"Stranger in the Village" An Essay By James Baldwin & Comprehension Activity

English 12 Unit 2: “Stranger in the Village”
James Baldwin Essay Activity

Materials:
You will need a copy of “Stranger in the Village” by James Baldwin, your own paper and a pen.

Know:
Writers use personal narratives to reflect on events that have taken place. Essays, such as “Stranger in the Village” help us to learn about ourselves, others and cultures. We will continue to notice how language plays a role in how we shape our identity and how others.

Understand:
We will examine how language choice and the writer’s “voice” impact you, the reader. We will analyze the language used so that we might better understand how the writer, James Baldwin in this case, elicits specific emotional responses in his audience.

Do:
We will use a variety of different strategies to comprehend and come to a greater understanding of the essay. In order to do that, please do the following:

1. Go through and number the paragraphs. Write a small number at the first line of each one.

2. We will read the first paragraph together. For the first and second sentences pick the most important words and write them down on your own paper:
P1 ______________
______________

3. Then read the remaining sentence and write down the most important phrase on your own paper:
P1 _____________________________________________________

4. At the end of paragraph 1 answer the following:
o Does Baldwin know he is a stranger?
o How do you think the people will respond to him?
o What is the purpose of this paragraph?

5. Read paragraphs 2-3 and do the following:
o Copy down unusual words and phrases (usually one per sentence, roughly)
o Copy down the most important sentence;
o Explain what the purpose of the paragraph is.

6. Paragraphs 4 -6 - look for Baldwin’s response and his reflection. Summarize them.

7. Paragraphs 7-9 – Listen closely while I read it to you. Look for the reflection. Write a 1 sentence summary of the reflection for each of the paragraphs.

8. Paragraphs 10-12 – Read these silently. Pick out one sentence per paragraph that jumps out at you for some reason. It may be something that bothers you, or that seems especially striking. Copy these down and explain why you selected them. Give some thought to this. We will discuss people’s finding and offer time to comment on the ideas.

9. I will read paragraph 13 to you. Look for the new description of the village. We will discuss this.

10. Now we will break the class into pairs. Each pair will be assigned a paragraph from among paragraph 15-24 in the essay. Reread you paragraph closely. Identify the important words, phrases, sentences, etc. Identify the main idea(s) and summarize the paragraph.

11. Each pair will read their paragraph aloud. They will then present their paragraphs to the rest of the class and discuss their findings.

12. I will read the last paragraph to the class. Consider and respond to the following:
o Is this conclusion positive or negative?
o Why?
o Why do you think Baldwin wrote and published this essay?
o What do you think Baldwin wanted you to do with the information presented in this essay?

13. For paragraphs 10-13 select just a few choice words, two phrases and one important sentence from each.

14. Skim and reconsider the first 13 paragraphs of this essay. Answer the following:
o Why re their so many foreign words?
o How does the presence of so many unusual words impact you, the reader?
o How do you feel when reading an essay, like this one, with so many foreign and unusual words?

15. Read paragraph 14 closely. Scholars consider this to be the “heart of the essay.” We will discuss this in more detail later.

16. Copy down the last sentence in paragraph 14. This is considered to be the thesis of the essay.

"We Are Marshall" Video - Stranger in the Village

We Are Marshall
English 12 Unit 2: Stranger in the Village

As you watch the film, "We Are Marshall," please write down responses to the following questions:

Watch from the beginning of the film until the end of the funeral and then respond to the following question”

1. Describe, in detail, the “village” as it is portrayed at this stage of the movie.

Now, continue watching the movie until the new team is gathered in a circle on the playing field, each wearing his white uniform.

2. Why does Jack Lengyel elect to become a “stranger” in the village?

Continue watching the film until you get to the part where the team meets at the site of the memorial for the team at the crash site. Pause and take time to fill in this chart (this format could not support a chart so you will need to create it yourself. Below are the components of the chart):

3 Characters who became “strangers in the village”
* Describe/Analyze why the person is a “stranger”
* Describe/Analyze what the impact is on the person
* Assess what becomes of that character. Does the person “belong” or
remain estranged? Why?

At this time you can finish the movie. Then please consider:

4. What are some of the risks that various characters from the film face by being/becoming part of the village?

5. Describe how various characters from the film go from being a “stranger” to being a part of the village.

6. Describe how various characters from the film go from being part of a village to being a stranger.

Resumes Writing

A resume is not a statement of facts. It’s a declaration of intent.
- Rands in Repose

If I could give only one bit of advice for writing a resume, it would be that most employers read a resume for 15 seconds (or at least make a decision within 15 seconds). This is a resume's job--to advocate you as a strong candidate during those 15 seconds. It's not about how much information your resume has on it--it's about how well it conveys important information.
- Robert Peterson, author of Landingthejob.blogspot.com

Know: People are going to judge you based on your written communication. They will expect your resume to look a certain way and contain specific types of information. My goal is to help inform you about what is expected so that you can create a wonderful resume that will get you an interview and a chance to land the job.

Understand: A well written and designed resume can give you the edge to getting the job you want. When an employer posts a job opening many people usually reply. A significant number of applicants will get cut out the competition due to not having all of the requested materials or submitting materials (cover letter, resume) that are error ridden.

Do: We will be reading a few articles on resumes, answering a few questions, gathering personal data and creating resumes. I suggest that you save your resume on a thumb drive/zip drive/memory stick so that you can simply update it for each job you apply for. This can save you a lot of time in the long run.

