November 24 2009
3
24
/11
/November
/2009
13:18
Today we reviewed some vocabulary and structures so that you don't have any problems for your test tomorrow. You will have a test both on vocabulary (you should be able to use it in sentences and to give equivalents) and on the text.
BRING YOUR BOOKS (ONE BOOK PER PERSON)
Here is what we wrote in our copybooks (warm up, vocabulary, advice, ...):
Warm up:
-> I am not allowed to make a mess at home. My grand-ma is crazy ! She is a very tidy person.
-> I am prohibited to play computer after 7 p.m.
-> I am forbidden to jump on the sofa / couch
A couch potato is a person who stays on the couch watching TV all day long.
Recap for the lesson: "Strange Fruit" is a melancholy song.
Melancholy is both an adjective and a noun.
It's a committed / protest song.
The song reminds her of her father's death.
Remind (someone) of something: rappeler quelque chose à quelqu'un.
ex : Remind me to review my English tonight because there's a test tomorrow.
This : Première présentation
That : Reprise d'une démonstration
We also began to listen to "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday with the first group. We'll study the poem next time.
Here are the lyrics / verses:
I also gave you a "check your vocabulary" sheet so that you can get ready for the test. If you have any problems with it, feel free to ask me questions by mail.
You can watch a video clip where B. H. sings "Strange Fruit" down here:
HW: you need to complete that "check your vocabulary" sheet for Tuesday even though I strongly recommend you to do it tonight...!
You can download the worksheet here:
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November 18 2009
4
18
/11
/November
/2009
13:53
Today we first warmed up about topical issues / burning issues and in particular the news about the 13-year-old child:
Yesterday, a 13-year-old child took the gun of his father in order to kill his teachers and his classmates. Luckily, the police arrested him before the shooting spree / killing spree.
Then, we continued working on the text and correcting your homework. Here is what we said about Billy Holiday's story and feelings:
Southern trees (B. Holiday's feelings) : she calls the woman a "bitch", because she's furious. This "bitch" doesn't understand the meaning of her song. She calls it "a sexy song", but for B. Holiday, it's not sexy at all. It's appalling and depicts the situation in the South. As for the "naked bodies", they refer to dead people.
Each time she sang that song, she used to go to the bathroom, because she was sick. She remembered / recalled the lynching parties and her father's death.
At the end, she's enthused because she could sing in the South. She could flail the audience with her lyrics and rhythm : she inverted the roles. It was the first protest song to defend the black community.
We finished by translating some expressions and sentences:
In US : "I need to go to the bathroom", and in UK : "I need to go to the loo".
A committed song : une chanson engagée.
put / get across : faire passer un message / faire comprendre.
You could still hear a pin drop out there : on pouvait entendre une épingle tomber = c'était le silence le plus complet.
HW: remember that you will have a vocabulary test next Wednesday about the toolbox p. 53 and about the lesson.
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November 17 2009
3
17
/11
/November
/2009
13:35
Hey,
today we first warmed up about your future jobs while waiting for those who were late. Here is what you said:
I would like to become an architect when I leave highschool. (Selma)
I want to study law to be a lawyer maybe. (Jérôme)
Structures: WANT TO // WOULD LIKE TO -- Attention aux noms de métiers qui sont précédés de l'article a/an
Then we did a quick recap about what Jim Crow laws used to be. Here is what we said:
These were laws about racial segregation until the end of the 1960's.
Blacks were not allowed to go to school with Whites.
Blacks were not allowed to attend school with Whites.
Blacks were forbidden to live together: there were separate water fountains, rest rooms, or entrances at restaurants.
They were prohibited to sit at the front of a bus.
white Protestants
supremacy of the white race
white costumes
terrorism and violence to oppress Blacks.
Finally, we listened to the text and we started our general comprehesion by highlighting the important information about the type of document, the places, the time, ...
Here is what we wrote:
- type of doc: extract from the autobiographic novel of Billie Holliday
- who: Billie Holliday, Lewis Allen, piano player of Billie, Pop, audience, bitch
- where: in New-York, at Cafe Society, on 52nd Street, Miami, Los Angeles
- when: published in 1956
HW: you need to finish answering the usual wh- questions about the text (in particular about the feelings of the characters involved). You also need to divide the text into 2 parts, give them a title, and justify your titles.
