FORMATIVE STRATEGIES

THESE ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN UTILIZED DURING THE FALL

INTERNSHIP AS WELL AS THE SPRING. BELOW IS A TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE
FORMATIVE STRATEGIES.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Identifying Tone in A Dolls House..

-This strategy was used as a reinforcement to the lesson on tone words. The students were
to read each quotation and choose the appropriate tone word. Following their choice of
tone words, they had to explain their answer by showing which text from the passage
created the tone.
Romeo and Juliet Literature Logs....

-This strategy was used to develop the students writing skills and their voice as writers.
While doing so, the students would also be assessed on their knowledge of Romeo and
Juliet in each act of the play.
Socratic Seminar Prep Questions....

13

-This strategy was also used to develop the students writing skills and their voice as
writers. This specific assessment was used in preparation for the Socratic seminar
discussions that the students had the following class period. The students were required to
support their personal responses with textual evidences.
Its Not What You Know, but What You Can Prove....

15

-This strategy was also used in preparation for the students final mock trial. Each student
was required to create evidence proving the guilt or the innocence of the character that
would soon be on trial. Each student was required to develop one piece of tangible
evidence (directly from the text), while the other two pieces of evidence were open to
creativity. The only restriction prohibited was the alteration of the text. Following their
development of their evidence, the students had to write a five-paragraph essay justifying
the guilt or innocence of the character using the evidences created and/or found.

20

Flyin West Homework Packet....

-This packet included every piece of outside information that the students would need. This
could be considered the outside sources used to expand the mind from the play to things
that have occurred in reality. For example, this packet talked about events such as the

Homestead Act and the Lorena Bobbitt incident. The purpose of this packet was to ensure
that students were critically thinking about the reading in todays era, as well as increase
their writing.
Extremely Important Sheet ....

28

-This strategy was used to develop the students argumentation skills and their ability to
support their answers through textual evidence. It also built on the skill of characterization,
as the students were required to defend their reasons for why each character was depicted
in the way they were.
Flyin West Reflections....
-These were the daily warm-ups used as check-ins. They also were used to build the
students ability to argue and support their responses.

30

A: Identifying Tone in A Dolls House by henrik Ibsen

Directions: Read each quotation and choose the appropriate
tone word from the tone word handout. Then explain your answer
by showing which text from the passage creates the tone.
EXAMPLE: 1.
Hasn't a daughter the right to protect her dying father from worry and anxiety? Hasn't a wife the right
to save her husband's life? I don't know much about the law, but I'm quite certain that it must say
somewhere that things like that are allowed."
- Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House, Act 1
The tone in this passage is (circle one):

+/-

The tone in this passage is bold. I believe this is the tone because of the
(tone word)
words the right and must say.
(reason #1)
These words show that Nora felt like she was correct to protect her father and save her husbands life
even if it was against the law because she was doing what she thought was right.
(reason #2)
Because these words show that Nora had the right to do stuff that she shouldnt do because she is a
woman and its against the law, I believe that the tone of this
(reason #2)
quote is bold.
(tone word)
1. "Is that my little skylark, twittering out there?...When did my squirrel get home?"
- Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House, Act 1
The tone in this passage is (circle one):

+/-

The tone in this passage is ______________. I believe this is the tone because of the
(tone word)
words_____________________________. These words show__________________.
(reason #1)
(reason #2)
This can be seen again in quote, ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________

(quote #2) (____________,________).

(author, page #)
Because these words show ______________________, I believe that the tone of this
(reason #2)
quote is ______________________.
(tone word)
2. "To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and dance with the
children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it!"
- Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House, Act 1
The tone in this passage is (circle one):

+/-

The tone in this passage is ______________. I believe this is the tone because of the
(tone word)
words_____________________________. These words show__________________.
(reason #1)
(reason #2)
This can be seen again in quote, ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________
(quote #2) (____________,________).
(author, page #)
Because these words show ______________________, I believe that the tone of this
(reason #2)
quote is ______________________.
(tone word)
3. "Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother."
- Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House, Act 1
The tone in this passage is (circle one):

+/-

The tone in this passage is ______________. I believe this is the tone because of the
(tone word)
words_____________________________. These words show__________________.
(reason #1)
(reason #2)
This can be seen again in quote, ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________
(quote #2) (____________,________).
(author, page #)
Because these words show ______________________, I believe that the tone of this

(reason #2)
quote is ______________________.
(tone word)

4. Something glorious is going to happen.

-Henrik Ibsen, A Dolls House Act 2
The tone in this passage is (circle one):

+/-

The tone in this passage is ______________. I believe this is the tone because of the
(tone word)
words_____________________________. These words show__________________.
(reason #1)
(reason #2)
This can be seen again in quote, ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________
(quote #2) (____________,________).
(author, page #)
Because these words show ______________________, I believe that the tone of this
(reason #2)
quote is ______________________.
(tone word)
5. "Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do as she wants ...
Your skylark would chirp about in every room, with her song rising and falling."
- Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House, Act 2
The tone in this passage is (circle one):

+/-

The tone in this passage is ______________. I believe this is the tone because of the
(tone word)
words_____________________________. These words show__________________.
(reason #1)
(reason #2)
This can be seen again in quote, ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________
(quote #2) (____________,________).
(author, page #)
Because these words show ______________________, I believe that the tone of this
(reason #2)

quote is ______________________.
(tone word)

