C-block, check it out!

How exciting and timely! NPR's On Point's 2nd hour today was devoted to The Gardner Heist. Audio of the show will be available by 3pm, but there is already a lot of information as well as interesting comments on the website. I highly recommend listening to the program!

On Point: The Gardner Heist and Stolen Art

Class Notes: Feb. 24, 2010

B-block

AGENDA :
1. 1950's Powerpoint presentations

HOMEWORK:
1. Read to page 64 in TBL.
2. Complete Vocab list #1 for TBL.

Class Notes: Feb. 9, 2010

C-block (Honors)

AGENDA :
1. Griet exercise - how does Griet "see" differently from other characters in the novel?
2. Discussion of FQs from last night with special attention to the thematic elements of seeing and not seeing, illumination and light, reality and appearance, truth, etc.
3. Look at "The Milkmaid" (and contemporary painting "The Idle Servant")

HOMEWORK: 1. Read to pg.82
2. Complete Focus Questions
3. Volunteers - bring in parts for camera obscura
4. If you have not yet chosen an artist, look at the list below and have someone ready to run by me on Thursday.

D-block

AGENDA :
1. Research and work on powerpoints for This Boy's Life project.

1950's Powerpoint presentation schedule:

Wednesday, February 10:

• The American Dream: Nick P.
  
• Elvis Presley: Brittany & Chloe
  
• 1950s sports: Connor
• Boy Scouts: Michael & John
• Atom bomb: Ben & Billy
• Jack London: Grace & Emma
• 1950s cars & travel: Sam & Niko
  

Friday, February 12:

• Alaska: Alyssa & Marissa
  
• Early Vietnam War: Zach S.
  
• 1950s music: Marc & Zack L.
  
• James Dean: Zoe
• 1950s TV: Alex & Megan
  
• Private schools: Anthony
• 1950s toys: Teodor
• 1950s games: Ray
  

HOMEWORK: Work on TBL project

GWPE Research Topics

Here is what I have for students and the artists you have chosen to look at. At the bottom of the list, I have a number of suggestions for those of you without a topic (or for those who decide to change.)

da Vinci: Audra
Titian: Marshall
Van Dyck: Christian
Rembrandt: Isabella
Caravaggio: Lexi
Velazquez: Joe
Van Gogh: Nick
Brueghel: Caitline
Hopper: Shanti
Canaletto: Bridget
Goya: Ning
Mondrian: Lily
Cezanne: Abby
Picasso: Anisha
Escher: Matt
Monet: Elli
Vermeer: Donald
Bosch: Jackie
Durer: Nikoleta
Dali: Anashua
Friedrich: Alex
Magritte: Jihyun
Cassatt: Elim
Marc: Cathy
Turner: Sasha
Copley: Maggie

Other ideas: El Greco; Whistler; Cole; Homer; Bierstadt; van Ruisdael; Sargeant; Manet; Renoir; Gaughin

All of the artists I have listed have works in the MFA that you would be able to look at firsthand. This is something for all of you to consider as it will really help to be able to see at least one of your artist's artworks in person (to look at brushwork, color, technique, texture, size, etc.)

Vermeer-related Links

C-block (Honors)

I will add to this list as I compile more interesting and useful links.

Tracy Chevalier's official website

WebMuseum's Vermeer page (with background and paintings)

Essential Vermeer (everything on Vermeer, Holland in 17th c., Dutch culture, etc.)

Vermeer links from the National Gallery of Art

Virtual Vermeer

MET's page on Vermeer with essay

Various Paintings:

"The Procuress," Vermeer (1656)

"The Little Street," Vermeer (1657-61): Perhaps similar to what Griet might have seen out her window

"The Crucifixion," Grunewald (1515): Might be similar to the Crucifixion painting that upsets Griet

"The Milkmaid," Vermeer (1658-61)

"View of Delft," Johannes Vermeer (1660-61)

"The Music Lesson," Johannes Vermeer (1662-64)

"Woman in Blue Reading a Letter," Vermeer (1662-65)

"Young Woman with a Water Pitcher," Vermeer (1664-65)

"Girl with a Pearl Earring," Vermeer (1665-67)

"The Concert," Vermeer (1663-66)

Class Notes: Feb.5, 2010

B-block

AGENDA :
1. 1950's Powerpoint presentation schedule:

Thursday, February 11:

• 50's music: Britta & Caitlin O.
• 50's sports: Caitlin L. & Kelly
• Jack London: John & Quinn

Friday, February 12:

• Alaska/Northwest: Claire & Mikayla
• Early Vietnam War: Marc & Chris
• 50's cars & atom bomb: Jordan, Joe, & Kevin
• Ivy League: Susanna
• Boy Scouts: Juliana & Stephanie
• 50's TV: Talene, Katie & Hanna
  

2. Library research

HOMEWORK: Work on TBL project

Class Notes: Feb.4, 2010

C-block (Honors)

AGENDA :
1. R&J Final performances. Nice job everyone!!
2. Turn in creative pieces on Gardner heist.
3. Finish reviewing GWPE research.
4. Looking at art - continuing PPT...