NB: you will have a vocabulary test next week with the words from the lesson and the words from the tool box p. 53. You may also have a test about the text and about racial discrimination in the US on Wednesday. It will depend on how far we are into the study of the document: "Southern Trees".
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November 16 2009
2
16
/11
/November
/2009
15:15
Jim Crow laws were laws in favour of racial segregation as is illustrated with these pictures:
There were dedicated waiting rooms for blacks and whites.
There were two entrance doors in cafés and restaurants.
You can find more information here: Jim Crow Laws
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November 10 2009
3
10
/11
/November
/2009
13:41
Hey,
we first did a warm up about your vacation and we did some phonetics. Here is what we wrote:
Warm up :
During the vacation,
- I wandered / strolled in the streets of Paris. (=alone)
- I hanged out with my cousin and we did some shopping in Chatelet.
Warning!! : Verbes à prépositions changent de sens :
look = sembler
look for = chercher
look at = regarder
look up = chercher dans un dictionnaire
look like = ressembler
look after = s'occuper de...
look up to = ...
As I feared you might not remember everything properly, we had to do a quick recap about the Civil War and about the Civil Rights Movement. Here is what we wrote:
Civil War :
It took place in the 19th century. It opposed the States from the South and the North. It ended in 1865. It ended slavery. Blacks were not enslaved anymore.
Civil Rights Movement :
It took place in the 20th century. It marked the end of racial segregation in the late 1960's. Black people were not segregated anymore.
Black people used to be discriminated against.
Black people used to be slaves.
Black people used to be segregated.
Then, we started speaking about the cartoon p. 52. Here is what we said:
The cartoon is cynical. Black people became free after the Civil War but :
- they were still discriminated against.
- they were still mentally enslaved.
Vocabulary:
A tree = un arbre.
A limb = une grosse branche
A branch = une petite branche.
A trunk = un tronc.
A root = une racine.
A leaf (leaves) = une feuille(s).
A flower = une fleur.
Fruit = un/des fruit(s).
Remember:
USED TO + V = outil qui sert pour parler d'une action passée et complètement révolue. Cet outil sert à exprimer le contraste entre ce qui était vrai avant et la situation actuelle.
NOT ... ANYMORE / ANYLONGER = outil qui sert à mettre un terme à une action et exprimer le changement de celle-ci.
STILL (adv. = se place avant le verbe): outil qui sert à exprimer la continuité d'une action dans le temps. C'était vrai avant et c'est toujours/encore vrai.
HW: some of you (Jérôme and Manon) have specific homework. For the others, please find what the expression "Jim Crow Laws" refers to and give at least 3 examples of these laws.
BRING YOUR BOOKS !
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October 21 2009
4
21
/10
/October
/2009
10:26
Hey,
after doing a quick blind test about Afro-American music, we spoke about the different music genres with Afro-American roots. We also commented on the pictures pp. 50 and 51.
Here is what we wrote:
- This scene probably takes place in the 30's in a night-club.
- A band of Blacks and Whites are playing Jazz.
- They seem to be having fun.
Symbol: Jazz was a federating genre. It was the first time that Blacks and Whites were together. Even though there was segregation, music rubbed out racial problems.
Black women are protesting / demonstrating against racial discrimination, in front of a political building (maybe the White House?). They are holding placards.
Conclusion: Black women were the first ones to protest and sensitize public opinion about racial and sexual segregation. They claimed their rights. (cf "respect", Aretha Franklin)
Music brought Blacks and Whites together.
The scene probably takes place in the 80's. A man is wearing yellow clothes, glasses and flashy colours. He used to be fashionable but his style is now completely outdated. His attitude conveys a violent message. Rap is a provocative kind of music. Rap artists often claim more political freedom.
Watch this video of a black woman (Aretha Franklin) who got involved in both the civil rights movement and the fight for equal rights between men and women:
For the story of this song: Click here
By the way, women's right to vote in the US was granted in 1920... much earlier than what I told... I really thought it was at the same time as the civil rights movement but I happened to be wrong... sorry about that... You can click here to learn more about the subject.
