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Dracula
A tale of two cities
Machine Gunners
1984 -
Summary for Lesson 1
In today’s lesson we began our work on the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, thinking about the historical context of the novel and how understanding the mythology that Stoker plays off can enrich our understanding of the book. The class started by debating the things they liked and didn’t like about the book before thinking about the mythology of vampires and what they understand about vampiric legends and where they come from. We then moved on to discussing the author and what the facts of his life can illuminate about the story, which the class completed really well. Finally we spoke about the specific context of the ‘turn of the century’, just after the book was published in 1897, and how contemporary anxieties and xenophobia could have fed into the novel. We thought about the impact of modernity and how Dracula encapsulates the battle of the ‘old’ vs. the ‘new’ at a time where the world was straining between superstition and science. Everyone worked really fantastically today- the class were all super focused and able to take on a lot of new knowledge and information in a very information-heavy lesson! Amazing work today guys, keep it up and I’ll see you all next lesson 🙂
Bram Stoker video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kQq59k_xTM
Vampire myth video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0ThKRmySoU&t=11s
A summary video of the context of Dracula that could really help with the homework: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uiyz3139tE
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Vampire Hunting Kit 🦇
Holy water: to prevent the Un-dead from entering a location
Crucifix: active weapon against vampires
Garlic: a vampire-hunter’s protection against blood-sucking gore
Thanks For the Spo👻ooky lesson!
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Summary for Lesson 2
In today’s lesson we continued our study of Dracula, thinking specifically about some of the key stylistic choices that Stoker made throughout the novel. We began with a focus on genre, thinking about the genre of gothic horror and how Dracula fits those conventions, before moving on to thinking about the form of the book and its style as an epistolary novel. We spoke about perspective, completing a short creative task imagining the novel from Dracula’s perspective, which the class did beautifully, pulling out some lovely, complex aspects of Dracula’s personality. Finally, we discussed the notion of dreams vs. reality and the ambiguity over how much of the plot could be a figment of Harker’s imagination, considering how Stoker purposefully creates a sense of disorientation for the reader. Fantastic work today class, you all came up with some gorgeous ideas particularly when it came to analysing the effect of the novel being told through people’s diaries and letters. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year and I’ll see you in a couple of weeks 🙂
Gothic literature video we watched some of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1fg4y3uHDM&feature=emb_logo
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Happy Birthday! 🎗🎀🎉✨🎆🎊🎁📜📚
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D
R _ |_ A
C U
L A
Moonlight recipe; a Vampire’s snack
Butter Scones
One limb ————> Mix and slather with goat’s fat
Teeth
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All Vampires to report to Castle Dracula for the funeral of the count; 12 p.m. Midnight
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Summary for Lesson 3
In today’s lesson we completed our work on Dracula, focusing on the atmosphere Stoker creates through setting and learning about critical readings of the novel. We began with work on the semantic field of the book, moving on to analyse an extract from the book looking for literary techniques. The class wrote some great job adverts evoking the sense of eeriness exhibited in the book’s setting. Finally, we spoke about the complicated legacy of the book, particularly how the book treats women and the antisemitism that can be found in some of Stoker’s writing. We had a very deep and wonderfully energetic discussion about these issues which the students participated in exceptionally well. Really excellent work today guys- I was particularly impressed by your dissection of the prejudices in the novel and how they can be critically challenged. Keep it up and I’ll see you next week 🙂
Video explaining anti-semitism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BIwf72ynS8&t=287s
Homework
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Dear Beth,
“We are at the scene of the conflict and processing centres of information. It has been discovered that what seems to be a vampire’s ashes is the product of a prolonged, adventurous act done by 7 heroes (and heroines)…”🧛🏼♂️
Have a wooshingly-spectacular semester!
