Films Viewed and Important Reminders

FILMS VIEWED AS OF Tuesday 5/24

Stage Coach

High Noon

Blazing Saddles

The Outlaw Josey Wales

Pale Rider

Unforgiven

Dead Man

True Grit (original)

The Magnificent Seven

The Wild Bunch

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

Please remember Film Review Questions (see Syllabus for questions and assignment requirements) are due the first class after we have watched each film. Also recall that the expectation is if you miss a film or part of a film is that it is up to you to finish viewing it on your own and to still complete the questions on time. If you miss a class discussion preceding or following a film, it it up to you to find a classmate and get any information/notes that were developed as a part of that spontaneous and non-reproducible moment in class. As the class instructor I do not have the time to re-teach/re-lecture/re-create these class discussions.

PAPER #2

Due: Tuesday, APRIL 26^th. AT THE START OF CLASS. All papers not handed in immediately will result in an instant 5% penalty.

All papers must be double spaced, typed in 12 pt Times font (or size equivalent), using standard margins. Papers must be written with a clear thesis statement. 2-4 pages.

Make sure to read the syllabus for general expectations/requirements.

A Very Important Thing that your paper MUST include:

AFTER YOUR CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH YOU MUST PUT YOUR THESIS STATEMENT AT THE VERY END OF YOUR ESSAY, LABELED as “Thesis Statement” AND PRINTED BELOW YOU CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH.

1. With a clear thesis, compare and contrast various elements of three Clint Eastwood films:

   The Outlaw Joesy Wales, Pale Rider, and Unforgiven.

2. A topic of your choice regarding the films mentioned above . This must be approved by Kurt far in advance of the due date. This approval occurs (or is denied) when you present a written thesis statement to me.

Re-Writes

1. Re-read the analytical essay guidelines very carefully.

2. Re-read the essay requirements, both in the syllabus and the essay assignment paper very carefully.

3. Re-write your paper to make sure it meets ALL the essay guidelines and assignment requirements.

4. Before you turn your paper back in by next Tuesday triple check the following:

- Is your thesis statements clearly and obviously stated in your Introduction (first paragraph)?

- Do you mention ALL of your supporting paragraphs' topics in your Introduction in the order they are presented as paragraphs in the paper?

- Do all of your body paragraphs (supporting evidence/arguments) follow directly from those mentioned in the Introduction?

- Do you have any extraneous body paragraphs that are not mentioned in your Introduction or that do not directly support your thesis statement?

If YES: either get rid of them, rewrite your thesis and/or Introduction to include them, or move the arguments to the Conclusion (last paragraph).

- Have you corrected all typos, misspellings and grammar errors?

- Are the film titles spelled correctly?

PAPER #1

Due: Thursday, March 17^th. AT THE START OF CLASS. All papers not handed in immediately will result in an instant 5% penalty.

All papers must be double spaced, typed in 12 pt Times font (or size equivalent), using standard margins. Papers must be written with a clear thesis statement. 2-4 pages.

Make sure to read the syllabus for general expectations/requirements.

A Very Important Thing that your paper MUST include:

AFTER YOUR CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH YOU MUST PUT YOUR THESIS STATEMENT AT THE VERY END OF YOUR ESSAY, LABELED as “Thesis Statement” AND PRINTED BELOW YOU CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH.

1. Compare and contrast various elements of Stagecoach with High Noon.

2. A topic of your choice. This must be approved by Kurt far in advance of the due date. This approval occurs (or is denied) when you present a written thesis statement to me.

Analytical Essay Guidelines

Analysis begins with a whole object, such as a poem, novel, short story or play. The analyst (or you, as the writer of the analytical essay) tries to take things apart to examine the individual pieces that make up the whole. The goal is to examine the literature and speak to your own view in regard to what it is about. Another place of focus for the essay might be your view on what the author was trying to say by writing the piece.

An analytical essay (often referred to as a five-paragraph essay though there's nothing special about the number five, and in fact, applies to longer papers in the 3 to 6 page range) will attempt to explain the significance of a portion of a literary work, BY PROVING SOME SORT OF POINT. The point you are trying to make may have to do with characterization, plot, theme, motifs, metaphor and imagery, style, comparison or other literary concerns.

Before writing your analytical essay, you must focus in on what you wish to convey to the reader about the literary work. Once you have a focus, you must attempt to make some kind of point about the literary work in your essay. The point you are trying to make is often the answer to a question (or prompt) which a teacher has given you or that you have determined that your paper is about.