Romeo and Juliet Literature Logs FAQ

What are Literature Logs, and why are we doing them?
There are many different kinds of Literature Logs. Yours will be
thoughtful responses to the text based on guiding questions. Logs are a
way for you to develop your critical thinking skills and practice your writing at
the same time. They also allow you to learn from the ideas of others in your
class (through log-sharing).
What paper should I use for my logs?
You have two choices. I suggest using loose-leaf paper (you can have
more than one log on a page). You can also type them upespecially if
you are worried about me being able to read your handwriting. If typed
please doubled-space. If handwritten, please be sure it is in ink on loose
leaf with skipped lines and do not write on the back of the paper. Whatever
you choose, just make sure you dont lose any of your logs!
Will anyone else see what I write?
We might share them occasionally, but the entire log will be due upon
completion of the book.
How long do my logs have to be?
First and foremost, they need to be long enough to provide full and
meaningful answers to the questions! More specifically, each entry must be
a fully developed paragraph of 5-12 sentences including topic sentences
and support. You do not need to hand in a rough copy, but your ideas
should be clearly organized and easily understood. Always refer to the play
directly as you formulate your responses. You should quote the
Shakespeare version of the play. Quotations must be identified by Act,
scene and line. E.g. (1. 4, 98-99).
How many points are the logs worth? How will they be graded?
They are worth a lot! Your Romeo and Juliet log will have a rubric that
I will provide before they are due!
Your logs will be graded primarily on your ideas and effort (how deep
your analysis of the text is, how persuasive and original your ideas are, and
how much thought and effort you have put into answering the questions). I
will also look to see that you have answered all questions in the log prompt,

that your log was turned in on time and shared during log share (evidenced
by my stamp and your classmates responses to your log), and that your log
meets the length requirements.
What happens if I miss a day of school?
You are stillof course!responsible for writing your log. You will
have log prompts ahead of time, so you should complete them on time even
if youre absent.
What if I come to class without my log for the day?
Then you will lose points on your log being done; but you can still get a
grade for content.
What if I dont understand one of the log prompts?
Ask me or a classmate!

Romeo and Juliet Literature Logs

Act of
Text
Act I

Act II

Act III

After You Read, Complete a Log On Lined Paper in

Response to the Following Prompt:
Explain the different attitudes and opinions about marriage in Act 1 of Romeo and
Juliet. How does Paris feel about it? Capulet? Lady Capulet? Juliet? The Nurse?
Consider their ideas about relationships and some of the decisions they make in Act 1.
Use quotes at least one quote for each character in the play to support your answer.
AND
If you were a character in this Act, what advice would you give Romeo? Be sure to
include evidence from the play about what decisions or relationship problems you are
addressing (At least two problems/decisions should be addressed). Write this in the form
of a letter.
AND
Find five vocabulary words and their definitions for words you do not know.
These can be for any scene in Act One.
Write a character description of either Friar Lawrence or the Nurse? What role do they
have in the plot of Romeo and Juliet? How do they impact Romeo and Juliets
relationship? How do they impact their decisions? Do you approve of their actions in
helping Romeo and Juliet? Use at least three quotations from the play to support your
answer.
AND
Friar Lawrence is introduced in Act 2 Scene 3 talking about the two opposed camps
that are in every living thinggood and evil. Everything in life, he says, can be good or
bad, depending on how it is used. Do you agree? Give an example from the play and one
from your life. Consider your own good and evil decisions.
Write a response to the following questions: What if Juliet had been honest with her
parents about her feelings for Romeo? Romeo had approached the Capulet family and
asked for forgiveness for his part in Tybalts death?
AND
Juliet makes decisions and acts a particular way throughout the play that are a
result of social norms regarding womens reputations and appearances. Discuss
some of Juliets actions in act III that are based on social and family
expectations. What would you do in her place? In what situations would you act
differently either to maintain your reputation or to keep up appearances? Why?
AND

Find five vocabulary words and their definitions for words you do not know.
These can be for any scene in Act Three.
Extra Credit: Find three quotations that reveal what kind of father Capulet is and
what type of relationship he has with Juliet (his daughter). For each quote of the
three that you choose, write 1-2 sentences describing what you think the quote
reveals about the relationship between the two.
Act IV

Is Juliet being fair when she talks to Paris in scene 1? Discuss the way you would have
handled a similar encounter. Write this as a persuasive response.
AND
What are three examples of dramatic irony in Act IV? How does this irony effect the
audiences reaction to the play. Be sure to use three pieces of text evidence to support
your answer.

Act V

Describe Romeos plan. Is his plan consistent with his personality and behavior
so far? Explain.
AND
What is your first reaction to the suicides of Romeo and Juliet? Do they act nobly or
cowardly in choosing suicide? Consider at least two other actions they might have
chosen? Do you think Shakespeare glorifies or condemns suicide in the play? Write
your opinion (1-2 sentences per question) and support it with at least three details from
the play.
AND
Find five vocabulary words and their definitions for words you do not know.
These can be from any scene in Act V.

Romeo and Juliet Log Rubric

Chapter of Text

Criteria

Act I
Written Log

Explanation of marriage attitudes (1 point per

character-5 points)
One quote per character (5 points)
Letter in first person perspective as chosen
character in the play to Romeo with explanation of
decisions and relationship problems and
established solution (5 points)
Five vocabulary words and definitions
Full character description of either Friar Lawrence
or Nurse (5 points)
Role in plot of Romeo and Juliet (2 point)
Approval of actions (2 point)
At least three quotes for support (3 points)
Choice of Agree or Disagree with quote by Friar
Lawrence (2 point)
One example from play (3 points)
One example from your life (3 points)
Juliets honesty (5 points)
Romeos forgiveness (5 points)
Identify three (3) social norms of women (3 points)
Personal connection (2 points)
Explanation of personal connection in modern day
(5 points)
Five vocabulary words and definitions
Stance with Juliet/ with Paris (1 points)
Personal response to encounter (5 points)
Persuasively written (5 points)
Three examples of dramatic irony (3 points)
Explanation of dramatic irony effect (3 points)
Three pieces of textual evidence (3 points)
Description of Romeos plan (5 points)
Consistency with character (2 points)
Reaction to suicide (3 points)
Two other actions (2 points)