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Summary for Lesson 4
In today’s class we began work on A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, focusing on the historical backdrop that the book is set against. We started with a synopsis of the novel, before moving on thinking about parts that the students did or did not enjoy in the book, evaluating things such as the violence and symbolism in the story. We then spoke about the historical context of the 1850s before thinking about the French Revolution of the 1780s-90s, learning about why it happened and how it affected history. We spoke about revolutions more generally, identifying other examples, which the class did a great job of, and then finished with some thoughts on Dickens’ life whilst he was writing the novel. Finally, the class thought of their own settings for the story, all of which were super creative and fantastic. Amazing work today everyone, you all tackled some big, complex ideas with a great deal of depth and maturity- very impressive work from everyone. See you next week 🙂
Video on the French revolution that we watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBn7iWzrKoI
Longer video on the French revolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTTvKwCylFY
Summary of the novel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCK-43Zt0BY
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thank you for the magnificent lesson!
Here is my homework,
I wish you a very happy day!
Yuexi -
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Summary for Lesson 5
In today’s lesson we continued our work on A Tale of Two Cities, zooming in on the key themes and ideas that Dickens utilises in the text. We began by thinking about the role of contrast in the novel, thinking through the lens of love versus hatred and how Dickens expresses this. We then analysed the famous opening lines of the novel, reflecting on our ideas of contrast and what it represents here. We also completed some work on wider themes such as justice, class and sacrifice, thought about the motif of red wine in the novel and conducted a final piece of theme analysis where the students had to use evidence from the book to back up their argument. There was loads of excellent work from the students today- really great ideas and beautifully expressed too! Well done everyone, I will see you next week 🙂
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thank you for the MAGNIFICENTLY PULCHRITUDINOUSLY FABULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL lesson!
Here is my homework,
I wish you a MAGNIFICENTLY PULCHRITUDINOUSLY FABULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL day!
(>^ω^<)
Yuexi -
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Thanks for the interesting lesson, in fact this lesson got me interested in the Charles Darwin’s books.
so thanks.
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Dear Beth,
Thank you for the ama-umptious lesson!
ADVERT:
Tale of Two Cities Theme Park-open on on Friday, Piccadilly Circus.🎪🎈
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Summary for Lesson 6
In today’s class we completed our work on A Tale of Two Cities, finishing our study with an in-depth analysis of the symbols within the novel and what they communicate. We spoke about Dickens’ use of personification, motifs and his symbolic naming of his characters, analysing the meaning of several examples. We also considered some key criticisms of the novel and the class weighed up the extent to which they agreed. Finally, we discussed collective guilt, thinking about Madame Defarge’s feelings towards the French nobility and trying to understand this in historical context. Everyone worked really nicely today and our class was full of lively discussion, which is fab! We had a particularly fascinating and gorgeous conversation about collective responsibility at the end of the lesson, which was really heartful and mature. Amazing work everyone- well done 🙂
Symbols video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFaF-TR3jzA
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thanks for the lesson (❁´◡`❁) ! Please find attached my homework for Lesson 6.
Thanks,
Aryan
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Hello Beth thanks for the amazing lesson
Did you know that in China it is also new year’s eve?
So Happy Chinese New year
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Dear Beth,
I hope that you had a nice week!
Happy chinese new year! 🧧🎆🎇🎉🎊🧧🎆🎇🎉🎊
Please find my homework attached below,
Thank you for the lovely lesson,
Best of best of best of best regards,
Yuexi -
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Dear Beth,
Your lesson was succulently wonderful-Je vous remercie.
Happy Chinese Spring Solar Term! 🐅🌞
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Hi Beth,
Sorry for the delay, here is my homework. Thanks for the glorious lesson! Have a nice day!😊
Yichen 🌈
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Summary for Lesson 7
In today’s class we began our work on our next book The Machine Gunners. Today’s lesson focused on the history behind the book, particularly considering the context of the Home Front in Britain during the war. The class started with sharing some ideas about things they enjoyed and didn’t enjoy in the novel, before moving on to sharing ideas about WWII and its importance to the backdrop of the story. We learned about the Battle of Britain, thought about its influence on the plot and discussed in detail what it would have been like to live through this period. Finally, we watched an interview with a woman who had been a child in the 1940s during the war, thinking about how it connected to the story within The Machine Gunners. Great discussions and demonstration of knowledge today class- you all contributed fantastically, well done 🙂
Battle of Britain summary video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D37-Xx58LUo
Home Front interview video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuO1CYsPf_M
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thank you for the tender, marshmallowy lesson! 🍡🤠🧐
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War Gunning
Bubbles float
like packages
to barren, rocky earth.