HOMEWORK: Read up to p.43 in Girl With a Pearl Earring.

D-block

AGENDA :
1. Library research for This Boy's Life project.

HOMEWORK: Work on TBL research.

Class Notes: Feb. 3, 2010

B-block

AGENDA :
1. Hand in letters to Principal.
2. Library research for TBL project

HOMEWORK: 1. Work on TBL project research!!

C-block (Honors)

AGENDA :
1. R&J performances
2. Discuss GWPE background research

HOMEWORK: 1. We will be discussing "The Fish" and "Birches" tomorrow so make sure to bring those to class.
2. Write a 1-2 page (typed and double-spaced) creative piece imagining what happened to the paintings stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. As I mentioned in class, you are free to write this piece from any perspective and in any style you want. You will want to acquaint yourself with the story of the heist first. In order to help you get started, here are some useful links. Don't consider this an exhaustive list.

Gardner Museum heist:

• Isabella Stewart Gardner museum website
• Boston Globe article 15 years later
• A variety of links from the Boston Herald
• CNN's take on the event
• Celebrate Boston's description of the event
• NPR interview with author of book about event and transript
• "Stolen" - film about the heist
  

D-block

AGENDA :
1. Collect letters to Principal.
2. Discuss TBL project expectations
3. Library research for TBL

HOMEWORK: 1. Work on TBL research project (due next week) Remember that I am happy to help you finding information. I will post useful websites here.

This Boy's Life Links

If you ask me to help you find websites, I would be happy to. I will link to those websites here. I will also add others that I see as useful towards understanding the book.

Boy Scouts and Scouting in the 1950's:

• From the Boy Scouts of America website, a PDF on the 1950's
• A Brief History of the Boy Scouts
• Another site with background and a link to Famous Scouts
• A brief history of Scouting (though I'm not sure how credible this website is... you would need to double check it against others)
• Interesting Facts about the Scouts
• Exhibit about the Boy Scouts turning 100 yrs. old in 2010
  

Ivy League:

• Brief history (from Dartmouth's webpage)
• Another brief history of the league
• Ivy League (articles from New York Times)
• Ivy League "style"
• Interview with Penn's athletic director (note what he says about the Ivy League's philosophy in the '50's)
• Connection between origin of SAT and the Ivy League
  

50's TV:

• Crazy about TV's 1950's page
• 1950's rating of various TV shows (i.e. their popularity)
• Watch various episodes online!
• Nice article from Kid's Newsroom (has other 1950's information as well)
• Article on '50's TV with focus on the rural and farming (but good info)
• TV History's website (with each decade covered)
• Museum of Broadcast Communications page on the "Golden Age" of TV
• CyberCollege's page on the "Golden Age"
  

Class Notes: Feb. 2, 2010

B-block

AGENDA :
1. Go over 1st few errors and solutions on worksheet.
2. Handout TBL project expectations.
3. Computer research for This Boy's Life project.

HOMEWORK: 1. Finish errors worksheet.
2. Work on research for TBL project.

C-block (Honors)

AGENDA :
1. Romeo and Juliet performances
2. Girl With a Pearl Earring background research

HOMEWORK: 1. Finish GWPE research.
2. Read pp. 1-23. Begin making note of metaphors/similes

Poetry Links

"The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop with exercises

"Birches" by Robert Frost

Class Notes: Feb. 1, 2010

B-block

AGENDA :
1. Return R&J Act III questions.
2. Ms. Miller (librarian) will introduce research project for This Boy's Life

HOMEWORK: Begin to research your particular topic for This Boy's Life (Handout with details will be coming tomorrow.)

D-block

AGENDA :
1. Return R&J Act III questions.
2. Ms. Miller (librarian) will introduce research project for This Boy's Life

HOMEWORK: Begin to research your particular topic for This Boy's Life (Handout with details will be coming tomorrow.)