Things Fall Apart
Audio Versions
There are many audio versions of this book out there around the internet. Below, I have linked to to a whole-text version as well as links to videos on individual chapters. The individual chapters are read by a teacher who stops throughout the video to help explain certain aspects of the text as they appear.
WHOLE TEXT
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 Part 1 - Chapter 3 Part 2
Chapter 4 Part 1 - Chapter 4 Part 2
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Part 1 - Chapter 7 Part 2
Chapter 8 Part 1 - Chapter 8 Part 2
Chapter 9 Part 1 - Chapter 9 Part 2
Chapter 10
Chapter 11 Part 1 - Chapter 11 Part 2
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
There are many audio versions of this book out there around the internet. Below, I have linked to to a whole-text version as well as links to videos on individual chapters. The individual chapters are read by a teacher who stops throughout the video to help explain certain aspects of the text as they appear.
WHOLE TEXT
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 Part 1 - Chapter 3 Part 2
Chapter 4 Part 1 - Chapter 4 Part 2
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Part 1 - Chapter 7 Part 2
Chapter 8 Part 1 - Chapter 8 Part 2
Chapter 9 Part 1 - Chapter 9 Part 2
Chapter 10
Chapter 11 Part 1 - Chapter 11 Part 2
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
INDEPENDENT READING BOOK JOURNAL ASSIGNMENTS
Each student is required to read outside of class. Core classes (periods 1 and 6) have four journals due this year, while the honor classes (periods 2 and 4) have six to complete for the year.
We have gone over the assignment and expectations in-class, but here is the information for those who were absent or need a refresher. Please remember that the journal portion of this assignment does not need to be in formal register. The purpose of the journal portion is to track tha plot and to serve as a reminder to yourself later once you work on your analysis. The analysis, however, should be completed using full sentences. You should not only address the prompt but also explain why you believe this is a valid answer. Explain either what in the text made you think this (reference your journal entries) or explain why you believe the author wrote in that manner.
As you read, keep a reading rournal:
Write an entry on what you’re reading every couple of chapters, or roughly every twenty to thirty pages of your book (if your novel has an atypical chapter structure). Your journal entries should describe one or more of the following elements:
Journal entries should be fairly robust. They don’t have to be formal writing, but they do have to be thought out. These should not be simply over-viewing the plot but also describing your reactions and thoughts as the book develops. Include your reactions, predictions, and analyses of the text.
Once you’ve completed your book and your journals, write a response to the following prompts:
1. Describe major elements of the author’s style
a) Their tone (the general attitude of the story)
b) The way they structure their sentences (long, short, complex, winding, direct, etc.)
c) The kind of literary devices they tend to use and why
2. What you believe a major theme of the author’s work to be and why. Provide some textual support in the form of brief
quotations with page numbers.
Each student is required to read outside of class. Core classes (periods 1 and 6) have four journals due this year, while the honor classes (periods 2 and 4) have six to complete for the year.
We have gone over the assignment and expectations in-class, but here is the information for those who were absent or need a refresher. Please remember that the journal portion of this assignment does not need to be in formal register. The purpose of the journal portion is to track tha plot and to serve as a reminder to yourself later once you work on your analysis. The analysis, however, should be completed using full sentences. You should not only address the prompt but also explain why you believe this is a valid answer. Explain either what in the text made you think this (reference your journal entries) or explain why you believe the author wrote in that manner.
As you read, keep a reading rournal:
Write an entry on what you’re reading every couple of chapters, or roughly every twenty to thirty pages of your book (if your novel has an atypical chapter structure). Your journal entries should describe one or more of the following elements:
- Major characters and/or events
- Elements of conflict in the story
- Information about the setting
- Thematic elements in the writing
- Eye catching pieces of stylistic prose
- Anything that catches your eye about the story
- Reflections or reactions to the text
Journal entries should be fairly robust. They don’t have to be formal writing, but they do have to be thought out. These should not be simply over-viewing the plot but also describing your reactions and thoughts as the book develops. Include your reactions, predictions, and analyses of the text.
Once you’ve completed your book and your journals, write a response to the following prompts:
1. Describe major elements of the author’s style
a) Their tone (the general attitude of the story)
b) The way they structure their sentences (long, short, complex, winding, direct, etc.)
c) The kind of literary devices they tend to use and why
2. What you believe a major theme of the author’s work to be and why. Provide some textual support in the form of brief
quotations with page numbers.
Night
Imagery, Sequencing, Symbolism
Here is a link to an AUDIO VERSION of the text.