Act I Vocabulary
Act II

Act III

Act III Vocabulary

Act IV

Act V

Points
/15
points

/5 points
/20
points

/20
points

/5 points
/20
points

/15
points

1-2 sentences describing Shakespeares opinion

of suicide (3 points)
Act IV extra credit

Final Grade

Find three quotations that reveal father-daughter

relationship (3 points)
1-2 sentences describing what the quote reveals
about the relationship between the two (6 points)
Comments:

10 points

/100
points

Socratic Seminar Prep Questions

Pick six (6) out of the fifteen questions below. These six (6) responses must contain 6-8
sentences. Then, you must select two (2) more questions below. These two responses must contain
three to four (3-4) sentences. This is worth 50 out of the 75 points total for the Socratic
seminar. Before you come to a Socratic Seminar class, please be sure that you have completed
your responses for the assigned questions.
Name:
Period:
1.) Why does Shakespeare include Rosaline in the play? What is her purpose?

2.) Why do you think Shakespeare has the whole play take place in only 5 days? What does the
accelerated time scheme add to or take away from plot?

3.) Do you believe in fate? Trace how fate brings the two young lovers together and how it ultimately
tears them apart?

4.) How do Romeo and Juliet change throughout the play? Do they change?

5.) Who ultimately is to blame for the deaths of the two lovers? What evidence do you have to prove
that?

6.) There are a lot of religious references in the play. What do you think Shakespeares opinions were
of the church?

7.) Discuss the relationships between parents and children in the play. How are Romeos parents and
Juliets parents different?
8.) Mercutio is considered to be one of Shakespeares great creations, yet he is killed relatively early in
the play. What makes Mercutio so memorable a character? What would have changed if he would not
have died?

9.) Friar Lawrence serves many dramatic purposes in the play. Examine his role in the progression of
the plot.

10.) Juliets suitor Paris is compared throughout the play to Romeo. Examine the similarities and
differences between the two young men that love Juliet.

11.) Describe and analyze the different types of love we see in the play.

12.) Talk about the different types of antithesis that exist in the play. Why does Shakespeare use all
of these opposite but equal ideas? Also discuss his three foil pairings. How are these people foils of
each other?

13.) What do you think Shakespeare is trying to say about teenagers in this play? What, if anything,
has changed over the last 400 years? What has remained the same?

14.) What did you think about the play? Was Shakespeare easier or harder than you thought? Did you
enjoy the story of Romeo and Juliet?

15.) If you could summarize each of the following characters in one word, what word would you choose?
Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Nurse, Friar, Paris, Tybalt. What if you had to summarize the whole play in one
word?

ITS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT YOU CAN PROVE!
Before getting started, check your character and which charge you have!
Frank Charles
Guilty

Fannie

Miss Leah

Innocent

Your Objective:
If you have FRANK CHARLES:
INNOCENT: prove that he didnt deserve to die
GUILTY: prove that he did deserve to die
If you have FANNIE:
INNOCENT: prove that she shouldnt be charged with the murder of Frank Charles
GUILTY: prove that she should be charged with the murder of Frank Charles
If you have MISS LEAH:
INNOCENT: prove that she shouldnt be charged with the murder of Frank Charles
GUILTY: prove that she should be charged with the murder of Frank Charles
Your Task:
Prove that your character is innocent or guilty of the murder of Frank Charles through three pieces of PROPER
evidence.
One piece of tangible evidence. This piece must be explicitly from the text. It must be a direct piece of
evidence. For example, in the Lorena Bobbitt article, a perfect example would be a picture of a knife
with blood on it.
Two pieces of indirect evidence. Get creative here! This is open to your interpretation, but need to be in
line with the plot. You cannot create new facts or ideas that did not actually occur. You may use webbased images (but you must print them on your own), magazines, or create the evidence (drawing,
recording, video, pictures, tweets shared between characters). For example, recreate what you think
the kitchen looked like! Perhaps you found a recipe for a pie, that includes a special ingredient!
Create tweets between two characters or even invent phone records between two characters! The
more creative you are, the more likely you are to earn an incentive for extra credit.
Point breakdown for this section:
5 points for each piece of evidence (15 total)
5 points for tangible evidence textual connection (5 total)
5 points for creative of each indirect evidence (10 total -with potential of 5 extra credit points for going above
and beyond).
30 points total for this section: Process grade!

Part II: Your task is to create a five-paragraph essay justifying the guilt or innocence of your character utilizing
the evidence you have found and created. Your essay must follow the proper 5 paragraph model with
ACECES paragraphs as your body paragraphs. The elaboration and explanation within your body paragraphs
should be references to the text (even for the created pieces). How do these pieces connect to the text? How
do they connect to the innocence or guilt? Use the outline below to answer these questions.
Keep in mind:
Your hook should catch the readers attention and announce the guilt or innocence.
The background information should explain who your character is and what their connection is to the
rest of the characters.
Your thesis statement should announce the three pieces of evidence you will be explaining in order of
your body paragraphs!
Your topic sentences should again introduce the individual pieces of evidence (the first part of your
thesis should be your first topic sentence).
When you restate your thesis in your conclusion, you need to restructure it so that it it is not the exact
same sentence.
Your handwriting must be legible. Your grammar should be perfect. You should not have spelling
errors (ASK SIRI!).
Introduction Paragraph
Hook:
______________________________________________________________________________________
Background Information:
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________
3 Part Thesis:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
1 Body Paragraph
A) (this should announce part one of your thesis statement):
_________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
C) Example 1 (evidence connects to text
how?): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
E) Elaboration 1 (perhaps a quote? page reference? proof your example is right):
_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
C) Example 2 (evidence connects to text
how?): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
E) Elaboration 2 (perhaps a quote? page reference? proof your example is right):
_________________________________
st