Bubbles pop and dark crimson soaks
rubble:
Screaming under the glaring sun,
bathing in deep dark Death
to be later washed out of Reader’s mind
by a tall glass of beer.
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Dear Beth,
Thanks for the amazing lesson! Please find attached my homework for Lesson 7.
Can’t wait for next lesson!
Thanks,
Aryan
Fun Fact:
British rifles are 7.7×56 mm calibre, and German rifles are 5.56 x 45 mm!
The book’s gun would be a 7.92×57 mm Mauser calibre machine gun!
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Dear Beth,
I hope that you had a very nice week!
Here is my homework ( I am so sorry about the lateness)
I wish you a happy day!
Best wishes,
Yuexi -
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sorry for posting this late I thought I posted it o Tuesday but when I checked today I found out that I didn’t upload
sorry for the delay.
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Summary for Lesson 8
In today’s lesson we continued our work on The Machine Gunners, focusing on some character analysis and inference work. We began the class with a hot-seating exercise, designed to help the students get inside the author’s head, before moving on to some close textual analysis where they had to write P.E.E. or P.E.A.L. paragraphs that closely analysed a passage from the book about the character of Chas. We then compared these to an example answer, before the class spoke about particular characters in the book more broadly, debating the roles they play within the narrative and thinking about how they were surprised by certain characters. Great work as per usual from the whole class, I particularly loved hearing their hot-seating work in which they were all super inventive and perceptive. Keep up the wonderful work everyone and I’ll see you next week 🙂
Homework
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Hi Beth,
Thanks for the exceptionally active lesson! It was as dazzling as the booming shots of a machine gun!🤩 Can’t wait to see you again!🤗
Yichen
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Dear Beth,
“It Was the War to end all wars”
-Author of The War of the Worlds
Thank you for the utterly bomb shelling-ly magnificent lesson 🎠🗺😁
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Dear Beth,
Thank you so much for your magnificently beautifully pulchritudinous-ly perfect-o lesson!
Please find below my homework…
Have a magnificently beautifully pulchritudinous-ly perfect-o week!
See you,
Yuexi -
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Summary for Lesson 9
In today’s class we completed our work on The Machine Gunners, working in both a creative and analytical capacities to tie up our final thoughts on the novel. We began with the students creating their own character to fulfil a particular role within the book, thinking about how they could look at the gaps in the novel and use those as inspiration. We then moved on to thinking about creative re-imaginings of the ending, which the class completed beautifully. Finally we spoke on a few points of debate to finish the class, summing up some ideas on the period. Everyone worked really well today and came up with some imaginative and wonderful ideas, sharing them throughout the class and thinking deeply about the ways in which their work fit around the book. Well done class, you were outstanding today- good luck with 1984 and I’ll see you this time next week! 🙂
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thank you for the jam-packed lesson🪂😊
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REPORT: 5 CHILDREN MISSING AFTER PRESUMED EXPLOSION
Last seen on Monday the 12th, neighbourhood children -Chas McGill, Audrey Parton,’Carrot Juice’,Banjamin Nichol, Cyril Jones, ‘Clogger’ and a mysterious character believed to be a young girl called Ames- have been reported missing ans presumed dead after an explosion rattled the Nichol backyard. Authorities are clearing up the debris, and it is advised to report any forthcoming news attributed to the disappearance of these children.