Let's begin by looking at why a resume is important.
Here's an article that explains why it is important to have a well designed and updated resume, "A Glimpse and a Hook." I think it gives you a realistic look into the mind of a person who does a good bit of hiring. You will find that he contridicts some of what I have said. That is okay with me. I still think that I am giving you good advice that is worth following.

In order to help you focus on what he is saying, please filling the following information from the chart below:

English 12 :Writing a Great Resume:
A Glimpse and a Hook
From RandsinRepose.com


Let’s look at this section by section:

The First Pass:
List the four things he looks at and explain why he focuses on them –

1.

2.

3.

4.

Now, explain why he skips the following sections of a person’s resume –

Professional Objective –
Skills –

Summary of Qualifications –

The Second Pass:
Look at the “In-Depth Job History” section and summarize what creates warning flags.

Now, look at the “Schools and Degrees” segment. What is important to know?

Differentiate, Don’t Annoy:
How can you make your resume stand out from the others? (Hint: The answers will come from two different sections of the reading.)

Explain how formatting can help your resume stand out –

Explain how you should use buzzwords and your ability to talk about them at length –

What is the importance of buzz words and mumbo jumbo?

Why does he want you to tell him a story?

Finally, write a short paragraph about what he means by “a glimps and a hook”.

Now, gather your personal information together before you begin writing your resume. Robert Peterson suggests, "A good exercise is to list 10 things you definitely want someone to know about you within those 15 seconds. For example, this may include that you worked for company A, that you had leadership role B, that you stand out from other students because of C, and the like."

***Now, stop and make your own list of the 10 top things you want people to notice when they look at your resume. For the purpose of this assignment you can pretend that you have graduated from college with a Bachelor's degree and you have worked for two years. Make sure yuor information is realistic for you. (For example, it is unlikely that you would be promoted to CEO in your first year with the firm.) Then, as you are designing your resume, work these in so that they are easy to find in 15 seconds. ***

This is a time of transition in your life. You'll need to provide a prospective employer with information they can use to contact you now or later. Also, remember that many potential employers are web 2.0 savvy and they may look you up. They might run a Google search on your name or they may check out MySpace or Facebook to see who you REALLY are. You'll also want to create a professional email address that you check on a daily basis.

Here's what you need to gather first:
Name, address, telephone, e-mail address, web site address
All your contact information should go at the top of your resume.
• Avoid nicknames.
• Use a permanent address. Use your parents' address, a friend's address, or the address you plan to use after graduation.
• Use a permanent telephone number and include the area code. If you have an answering machine, record a neutral greeting.
• Add your e-mail address. Many employers will find it useful. (Note: Choose an e-mail address that sounds professional. I recommend using gmail.com.If you use an email address like hotchick@abc.com you will sound like a kid and may be treated as such.)
• Include your web site address only if the web page reflects your professional ambitions.


Here are links for articles that provide you with tips and hints on how to write a great resume:
The Secret “So What?” Method To Resume Writing Success
How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume: Part 1 Write a Resume that Generates Results (This has an extensive, impressive set of sublinks)

Step by Step instructions on how to tackle writing a resume can be found at:
How to Construct a Killer Resume, From Start to Finish
Purdue University step-by-step instructions
Prudue University Resume' powerpoint presentation
A Prudue University link about how scannable/electronic resumes differ from traditional resumes.

Now that you have the format and information figured out, you might want to tweak it so that you use the perfect verbiage. Here's some help with that:
60 Resume Achievement Writing Ideas and Expressions
25 words that hurt your resume
Using Resume Keywords

Resume Design Recommendations are found in:
Give your résumé a face lift
The 7 deadly sins of résumé design

Want to see some samples? Look here:
You can view sample resumes from several types of career fields by looking them up on the Resume Resource website.
Or you can check out BlueSky Resumes - Get Creative to see how a simple, plain resume can be energized with formatting.
Innovative and a bit designer resumes are found in 36 Beautiful Resume Ideas That Work
For really artsy, graphic art style check out The 20 most creative resumes i’ve seen in a long time. Pure inspiration

Landing the Job is a great blog that offers straight forward answer to aspects related to getting a career.

Let's get started writing your resume. There is an excellent worksheet and article on resume writing for teens at QuintCareers.com, Teen Resume Writing Worksheet.
Please upload a printable copy of the worksheet (just look for the link on the site) and complete the questions. You will need this when we type up our resumes in class.


Action Words:
• achieved
• acquired
• adapted
• addressed
• administered
• analyzed
• anticipated
• assembled
• assisted
• audited
• budgeted
• calculated
• centralized
• changed
• collaborated
• composed
• condensed
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• contracted
• converted
• coordinated
• created
• cultivated
• demonstrated
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• developed
• devised
• discovered
• doubled • drafted
• edited
• eliminated
• enforced
• established
• evaluated
• expanded
• explained
• forecasted
• formed
• founded
• generated
• guided
• hired
• implemented
• improved
• informed
• insured
• interpreted
• interviewed
• launched
• maintained
• managed
• marketed
• minimized
• motivated
• negotiated
• obtained
• operated
• organized • originated
• oversaw
• performed
• planned
• prevented
• produced
• programmed
• promoted
• provided
• publicized
• published
• recruited
• reorganized
• reported
• researched
• resolved
• reviewed
• selected
• separated
• set up
• simplified
• solved
• surveyed
• staffed
• supervise
• taught
• tested
• trained
• used