________________________________________________________________________________________
____
S) Summary (this should conclude your paragraph and transition into the next one):
_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
2 Body Paragraph
A) (this should announce part two of your thesis statement):
_________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
C) Example 1 (evidence connects to text
how?): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
E) Elaboration 1 (perhaps a quote? page reference? proof your example is right):
_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
C) Example 2 (evidence connects to text
how?): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
E) Elaboration 2 (perhaps a quote? page reference? proof your example is right):
_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
S) Summary (this should conclude your paragraph and transition into the next one):
________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
3 Body Paragraph
A) (this should announce part three of your thesis statement):
_________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
C) Example 1 (evidence connects to text
how?): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
E) Elaboration 1 (perhaps a quote? page reference? proof your example is right):
_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
C) Example 2 (evidence connects to text
how?): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
nd

rd

E) Elaboration 2 (perhaps a quote? page reference? proof your example is right):

_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
S) Summary (this should conclude your paragraph and transition into the next one):
_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
Conclusion
Restate 3 Part Thesis :
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
Last Remarks/ Observations:
___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
Closing Statement (Might connect back to
hook): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
Remember:
This is not a first person essay. Do not write I!
The size should be 12 point font Arial or Times New Roman
Use professional language only! No B/C, No LOL, No gonna, wanna, shoulda, coulda
See the rubric for this Product Grade!

Name

Entry One: The Homestead Act

Due: _________________

A Brief Summary:
Signed into law in May 1862, the Homestead Act opened up settlement in the western United States, allowing
any American, including freed slaves, to put in a claim for up to 160 free acres of federal land. By the end of the Civil
War, 15,000 homestead claims had been established, and more followed in the postwar years. Eventually, 1.6 million
individual claims would be approved; nearly ten percent of all government held property for a total of 420,000 square
miles of territory.
The Homestead Act (May 20, 1862) set in motion a program of public land grants to small farmers. Before the
Civil War, the southern states had regularly voted against homestead legislation because they correctly foresaw that the
law would hasten the settlement of western territory, ultimately adding to the number and political influence of the free
states. This opposition to the homestead bill, as well as to other internal improvements that could hasten western
settlement, exacerbated sectional conflicts. Indeed, the vision of independent yeomen establishing homesteads on the
prairies was offered in the political rhetoric of the 1850s as a vivid contrast to the degradation of slave labor on southern
plantations. A homestead bill passed the House in 1858 but was defeated by one vote in the Senate; the next year, a
similar bill passed both houses but was vetoed by President James Buchanan. In 1860, the Republican platform included
a plank advocating homestead legislation.
After the southern states had seceded, homestead legislation was high on the Republican agenda. The
Homestead Act of 1862 provided that any adult citizen (or person intending to become a citizen) who headed a family
could qualify for a grant of 160 acres of public land by paying a small registration fee and living on the land continuously
for five years. If the settler was willing to pay $1.25 an acre, he could obtain the land after only six months residence.
But the law did not provide the new beginning for urban slum dwellers that some had hoped; few such families
had the resources to start farming, even on free land. The grants did give new opportunities to many impoverished
farmers from the East and Midwest, but much of the land granted under the Homestead Act fell quickly into the hands
of speculators. Also, over time, the growing mechanization of American agriculture led to the replacement of individual
homesteads with a smaller number of much larger farms.
The Readers Companion to American History. Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, Editors. Copyright 1991 by Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Answer the following questions in complete sentences. You may write them on a separate piece of paper,
or type them.
1. What gave the Northerners the impression that they could end slavery with the Homestead Act?
2. What happened to farmers who did not have a financial advantage, even with free land?
While reading the legal document, find places in the text (highlight or underline) that shows how people of
any race, gender, and background can acquire land and become citizens without any kind of discretion to
the Native American people who owned the land first.
Also, talk to the text. By doing so, circle words you dont know and define them. Summarize in two
sentences every TWO paragraphs. For each paragraph, ask one clarifying question to the author of the
document.

The Legal Document:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That any person who is the head of a family, or who has arrived at the age of twenty-one years, and is a
citizen of the United States, or who shall have filed his declaration of intention to become such, as required by the
naturalization laws of the United States, and who has never borne arms against the United States Government or