The answer to your prompt, or the point you are trying to make, should be the main idea of your essay. This is called a THESIS STATEMENT. Your thesis statement is your opinion; remember, it is not a fact. The thesis is what you will spend the rest of your essay trying to prove. Your job as the writer of an analytical essay is to convince the reader that your opinion is correct; you must prove that your thesis statement is true based on evidence from the text or with your well-crafted argument.

YOUR THESIS STATEMENT (main idea, focus, opinion) MUST BE CLEARLY STATED IN YOUR INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH. The thesis should be fairly broad. Stay away from narrow statements of facts that can be easily proven or disproven. Give yourself a challenge--and the reader will be engaged. Usually (but not always), the thesis statement is the sentence that ends your introduction.

In the paragraphs that follow the introduction, called the body of the paper, you must provide evidence (examples) to prove your point. You must be very specific about how the evidence you are offering supports your opinion. You cannot prove your thesis (which is an opinion) by offering other opinions. You must draw your evidence from the text. You should quote passages from the text to prove your point; just remember that you must explain their significance, explain how they relate to your thesis. When you incorporate evidence into your essay, you must be sure to explain it adequately. You must always bring it back to your thesis statement. You must continually explain HOW and WHY it means what you say it means.

Everything in the MAIN BODY of the essay (generally, but not limited to, three paragraphs) must relate to the main point you are trying to make--YOUR THESIS. If you write something that has little to do with your thesis, you have two options: expand and modify your thesis to accommodate that information, or do not include it and find other evidence that does support your thesis.

Finally, you must write a CONCLUSION (a final paragraph or page), which ties everything together. The conclusion is essentially a mirror of your introduction. Just as your introduction lead the reader in to the thesis, the conclusion leads out from it. Often, the arguments presented in the body are summarized and the thesis is restated as proved. Somehow you should make your paper sound complete. It is a lot like the closing statement lawyers make at the end of a trial--a summary of all the evidence presented and a restatement that all the evidence points to the logical conclusion that what they said at the beginning (their thesis that the defendant was either guilty or innocent) is true. Try leaving the reader with something additional to think about (but still something that is related to thesis of the paper). Let the conclusion inspire new questions and possibilities as well which are built on your point of view.

INTRODUCTION (1 paragraph OR page if complex): Tell the reader what your paper is about NOT necessarily in this order. You need to include the following:

• a way to draw the reader in

• the author

• title (underlined or italicized)

• general statement about the literary work (sometimes)

• necessary background information about the story (very little)

• thesis statement (your opinion, main idea or focus) - this may be controversial - should be fairly broad - has a point to prove

MAIN BODY (approx. three paragraphs or pages): these paragraphs should answer the question, "why?" Not necessarily in this order, you need to include the following:

• specific examples to prove your point

• quotations - passages - descriptions - comparisons

• explanation of the significance of your examples in terms of your thesis statement ( in other words, analyze your examples. How do they fit in with your main point?)

• explanation of how your analysis relates to your thesis statement.

CONCLUSION (1 paragraph or page): Tell the reader what you told him/her and leave him/her with something to think about. Not necessarily in this order, you need to include the following:

• your thesis, restated to emphasize that you have proven your point

• a summary of your main points

• a way to leave the reader thinking about the marvelous ideas in your essay.

FINALLY: For the sake of this assignment in advising, your paper should be from 2-4 typed pages, 12-point font, Times New Roman, with a title and your name, making sure you spell the name of the book and the author correctly, and all of the above elements.

Film Reviews

Once a film has been finished in class: THE NEXT DAY THE CLASS MEETS each student is responsible for turning in a brief film review that answers the following questions written IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.

These may be neatly hand written or typed. You must include your name and the film's title on the heading of your paper.

Reviews without a name, the film's title, and/or not using complete sentences will score a zero (no points) and will not be able to re-written for credit.

1. What was your overall opinion of the film and why?

2. What part of the film made the biggest impression on you and why?

3. What did you least like about the film and why?

4. What, besides the basic plot, was the film about? (include any themes and symbolism, etc)

Course Syllabus

AMERICAN WESTERN IN FILM

Course Syllabus

Second Semester 2010/2011

BLOCK B1, TUES AND THURS 12:15-1:45

Instructor: Kurt Maier

www.kurtattrillium.blogspot.com

kurt@trilliumcharterschool.org

Cell: 503-502-5173

Overview:

This is a High School Language Arts class focusing on developing and improving analytical writing and discussion skills. Writing and classroom discussion are a REQUIRED part of this course. We will use a genre study of American Western films and TV as the basis for nearly all of our writing. At the same time we will allow for classroom discussion to guide Emergent curriculum, study and film choices. Modifications will be made for grade level, writing ability, and IEP status as required.