HW: during the vacation, I asked you to complete the assignment p. 71. It's an essay about politics and stars. Should celebrities get involved in charities? why or why not? what's your opinion about it? Follow the instructions given, and I'm sure you'll do a great job!
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October 20 2009
3
20
/10
/October
/2009
16:02
Today,
we did a quick recap about the picture we had studied last time and we called it:
"a lynching party", "a necktie party".
The picture we studied is particularly infamous in the USA and throughout the world since there are only very few pictures about those cruel events.
You can read more about it on wikipedia: click here to be redirected to the article.
Then, you had to describe a picture from your books p. 50. which was about a Black family in a cotton plantation. Here is what we said about it:
The picture actually deals with racial segregation in the US in the 1950's.
It depicts two black men who are hanged on a tree. The mob / crowd is celebrating their death / their sentence / their verdict / their white supremacy.
The two dead men may have committed a crime / may have killed someone.
The document depicts a lynching party / necktie party.
Finally, we read and explained the corresponding text. Here is what we said about the advantages and the drawbacks of music for slave owners and for slaves:
"to be written by Eliott".
HW: for tomorrow, you need to find information about:
1- the Civil War (what event + what dates) - Click here to access wikipedia
2- the civil rights movement (idem). - Click here to access wikipedia
3- You need to present and describe the picture corresponding to your group. We'll gather the information tomorrow.
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October 14 2009
4
14
/10
/October
/2009
13:57
Hey,
we worked on the picture with the two black men who were hanged on trees and here is what we said:
The picture actually deals with racial segregation in the US in the 1950's. It depicts two black men who are hanged on a tree. The crowd / mob (connotation négative) is celebrating:
- their death
- their sentence/verdict
- white supremacy.
The two dead men may have committed a crime. It's a scene of overt deep-rooted racism. (c'est une scène qui montre un racisme profondément ancré)
When I look at this picture, I feel sick. It's sickening.
Vocabulary:
to be hanged - to be whipped - to be burnt to death - to be beaten to death - to be tortured - to be tarred and feathered.
Construction des mots :
- suffixe " -en" => pour former un verbe
- suffixe " -ing" => pour former un adjectif
ex: sickening --> qui rend malade = répugnant; threatening = menaçant.
Then we worked on the beginning of the song Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. Here is what we have said about it so far:
THE SONG : Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday
The introduction is melancholy. The minor chords convey sad feelings. I feel stressed out at the beginning because the song may evoke something dramatic. But the rhythm is slow and relaxing / soothing.
You can watch a live performance of Billie Holiday below:
or with a better audio quality here.
More about the picture here.
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October 13 2009
3
13
/10
/October
/2009
11:15
Today,
after highlighting the link words and the main arguments in Manon's paper, you had to correct your own mistakes.
We then started our new sequence. It's going to deal with Afro American music. But for the moment, we have only commented on this picture... As you I didn't show you the whole photograph but only the bottom of it... what you said might seem gruesome. Here is what we wrote in the copybook anyway:
The document is a photograph/picture. It depicts/represents a party that is taking place in the US in the 50's, according, to me because men are wearing hats and women are wearing old-fashioned dresses.
The mob / crowd may be celebrating the end of the war. They look like they are dancing. They are smiling. They are having a good time. A woman in the foreground is pregnant. She is enjoying herself. However, a man in the foreground is staring at us/looking at us intensely.
Here is the complete picture:
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2009-2010 - Tale LV2
October 7 2009
4
07
/10
/October
/2009
13:50
Here are the two subjects that you could choose today:
1- Science is going too far, do you agree with this statement? (200-250 words)
2- After the interview at the geneticist's, Maria and Antonio have a conversation about what happened and about their future child. Write this conversation. (200-250 words)
- N'oubliez pas d'écrire le nombre de mots. Si vous ne le faites pas, le correcteur peut vous retirer des points.
- Je vous ai également demandé de noter 3 objectifs de relecture. Il faut absolument que vous appreniez à connaître les erreurs que vous faites de manière courante pour les éradiquer de vos copies à la relecture.
HW: please, make sure you bring your books next time.
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