AP Lit: Watchmen Ends and Begins

Today we discussed Watchmen in total, spending a lot of time focused on the last two pages and how they relate to the entire work.  It was a pretty fantastic discussion.

We then turned our thoughts to the big installation project on May 30th.

We will meet on the landing on Friday so we can think in the actual space.  Right now, our plans call for two grids of comic panels on the two walls, facing one another, and employing Moore and Gibbons’ use of symmetry to tell the story.  It will emphasize that idea of “between the gutters” and will act as a back drop for the center construction.

That construction will be some sort of a machination that is clock-like, turns, and includes mirrors as part of it.

We will likely hang clock parts from the ceiling as well.

Was just wondering . . . I wonder if Northern Lights has a box of old gears we might be able to use.  Or if anyone knows of a machine shop that has a bunch of old gears, cogs, etc.

 

AP Lit: The Last Moments of Test Prep, Watchmen & Steve Milligan

Tuesday, Steve Milligan from Phenix New Media and the Maine Arts Commission came to class to talk about the various work he does in digital media and the pathways he followed to get there.  

We also discussed the test and the importance of remaining calm and focused before the test.  Cramming isn’t likely to help.  Refreshing on the three novels you want to have in mind for the open ended prompt will.  Looking over some multiple choice questions in the test prep materials available on the Google Drive will help.

And meeting at 7 a.m. at Java Joe’s for a team breakfast on Thursday morning will help too.  Woot!

Everyone should finish reading Watchmen for next Monday so we can discuss the book as a whole and get super serious about our plans for the installation on May 30th.  (Don’t worry; It will include cookies and/or cupcakes.)

Finally, you received your feedback on your synthesis essays.  You have until May 31st to revise these and get them in to me.  Do as many drafts as you like between now and then.  I will make it a priority to get them back to you so you can revise more than once.  I’m also more than happy to conference with you.  Just set it up with me.

 

 

 

AP Lit: Who Is Watching?

We’ll start with an open response essay.  Thirty minutes.  Write the best essay you can produce.  Think about those three titles of which you’ve become an expert.

From there, we’ll talk about those three titles and some quick verbal quizzing.

Then . . . Watchmen Chapters 2 and 3.  Let’s see where you take us . . . I’ve no end of ideas if we need a kickstart.

To help get a sense of Moore’s process of creating Watchmen, take a look at this excerpt from his script for Chapter 1.

 

 

AP Lit: Watchmen . . . Begins . . .

Today we start with some test prep around an Alexander Pope poem before we dig into the gloriousness of Watchmen.

And then we start taking inventory of everything happening in Watchmen in the pages of Chapter 1 alone.  Let’s pay particular attention to repeated imagery, patterns that seem to be evolving, and the questions they raise.  Remember TIQ?  That can be used here as well.

To better understand the voice behind Watchmen and some of its underlaying philosophies and such, take some time to check out Alan Moore on YouTube.  I’ve created a little variety pack for you here.

H/W:

Read Watchmen chapters 2 & 3 for Monday. (That was voted upon in class.)

Be prepared with your three novels you know cold for the AP Lit test (Thursday, May 9th)

Start formulating ideas for a Watchmen installation on Thursday, May 30th

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