given aid and comfort to its enemies, shall, from and after the first January, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, be
entitled to enter one quarter section or a less quantity of unappropriated public lands, upon which said person may
have filed a pre-emption claim, or which may, at the time the application is made, be subject to pre-emption at one
dollar and twenty-five cents, or less, per acre; or eighty acres or less of such unappropriated lands, at two dollars and
fifty cents per acre, to be located in a body, in conformity to the legal subdivisions of the public lands, and after the
same shall have been surveyed: Provided, That any person owning and residing on land may, under the provisions of
this act, enter other land lying contiguous to his or her said land, which shall not, with the land so already owned and
occupied, exceed in the aggregate one hundred and sixty acres.
Section 2. And be it further enacted, That the person applying for the benefit of this act shall, upon application
to the register of the land office in which he or she is about to make such entry, make affidavit before the said
register or receiver that he or she is the head of a family, twenty-one years or more of age, or shall have performed
service in the army or navy of the United States, and that he has never borne arms against the Government of the
United States or given aid and comfort to its enemies, and that such application is made for his or her exclusive use
and benefit, and that said entry is made for the purpose of actual settlement and cultivation, and not either directly or
indirectly for the use or benefit of any other person or persons whomsoever; and upon filing the said affidavit with the
register or receiver, and on payment of ten dollars, he or she shall thereupon be permitted to enter the quantity of
land specified: Provided, however, That no certificate shall be given or patent issued therefor until the expiration of
five years from the date of such entry; and if, at the expiration of such time, or at any time within two years
thereafter, the person making such entry; or, if he be dead, his widow; or in case of her death, his heirs or devisee;
or in case of a widow making such entry, her heirs or devisee, in case of her death; shall prove by two credible
witnesses that he, she, or they have resided upon or cultivated the same for the term of five years immediately
succeeding the time of filing the affidavit aforesaid, and shall make affidavit that no part of said land has been
alienated, and that he has borne true allegiance to the Government of the United States; then, in such case, he, she,
or they, if at that time a citizen of the United States, shall be entitled to a patent, as in other cases provided for by
law: And provided, further, That in case of the death of both father and mother, leaving an infant child, or children,
under twenty-one years of age, the right and fee shall enure to the benefit of said infant child or children; and the
executor, administrator, or guardian may, at any time within two years after the death of the surviving parent, and in
accordance with the laws of the State in which such children for the time being have their domicil, sell said land for
the benefit of said infants, but for no other purpose; and the purchaser shall acquire the absolute title by the
purchase, and be entitled to a patent from the United States, on payment of the office fees and sum of money herein
specified.
Section 3. And be it further enacted, That the register of the land office shall note all such applications on the tract
books and plats of his office, and keep a register of all such entries, and make return thereof to the General Land
Office, together with the proof upon which they have been founded.
Section 4. And be it further enacted, That no lands acquired under the provisions of this act shall in any event
become liable to the satisfaction of any debt or debts contracted prior to the issuing of the patent therefor.
Section 5. And be it further enacted, That if, at any time after the filing of the affidavit, as required in the
second section of this act, and before the expiration of the five years aforesaid, it shall be proven, after due notice to
the settler, to the satisfaction of the register of the land office, that the person having filed such affidavit shall have
actually changed his or her residence, or abandoned the said land for more than six months at any time, then and in
that event the land so entered shall revert to the government.
Section 6. And be it further enacted, That no individual shall be permitted to acquire title to more than one
quarter section under the provisions of this act; and that the Commissioner of the General Land Office is hereby
required to prepare and issue such rules and regulations, consistent with this act, as shall be necessary and proper to
carry its provisions into effect; and that the registers and receivers of the several land offices shall be entitled to
receive the same compensation for any lands entered under the provisions of this act that they are now entitled to
receive when the same quantity of land is entered with money, one half to be paid by the person making the
application at the time of so doing, and the other half on the issue of the certificate by the person to whom it may be
issued; but this shall not be construed to enlarge the maximum of compensation now prescribed by law for any
register or receiver: Provided, That nothing contained in this act shall be so construed as to impair or interfere in any
manner whatever with existing pre-emption rights: And provided, further, That all persons who may have filed their
applications for a pre-emption right prior to the passage of this act, shall be entitled to all privileges of this act:
Provided, further, That no person who has served, or may hereafter serve, for a period of not less than fourteen days
in the army or navy of the United States, either regular or volunteer, under the laws thereof, during the existence of
an actual war, domestic or foreign, shall be deprived of the benefits of this act on account of not having attained the
age of twenty-one years.
Section 7. And be it further enacted, That the fifth section of the act entitled "An act in addition to an act more
effectually to provide for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States, and for other purposes,"
approved the third of March, in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, shall extend to all oaths, affirmations, and
affidavits, required or authorized by this act.
Section 8. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act shall be so construed as to prevent any person
who has availed him or herself of the benefits of the first section of this act, from paying the minimum price, or the
price to which the same may have graduated, for the quantity of land so entered at any time before the expiration of
the five years, and obtaining a patent therefor from the government, as in other cases provided by law, on making

proof of settlement and cultivation as provided by existing laws granting pre-emption rights.
Approved, JULY 20, 1862.
http://www.blackpast.org/primarywest/homestead-act-1862

In one well-written objective ACECES paragraph, giving proper citation to the document, cite
the central idea of The Homestead Act. Your two Cs should be facts from the document that support

the central idea. You may cite them as (paragraph 1) etc.

Entry Two: Letter to my Partner

Due: _________________
On a separate sheet of paper, develop a love letter to your partner about the way you feel about him or her. You may
choose whether this is a love letter that will be seen or will never be sent (diary style).
You must take on the persona of either Minnie or Frank writing to the opposite.
The letter should be 10-12 sentences.
It should begin with Dear ___________, The blank space must be an appropriate pet-name for the other
person. For example, Dear Hunny Muffin Cakes.
You must show that you understand the relationship between Minne and Frank. This means you must make
specific references to the play, even if you are not using specific textual evidence (quotes).
End the letter with this same pet name, and sign it from the character.

Entry Three: Comparing and Contrasting

Due: _________________
After reading Cult of True Womanhood, in two ACECES paragraphs, compare and contrast the ways that Fannie
represents the modern day True Woman. Your evidence for your Cs should be from both the play and the article by
Barbara Welter. If you dont have specific quotes from the play at your access, you may paraphrase the events that are
related to your argument.

Entry Four: We Wear the Mask

Due: _________________
Read the following poem. On a separate piece of paper, or typed up, write the definitions to at least 3 words that you
dont know. If you know the definitions to all of the words, choose three words and explain the effect of their
connotation (emotional meaning) on the poem.

We Wear the Mask

By Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, --This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile.
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Now, in one subjective ACECES paragraph, explain what figuratively wearing a mask means to you.
Use this outline (or
create your own
mask outline) and fill
it with pictures and
words that show how
you have an inside
you and an outside
you.
Maybe you protect
yourself from certain
people. Maybe you
protect yourself from
different emotions.
Find symbols that
represent these
things.