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Dear Beth,
Thanks for the last lesson on Machine Gunners, can’t wait for George Orwell style ‘1984’!
Please find attached my homework for Lesson 9.
Thanks, Aryan
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Dear Beth,
Thank you so much for da best lesson!
Please find attached below my homework.
Why did the German army not get presents from Santa during WWII?
Because they were naughty (Nazis).
Best Wishes,
Yuexi -
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Summary for Lesson 10
In today’s class we began work on 1984 by George Orwell, exploring the context behind the novel and thinking about the kinds of things Orwell wanted to say. We thought about the genre of dystopia, juggling ideas around fascism, authoritarianism and Marxism before thinking about the relation of the 20th century to these themes. The class discussed what they liked about the book and what they were less sure of, and finally we discussed the notion of “post-truth”, analysing this within the novel. Excellent work today everyone- as always you were all super engaged and had some brilliant thoughts to share! Well done and keep up the amazing work 🙂
Context video we already watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn3BL6d3L1o&feature=emb_logo
Homework context video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc5m12Qo8JI
Homework link: https://www.npr.org/2013/06/08/189792140/our-surveillance-society-what-orwell-and-kafka-might-say
Homework
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Summary for Lesson 11
In today’s class we continued our lessons on 1984, focusing closely on the genre of dystopia and the themes of surveillance and control. We discussed an article about government surveillance and how it relates to the book, and the students shared their thoughts on these practices in the modern world in a way that was incredibly impressive and mature. We then moved on to thinking about the genre of dystopia and why it is always important to consider who has the power in any given society. Finally, we considered the most dystopian elements of the society in the novel, with the class eventually putting together their own dystopian societies using 1984 as inspiration- which they did in incredibly creative and fascinating ways. Amazing, astute and sophisticated work today class- well done as always! It was a pleasure to hear all your fantastic thoughts today, have fun with your homework and I’ll see you next week 🙂
Dystopia video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a6kbU88wu0&feature=emb_logo
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thanks so much for the charming lesson!
Here is my homework,
I wish you a nice day!
Best Wishes,
Yuexi -
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Dear Beth:
Newspeak, or the dictatorial language of Airstrip One, was built on The Party’s desire to limit the official language of the area to only one word, which was referenced to be a complete project in the future year of 2050. Of course, when the rebels took control and restabilised diplomatic relations between those in power and those below, language slowly regained its importance on complexity.
-The Evolution of Language, by Dr.Amber, appendix 5
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Thank you for the purely dystopian lesson! See you next week😁🤗🎆😀
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Hi Beth,
Thanks for the exceptional lesson! I really enjoyed it!💗👏Here is my homework. Can’t wait for next lesson!
Yichen 🎀🎈
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Summary for Lesson 12
In today’s lesson we finished our work on 1984 by George Orwell, thinking about particular, deeper elements of the book such as the characterisation and the meaning of key quotations. We began with some discussion work on Room 101, thinking about the importance of fear in the book, before the class wrote their own (excellent) versions of quotations from the book. Finally we discussed the notion of whether Orwell’s characters are believable or not, drawing on a critique from the New York Times in order to evaluate the characters of Julia and Winston. The last things we touched on were the notion of looking at the novel from a feminist lens and the idea of sacrifice and its place at the end of the book. As ever, the class worked astutely and brilliantly today and there was loads of fascinating and intriguing discussion. Amazing work today and over the past 12 lessons everyone- you have all worked really hard and been an absolute pleasure to teach. Keep up the beautiful analysis, discussion and contributions skills- well done 🙂
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Newspeak is a type of word
that is not a verb
it is not English
not a thing,
though crimethink
can be banned
and War can be Peace
until the world of 1984,
wherein all words are war.
<p style=”text-align: right;”> -From the War Jitty, Collections from 1984, from the Poetry Series (War) by Dr.Amber, Department of Literature.</p>
—————————————————————————————————————————————Good Morning! Thank you for the exceptionally-1984 style lesson!
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