiz - vocab and Frankenstein
2. Discuss the special effects. Consider lighting, music, and sound. How do these elements add to your understanding of the novel? What differences exist between the film's interpretation and your own while reading? Do these differences add or change your analysis of Shelley's work? Explain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mJNYSV-OXc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7w9uWFIMBs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3-GlvKPcg&feature=related -- PSYCHO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKyiXjyVsfw -1931 Frankenstein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOPTriLG5cU - Young Frankenstain comedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg17y6iz7Xs -- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein 1994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxOSPfUw3qw - the aftermath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7w9uWFIMBs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3-GlvKPcg&feature=related -- PSYCHO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKyiXjyVsfw -1931 Frankenstein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOPTriLG5cU - Young Frankenstain comedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg17y6iz7Xs -- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein 1994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxOSPfUw3qw - the aftermath
"I think, therefore, I am" - Enlightment credo
"I suffer, therefore, I am" - Romantic credo
HW: Read Chapters 14-17 this weekend for Monday class.
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