November 24--Parent Support

November 21

Great week students! As we approach Thanksgiving at GMHC, please get plenty of rest. It is one of the most hectic times. The Chef has many news techniques and dishes to teach you in the coming weeks. Enjoy your weekend!

November 20

In this chapter, the ogbanje is discussed. How does the culture feel about children? What do they represent? What does the medicine man advice suggest? How does the Igbo culture feel about woman and motherhood? 

Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options. 

Option 1: Please answer all the questions in complete sentences. Write a paragraph explaining your answer. Be careful with your capitalization and punctuation. 

Option 2: Please answer all the questions in complete sentences. Write a 5-7 sentences explaining your answer. Be careful with your capitalization and punctuation. 

November 19

After reviewing your work, I would like you to think about the first 8 chapters. 

Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options.

Option 1: Please write about your favorite part and least favorite part of the novel in 5-7 sentences. Please provide evidence from the text to explain why it is your favorite or least favorite parts. 

Option 2: Please write about your favorite part and least favorite part of the novel in 4-6 sentences. Please provide evidence from the text to explain why it is your favorite or least favorite parts. 

November 18--1/2 Day

BECAUSE  

Homework: Please catch up on all readings and homework not completed. 

November 17

Chapter 8:

 Bride-price is the converse of dowry.  Common in many African cultures, it involves the bridegroom’s family paying substantial wealth in cash or goods for the privilege or marrying a young woman.  

Homework: Complete 1 of 2 options.
Do you think such a custom would tend to make women more valuable than a dowry system where the woman’s family must offer the gifts to the bridegroom’s family?  How do you think such a system would affect the women themselves?  

Option 1: Answer the questions above in 4-5 sentences. Be careful with your capitalization and punctuation. Please proofread your work before handing it in. 
Option 2: Answer the questions above in 5-7 sentences. Be careful with your capitalization and punctuation. Please proofread your work before handing it in. 

November 17--Parent Support

Parent Teacher Conference Session (Evening & Afternoon)

Evening Session on 11/17/2014 at 5:30PM-8:00PM

Afternoon Session 11/18/2014 at 12:20PM-2:50PM

ALL SESSIONS WILL BE HELD AT THE MAIN SITE LOCATED ON:

MANHATTAN SCHOOL FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT
113 EAST 4TH STREET
BETWEEN 2 & 1ST AVENUE

November 13

Chapter 7
 Most traditional cultures have considered twins magical or cursed.  Twins are in fact unusually common among the Ibo, and some subgroups value them highly.  However, the people of Umiofia do not.  Note how the introduction of this bit of knowledge is introduced on the heels of Ikemefuna’s death.  Why now?  Nwoye serves as a point-of-view character to criticize some of the more negative aspects of Umuofia culture.  This incident will have a powerful influence on his reaction to changes in the culture later.


Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer the multiple part questions below in 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Please answer the multiple part questions below in 7 sentences. 

         

 1. How do Okonkwo’s actions after Ikemefuna’s death reveal how he feels?

2. What is Okonkwo’s attitude toward his daughter Ezinma?  Obierika states, “If I were you, I would have stayed at home.  What you have done will not please the Earth.  It is the kind of action for which the goddess wipes out whole families” (67).  What does he mean?  Think about the character of Obierika – what role might he play in the novel?

November 12

Chapter 6

Introduces a much-discussed aspect of Ibo belief.  As in most pre-modern cultures, the majority of children died in early childhood.  If a series of such deaths took place in a family, it was believed that the same wicked spirit was being born and dying over and over, spitefully grieving its parents.  They tended to be apprehensive about new children until they seemed to be likely to survive, thus proving themselves not to be feared ogbanje.


Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 4 of the 6 questions below. 

Option 2: Please answer all 6 questions below. 

1. What is the purpose of the wrestling match?
2. Why is Okonkwo asked to NOT take part in the killing of Ikemefuna?  
3. Why Do you suppose they have decided to kill the boy?
4. Why do you think Achebe does not translate the song that Ikemefuna remembers as he walks along?  (A machete is a large knife – Spanish machete.)  Why does Okonkwo act as he does? 
5. Comment on Ikemefuna’s cry, “My father, they have killed me” (61). 
6. How does Okonkwo’s action destroy his relationship with Nwoye?