Entry Five: Act II Scenes 1-2

Due: _________________

After reading Act II Scenes 1-2, answer the following questions:

1. On the top of page 60, Minnie states, This is such a hard time for Frank How is this statement ironic?
2. What does Miss Leah imply about the characters that are being discussed when she states on page 61, Grown people dont
change except to get more like what they already are.
3. On page 62, why do you think Fannie is advocating for Frank? As she continues on page 63, she asks Sophie why she cant
forgive Frank. What does this say about her character?
4. What does it mean to be a Free woman? (Pages 64-65)
5. Explain and analyze (do both!) Fannies line, Paternity denied. Stop. All claims to money, property, land, and other assets
of Mr. John Charles, late of New Orleans, Louisiana, denied. No legal recourse available.
6. What is happening with Frank and his feelings about colored people (page 67)?
7. What is Frank trying to convince Minnie of on page 68?
8. Describe Minnies biggest concerns.
9. Analyze Franks last line of scene 2. What is going on in this scene? Why is he so angry?
10. What do you think is going to happen next?

Entry Six: Women Making the News!

Due: _________________

Read the two articles below. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Article I: Lorena Bobbitt Biography
(1970)
Synopsis: Lorena Bobbitt was born October 31, 1970 in Bucay, Ecuador. She married John Bobbitt in 1989. Almost
five years later, on the night of June 23, 1993 she severed her husband's penis with a kitchen knife, because of alleged
repeated sexual assaults against her. In the trial, Lorena pleaded a temporary insanity and was found not guilty.

Profile: Born Lorena Leonor Gallo in 1970 in Bucay, Ecuador. Lorena Bobbitt married John Bobbitt on June 18, 1989.
Five years later, on the night of June 23, 1993, she severed her husband's penis with a kitchen knife while he was
sleeping. She then got in her car and flung the penis out the window while driving. It was later found and surgically
reattached.
According to police reports, Lorena pleaded self-defense, saying that John had continuously raped her. John adamantly
denied her accusations. John was acquitted of charges of assault against Lorena in 1993. In 1994, Lorena was found not guilty based
on expert testimony stating that her husband's abuse had caused her to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or temporary
insanity, at the time of the crime. She was ordered to spend 45 days in a psychiatric hospital.
Lorena and John Bobbitt divorced in 1995. In December 1997, Lorena was charged with assaulting her mother, but was
found not guilty. She currently works as a hair stylist in Asburn, Virginia.

Article II: Killing Your Husband to Save Yourself:

Without proper legal instruments, women with abusive partners are often forced to make a difficult
choice: kill or be killed,
The first few inauspicious lines to Happy Accident by Los Angeles punk rock legend Alice Bag tumble
out melodically: All I saw was the look in his eyes and I feared for my life, once again. I didnt know what was
coming. All I know is he done it before. The song is about a woman who deals with an abusive partner
(something Bag knew aboutshe saw her own mother get hit by her father and had imagined what it would
have been like if she retaliated), and the final line concludes with a Happy Accident," the death of the man who
had hurt her so many times.
Bags use of the word accident isnt onewhen a battered woman kills her abuser, it isnt usually
planned. Its a last-ditch attempt by the woman to defend herself, according to expertsthough many battered
women who kill are not credited with self-defense but with murder, or, if they are lucky, manslaughter.
Thats because juries and judges just dont get that the kinds of violence that [the battered woman]
experiences was life-threatening, says Chitra Raghavan, a professor of psychology at John Jay College for
Criminal Justice and a practicing clinician who works primarily with victims of violence. But for women who kill
their abusers, their lives are indeed on the line. Eighty-five percent of domestic violence is man-on-woman, and
the women are right to be afraid: 4,000 women a year die at the hands of their abusers75 percent of them
because they are trying to leave. "For women, killing is often seen as a last resorta defensive move, whereas,
for men, it's an offensive move," Northeastern University criminologist James Allen Fox told ABC News in 2009.