Possible Films:

Stagecoach

High Noon

Pale Rider

The Magnificent Seven

The Outlaw Josey Wales

The Unforgiven

Sliverado

True Grit (original)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Selected TV episodes of:

The Rifleman

The Lone Ranger

Attendance: You are expected to attend every single class, be on time and be prepared (having done any assigned readings, homework, have the necessary materials). Obviously, “Life Happens” and everyone will end up missing a day or two. If you miss a day, it is up to YOU to talk to your classmates and get notes, assignments, etc. IT WILL ALSO BE UP TO YOU TO VIEW ANY FILMS OR SECTIONS OF FILMS YOU HAVE MISSED ,ON YOUR OWN TIME AND WITH YOUR OWN RESOURCES. You can also check Kurtattrillium.blogspot.com for major assignments and syllabus updates.

You are considered to be absent if you are more than Ten (10) minutes late.

Absence issues will be dealt with on a case by case basis and may involve different consequences for different students.

Grading Policy:

The grading is based on a point system with a possible 100 points being the maximum. Completion of the course awards .5 Language Arts credit.

Participation = discussion and attendance 20pts

Paper 1 10pts

Paper 2 10pts

Paper 3 10pts

Project 25 pts

“Emergent” assignments/ Film reviews 25 pts

Breakdown:

100 A+

99 - 92 A

91 - 90 A-

89 - 88 B+

87 - 82 B

81 – 80 B-

79 – 78 C+

77 – 72 C

71 – 70 C-

69 – 60 D

59 – 0 F

NOTE: While it is officially “passing”, Oregon colleges (as well as some others) do not accept credit for classes that receive a D grade or lower.

Participation: 20%

Attending, being on time to class (and yes, I am aware that the class meets right after lunch), upholding the constitution of the school at ALL times, coming to class prepared to work and organized; these are required components of class. Points will be deducted as students are often tardy, reticent with their input, disrespectful of the class, of myself or of others, and if they miss 3 or more classes. Trillium standards and social maturity standards apply. IF THERE IS TEACHER-DETERMINED SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION TO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT STUDENTS WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE CLASS OR SCHOOL. IT WILL BE THE STUDENT AND THEIR FAMILY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE UP THE WORK and view any missed films or parts of films.

Film Reviews: 25%

Once a film has been finished in class THE NEXT DAY THE CLASS MEETS each student is responsible for turning in a brief film review that answers the following questions IN COMPLETE SENTENCES with proper spelling and grammar.

These must be legibly and neatly hand-written or typed. You must include your name and the film's title on the heading of your paper.

Reviews without a name, the film's title, and/or not using complete sentences will score a zero (no points) and will not be able to re-written for credit.

1. What was your overall opinion of the film and why?

2. What part of the film made the biggest impression on you and why?

3. What did you least like about the film and why?

4. What, besides the basic plot, was the film about? (include any themes and symbolism, etc)

Papers: 30%

Three papers will be assigned. All are required. All papers must be typed, using standard margins and fonts and meet MLA formatting and style guidelines. Students will be able to select from a set of provided essay topics or present their own (based on instructor pre-approval!). Always print up two copies: one for me and one for you to have just in case. Always make sure to save a copy of your paper to a disc, back up hard drive or even something like Google Docs. All papers turned in after the due date will be penalized with 5% off the final grade for each class day they are late. All papers are due at the START of the class on the day they are due. The instructor reserves the right to suggest or REQUIRE A RE-WRITE. If a re-write is assigned the student and instructor will agree upon a new due date with the same late penalties as before. Suggested or required re-writes will earn new (usually better!) grades if the work improves. Details TBA.

Project: 25%

One major project will be assigned. The student must create a piece of art (painting, poem, collage, interpretive dance, etc.) that exemplifies, questions, or restates issues, themes, and topics that have been discussed in class.. All Art Projects must include a short essay that interprets and explains how the work of art fulfills the given criteria. Details TBA.

Course Calendar:The class will begin by viewing Stage Coach and select TV episodes of The Lone Ranger and The Rifleman. After that the teacher will use class discussion, overall maturity level, age and interest to determine the direction of further film selection.