PAST ASSESSMENTS
Antigone
Characterization and Analysis
PROMPT:
Choose a character whose words, actions, and/or ideas contrast with Creon’s character. Explain how these conflicting motivations contribute to Creon’s development as a tragic hero and how their interactions advance the plot or develop themes of the play.
SPECIFICS:
Choose a character whose words, actions, and/or ideas contrast with Creon’s character. Explain how these conflicting motivations contribute to Creon’s development as a tragic hero and how their interactions advance the plot or develop themes of the play.
SPECIFICS:
- Read the Greek tragedy, Antigone
- Create character sketches of the key characters to identify how characters develop
- Compare Creon to another key character
- Analyze the element of a foil character and how it promotes the development of the plot or theme
Argumentative Mythology Research
and Speech
PROMPT:
Writing in the first person point of view, explain why your assigned deity is the best option as a leader--either for worship OR as a leader in today’s society.
SPECIFICS:
RESOURCES AND SUGGESTED LINKS:
Writing in the first person point of view, explain why your assigned deity is the best option as a leader--either for worship OR as a leader in today’s society.
SPECIFICS:
- Conduct research to look into a selected god or goddess from either Greek, Norse, or Egyptian mythology.
- Identify strengths, weaknesses, stories, religious influence, and applications to today's world.
- Organize your research into a cohesive essay that meets all requirements of an argument.
- Present your essay as your selected deity trying to win-over your peers in the class.
RESOURCES AND SUGGESTED LINKS:
- When ORGANIZING YOUR RESEARCH, I suggest an outline like this. You will need to turn-in your research along with your final essay, and keeping it in one document makes keeping track of things easy.
- Don't forget to include all parts of the ARGUMENT STRUCTURE when organizing your research into essay form.
- Need to cite your sources? Try using one of the following citation creators:
- EasyBib
- Citation Machine
- Perdue OWL (directions on how to write and organize on your own)
Group Synthesis Essay
Students have been assigned groups for this project. As we look at different biases throughout this unit, students meet with their group once a week to discuss the role that the biases in each text may play both in society as well as the author's own interactions with others.
The unit final will be a holistic essay looking at how biases impact the way we interact with others and see the world.
Groups will need to organize their information prior to typing-up their essays. Here is the ESSAY OUTLINING DOCUMENT used to make sure each group member contributes to the building of the essay.
Here is a document with the SOURCE CITATIONS for each of the texts that we have used in class.
List of and link to sources used in class:
"A Class Divided" [bias = physical appearance] --> TRANSCRIPT OF DOCUMENTARY
"Stanford Prison Experiment" [bias = authority] --> SITE WITH FINDINGS AND SUCH
Verna Myers TEDx Talk [bias = racial and implicit biases] --> TRANSCRIPT OF TEDx TALK
"I Want a Wife" [bias = gender roles]
"What My Bike has Taught Me About White Privilege" [bias = racial]
"An Indian Father's Plea" [bias = racial, physical appearance, intellectual, learning style]
"The Hardest Part About Growing Up Poor..." [bias = financial]
Students have been assigned groups for this project. As we look at different biases throughout this unit, students meet with their group once a week to discuss the role that the biases in each text may play both in society as well as the author's own interactions with others.
The unit final will be a holistic essay looking at how biases impact the way we interact with others and see the world.
Groups will need to organize their information prior to typing-up their essays. Here is the ESSAY OUTLINING DOCUMENT used to make sure each group member contributes to the building of the essay.
Here is a document with the SOURCE CITATIONS for each of the texts that we have used in class.
List of and link to sources used in class:
"A Class Divided" [bias = physical appearance] --> TRANSCRIPT OF DOCUMENTARY
"Stanford Prison Experiment" [bias = authority] --> SITE WITH FINDINGS AND SUCH
Verna Myers TEDx Talk [bias = racial and implicit biases] --> TRANSCRIPT OF TEDx TALK
"I Want a Wife" [bias = gender roles]
"What My Bike has Taught Me About White Privilege" [bias = racial]
"An Indian Father's Plea" [bias = racial, physical appearance, intellectual, learning style]
"The Hardest Part About Growing Up Poor..." [bias = financial]
SUMMER READING!
The first unit of the year focused on the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. The novel spans about 40 years and gives insight to life in Pakistan through the lives of two protagonists.
Not only was there the summer reading assignment that Ms. Pimenta talked to us about last spring, we also compared several characters from the novel to analyze the impact and quality of those characters as a work of literature.
The first unit of the year focused on the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. The novel spans about 40 years and gives insight to life in Pakistan through the lives of two protagonists.
Not only was there the summer reading assignment that Ms. Pimenta talked to us about last spring, we also compared several characters from the novel to analyze the impact and quality of those characters as a work of literature.