"Those who have less to lose, those who are suicidal (the link between homicide and suicide is very clear), those
who are protecting children, and those whose partners have threatened to kill them, are at highest risk."
Self-defense laws require an immediate danger of physical harm and were originally designed for conflicts between men:
a man killing another man of equal strength in, say, a bar fight, according to Cynthia Gillespie, a lawyer who co-founded
the Northwest Womens Law Center in Seattle in 1978 and authored the 1989 book Justifiable Homicide: Battered
Women, Self Defense, and the Law. But those laws don't reflect the reality of domestic violence situations and don't make
sense, Gillespie has said, "for a woman trying to defend herself from a man who has threatened to kill her before." (The
argument Gillespie made in her book led then-governor of Ohio, Richard Celeste, to grant clemency to 26 women serving
prison sentences for killing husbands or partners in 1991.)
TAKE CAROLINE SCOTT: HER drunk abuser, Arthur Lee, came home in a jealous rage and indicated that it was
time for her to put on her handcuffs, the precursor to severe beatings that had become more intense over time. With small
children in the house, she couldnt figure out how to make an exit and didnt want to leave them behind. She overheard
Lee on the phone tell a friend that she would be gone in 45 minutes. Terrified of what she knew was coming, she
grabbed one of Lee's guns and shot him to death, as Gillespie outlines in Justifiable Homicide. But because he wasnt
directly beating her at the moment she pulled the trigger, Scott was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Bags song was written in 1990almost 25 years ago now, but when it comes to women who kill their abusive
husbands in self-defense, not much has changed since then or over the past 300 years. Its like a horrible, bloody
dioramathe outside world moves forward, but the dynamics of this particular set of criminal circumstances dont change.
This phenomenon seems to stay the same over time, says Gertie Pretorius, director of the Centre for Psychological
Services at the University of Johannesburg.
Compare Scotts more contemporary story to that of the long-abused Jane Churn, who dealt with similar
circumstances in the late 18th century. They're detailed this way in Murray State history professor Kathy Callahans
2013 Journal of Social History analysis:
When Jane Churn ignored her lover James Scofield's question, he called her a bloody bitch, struck her several
times, and the two fell onto the floor, fighting. Churn stood up, grabbed a fork from a nearby table and stabbed him with it.
Still angry, she followed him down the stairs and hit an already-downed Scofield with a poker.
Churn was eventually convicted of manslaughter and sent to Londons infamous Newgate prison.
Women tend to fight back with whatever weapon is at handin the United Kingdom, where gun ownership is
lower, other weapons are used. But women still are most likely to use a gun, often the same gun he uses to terrorize
her, says Lenore Walker, a lawyer and professor at Nova Southeastern University Center for Psychological Studies who
literally wrote the book on domestic violence: 1983sThe Battered Woman Syndrome. You don't need to be too close, you
can stop him from continuing the battering incident, and you don't need to have upper body strength like strangulation or
knife requires," she says.
Whats common to all these stories, no matter the era, is that abused women who kill their partners do so in
reaction to extreme circumstancesescalating abuse is the most common one, and so is the protection of children or
other household members. In many of the cases we have on record in which battered women killed their abusers, the
batterers had made sexual advances to, or had actually sexually abused, one or more of their children, Walker writes in
her 1989 book Terrifying Love.
Its no surprise then, which abused women are most likely to fatally hurt their abusers: Those who have less to
lose, those who are suicidal (the link between homicide and suicide is very clear), those who are protecting children, and
those whose partners have threatened to kill them, are at highest risk, Walker says. Women whose cases havent been
taken seriously by local law enforcement, or that involve use of alcohol or drugs (by either or both parties), are also more
likely to kill (though substance abuse plays a smaller role than might be guessed).
AS WITH RAPE, THE abused woman narrative blames the victim, and this kind of violence is unlikely to change
unless public understandingand the lawdo too. Theres an oft-ignored psychological aspect to domestic violence
situations, which bear very real parallels to terrorism writ large. (Some domestic violence advocates even call it intimate
partner terrorism because the connections are so clear.) A combination of a small dose of violence, threats of more,
coupled with enforced control over the womans autonomy very effectively traps women in these relationships. Its not all
that different from the way terrorists operate when considering a beheading. They know the action alone will change how
they are treated by the international communitythis is how terrorism works. For some reason, people understand it
when it comes to ISISbut have trouble applying the logic of terror on an individual basis.
The most frequently asked question remains: Why didn't she leave? Judges ask it, juries deliberate it, people watching the
nightly news consider it. Although psychologists and many police departments have better training in domestic violence
(Raghavan says mental health professionals are light years ahead of where they were 50 years ago), the question
shows the rest of us dont. Leaving does not stop the violence and may in fact make it more likely that she and/or her
children will get killed, Walker says. The real question is, Why doesn't he let her go?
Since the law doesnt protect battered women who try to leave, and the courts prosecute those who stay and kill
in self-defense, women are more than just limited by their finances, children, or the threats of their abusersthey may feel
that theres no way out, which is why some of these women end up killing themselves, too. To top it off, there have even
been cases in which women have been found negligent for failing to protect their children from abuse by a third party.

The best preventative strategies will involve a holistic approach including women and men, as well as children
who grew up in violent homes, says Pretorius, the University of Johannesburg expert. Those who have experienced
abuse growing up are more likely to accept it as normal behavior, as both an aggressor and a victim.
The holistic approach needs to include legal fixes, too. "I think the law should more systematically [recognize]
intimidation and fear as creating huge power imbalances between people in domestic violence situations," Raghavan
says.
Restraining orders can be a part of that mix, both formalizing and documenting the abusive behavior, and also
empowering battered women. A 2002 study published in JAMA and led by Dr. Victoria Holt, an epidemiologist at the
University of Washington, points out that although restraining orders keep lethality down, research suggests that a small
proportion of women obtain restraining orders and ... that most women did not have a restraining order when they were
killed. Only 11% of 231 women killed by their intimate partners had been issued a restraining order.
Indeed, threatening or preparing to leave an abuser is one of the most dangerous situations these women can put
themselves inthese are men who often control the minutiae of these womens lives. Its common for them to
micromanage schedules, time with friends and family (if they have not already been cut off from them), and even access
to a car and money.
IN 2012, ENGLAND PASSED a law recognizing coercive control and making it a prosecutable offense. This is
essentially a chronic control dynamic that robs the woman of her autonomy over time and traps her in the relationship,
Raghavan says. Its this kind of control that begins most abusive relationships, which rarely start off with physical force.
But in the United States, most of these tactics arent currently recognized by any laws and arent targeted for
interventionindeed, theres little education for young people about this issue at all, even though nearly one-third of
American women will be abused by a partner at some point in their lives. If we do want this narrative to change, coercive
control within intimate relationships needs to be discussed. These tactics include forms of constraint and the monitoring
and/or regulation of commonplace activities of daily living, particularly those associated with womens default roles as
mothers, homemakers and sexual partners and run the gamut from their access to money, food and transport to how they
dress, clean, cook or perform sexually, Evan Stark, a professor at the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and
Administration, writes in a 2012 paper.
By ignoring or minimizing the tactics used in coercive control, current domestic violence laws also miss many of
its most devastating effects.
Battered women (and children) see a tremendous psychological toll. And more frequently than a woman kills her
abuser, a man murders the woman he has been abusing. Beyond lost lives, theres an economic cost tooand its huge.
According to a study by James Fearon of Stanford University and Anke Hoeffler of Oxford University, abuse of women
and children totals about $8 trillion in losses each yearor about nine percent of global GDP. Its clear why the United
Nations and other organizations are finally starting to take this problem more seriously.
For anything to change, a much larger, seismic shift needs to occur, as Mary Helen Wimberly suggests in a paper
for the American Bar Association:
The focus ... should change from emphasis on the personal syndrome to emphasis on the larger societal
syndrome that has placed the battered woman in a situation where her only option was to kill her batterer. The necessity
of her actions was caused by the community, and experts should point to the failures of society and the government at
large to offer battered women reasonable alternatives. This goes to the heart of the theory of self-defense as one of
necessity, and shows that the battered womans actions should not be excused because of any personal ailment or
shortcoming, but should be recognized as justified because of the situation in which she was placed.
Until then, as the last lines of Alice Bags Happy Accident (after listeners learn the character is singing from her
prison cell) suggest, more women will continue to see the true value of the kill: I cant say that I regret it. After all, itd be
him or me youd be talking to. And if I had the chance to do it all again, I dont think it would have a different end. Im quite
happy with this accident.
Article 1: http://www.biography.com/people/lorena-bobbitt-235414#profile
Article 2: http://www.psmag.com/politics-and-law/murder-way-domestic-violence-husband-wife-92459

Answer the following questions (complete sentences/ thoughts, but not ACECES).
1. In article two, what does the oxymoron Happy Accident mean?
2. How can we consider Ms. Bobbits experience a Happy Accident?
3. What is the effect of women not being educated about sexual assault/abuse?
4. What does the term societal syndrome mean (in the second to last paragraph)?
5. Reflect on the last paragraph. How can you connect this last paragraph to our play so far? What about
another text youve read?

Entry Seven: Desirees Baby

Due: _________________

After reading Desirees Baby, write one ACECES paragraph compare and contrast Minnie to Desiree.

Directions: Do these characters act out of passion or reason? Use three (3) forms of textual evidence to support your claim in each Act of Flyin West.
Characters
Fannie

Minnie

Frank

Wil

Miss Leah

Sophie

Act One

Act Two

Directions: Everyday, you will begin class with a warm-up! For each act, you must find five (5) quotations that you feel are insightful. You must argue
the significance of these five (5) quotations in relation to the character (characterization), or tone of the specific act.
Act One/ Act Two Quotations

Significance to Characterization/ Tone

Flyin West Reflections

Is it YOUR job?...
Whose job is it to educate people about
racism? Does this responsibility fall on people
of color? Think of one person you know (dead
or alive) that advocate/advocated for equality.
Is/ was this person seen as a hero or a
troublemaker? How? Which do you perceive
them as?

Is there a way to get rid of racism?

If we all treated each other

better, would that solve
racism? Why or why not? If
we stopped noticing race,
would it disappear?

Choose Your Race...

Would you remain the color you are? Why or
why not? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of being the race you are? What
are the advantages and disadvantages of being
the race you chose? What effect does your
race have your everyday actions?

Grammar- Theyre, Their, There

Fill in the blanks in these sentences with the appropriate form: theyre, their,
there.
1. _______ dog is an annoying mutt.
2. _______ once was a bird called a Dodo.
3. My aunt and uncle are arriving tomorrow. ___________ coming from California.
4. Many years ago __________ were not any cars, so people used to travel by horse and
carriage.
5. My neighbors have bought a second car. ________ new one is candy apple red.
6. Surprisingly, both of __________ cars are 4WD.
7. If you look over ____________ you will see the beautiful sunset.
8. Have you seen where __________ building that new road?
9. I think __________ address is 1171 Newlands Road.
10. Do you know what ____________ phone number is?

Grammar- Commas
Add the comma(s) where it belongs.
He left the scene of the accident and tried to forget that it had happened.
Oil which is lighter than water rises to the surface.
Madame de Stael was an attractive gracious lady.
The contractor testified that the house was completed and that the work had been done properly.
Some people refuse to go to the zoo because of pity for creatures that must live in small cages.
Taxicabs that are dirty are illegal in some cities.
The closet contained worn clothes old shoes and dirty hats.
The uninvited guest wore a dark blue tweed suit.
After surviving this ordeal the trapper felt relieved.
Mark Twain's early novels I believe stand the test of time.
December 7 1941 will never be forgotten.
The field was safe enough wasn't it?
Write the editor of the Atlantic 8 Arlington Street Boston Massachusetts 02116.He replied "I have no
idea what you mean."
I hope that someday he will learn how to be polite.

Grammar- Verb Tense

Write the appropriate form of the verb in each
sentence.
1. Someone (sing, sings) a solo in the talent show.
2. Spaghetti and pizza (is, are) his favorite foods.
3. The senior judge, as well as three junior judges, (is, are) to attend
the seminar.
4. There (was, were) a flat tire on the bicycle.
5. Neither Max nor Clara (use, uses) catsup on hamburgers and French
fries.

What do people think when they see

you?
What are the underlying assumptions in
relation to race and success? How
does race influence what is defined as
success? How is being successful as a
black person, different from being
white, latino/a and/or Asian?

Blame Vs. Acknowledgment

What is the difference between blaming
someone and acknowledging
inequalities? Is it possible to blame all
white people for racism? Is it possible to
assume that all police officers will use
brutality against African Americans?

Are We All The Problem?

Do you believe that we are all a part of
the problem when it comes to racism, no
matter what race? Why or why not? If we
say that we are all a part of the problem,
are we minimizing the importance and
influence racism has on life?

JUST YOU...
Describe a time where you were the
only person of your race in the room
with others. How did you feel? What
happened? Did you feel empowered or
pressured and discriminated against?
How?

Girls & Boys

Other than physical differences, what is
the difference between men and
women? What can girls do that boys
cant? Do you think that men and
women are mostly the same or totally
different?

Whats A TomBoy?
What things make a girl a tomboy?
Describe a time when you or a friend
was called a tomboy or a girly-girl?
What happened? Did you define
yourself as a tomboy?

Mom & Dad

What things does your mom do that
your dad doesnt do? What things does
your dad do that your mom doesnt do?
Describe how you think life would be
different if they switched roles.

The Perfect Mate

Describe your idea of the perfect
girlfriend or the perfect boyfriend. What
are some of your non-negotiable
desires for your ideal other? Does
physical appearance matter more than
intelligence?

Power & Relationships

How does power influence relationships?
Who holds the power in the relationship,
the man or the woman? How? Is it
possible for both people to have power?
What powers do women have that men
dont? What powers do men have that
women dont?