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Copy of Breakdown MDE MAAP 12 point rubric

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Narrative

Finishing the Story

McKnight Malmar wrote an engaging story about a woman, Janet, who is faced with several internal and external conflicts, while being confined into a house during a massive storm.  At the end of the story, she finds herself, ironically, running outside into the storm’s safety.  Study McKnight Malmar’s voice/style and use of third person point of view; then, write a new ending beginning when Janet runs outside into the storm.  The story should be written so that the reader cannot tell that a new author has taken over the story, and the events that you create should stay true to the original plot.

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- Cut the FATT: F= What fact is the prompt telling you? A = Who is the audience (formal writing)? T = On what topic are you being asked to write? T = What is the task (writing mode)?

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Tuesday and Wednesday Guided Reading with annotating and writing to the passage as we read in our writer's notebook.

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* Annotate and deconstruct the MDE writing rubric.
* Make anchor charts and checklists for students to use as a guide throughout the year.
* Guided reading of "Lamb to the Slaughter"

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In a 2000 review, Grace Glueck described Hopper as a "master of loneliness" whose barren landscapes, silent interiors, and pensive figures convey "a haunting emptiness." The desolation becomes most unsettling in those pieces that depict ostensibly intimate situations; Hopper veils his couples' expressions from us and one another with his indistinct brush strokes and moody shadows.

Edward Hopper suggests rather than conveys, and his characteristic restraint compels us to rifle through the oppressive ambiguity for unspoken truths or hidden secrets. In Roberta Smith's review of 'Hopper Drawing' at the Whitney, she explains how viewers want "to get behind the curtain of Hopper's stillness and figure out what's going on," which explains why countless artists, filmmakers, and writers have been riffing on Hopper's work for years.

It is also what makes Hopper so appealing in a high school E.L.A. classroom. Integrating any art into literacy instruction is easy because it so effectively proves to students that the more they look, the more they see - an essential point that is less easily made with written text. Hopper's work in particular is a gold mine for readers who need to practice inferencing, because the truths are whispered, not shouted, and students really need to lean in to hear them.

To model for students the process of intertwining visual art and storytelling, we pair Hopper's "Room in New York" (1932) with Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter." Dahl's juxtaposition of domestic banality with an unforeseen act of violence is pure Hopper, and students love it.

For one thing, they don't have to look too far to recognize the many inter-textual connections. Like Hopper's "Room in New York" couple, Dahl's characters are in a relationship that is both insufferably claustrophobic and deeply disengaged. Hopper's couple could have modeled for Dahl's twisted tale of vengeance. Readers don't see any of it coming, and neither do the characters.

Both pieces poke at what simmers beneath the placid surface of ordinary lives, and what they unearth is darkly disturbing. How well can we really know the people with whom we share our lives? What secrets are they concealing from us? If familiarity breeds contempt, as these two texts suggest, is being alone really the worst thing? Maybe not, if the alternative is living with someone who decides to smash your head in with a slab of frozen meat.

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Key Questions:
* What causes people to close themselves off from the world and each other?
* What truths are buried in silence? * Is it ever possible to truly know our loved ones?
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Activity Sheets: As students read and discuss, they might take notes using one or more of the three graphic organizers (PDFs) we have created for our Text to Text feature, which matches often-taught texts with Times articles and other content.

* Comparing Two or More Texts

* Double-Entry Chart for Close Reading

* Document Analysis Questions

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Text 1: Edward Hopper's "Room in New York," 1932. _________ A Master, Between the Lines - 'Hopper Drawing,' at the Whitney Museum"

There's not much action in the art of Edward Hopper, who revealed the American soul by freezing and monumentalizing the American scene. His paintings give quiet moments of everyday life an Egyptian stillness; they are fixed in an eternal present, shorn of superfluous detail, rendered as if carved in stone. Their blocky immobility is part of their psychological weight.

In Hopper's work it is emotion, not motion, that counts, the feelings that roil beneath the surfaces of his images. These are conveyed but not explicit in the figures; the isolated buildings and houses; the offices, coffee shops and bedrooms; the empty roads and deserted gas stations; the honeyed annunciating light and the very atmosphere. And then there are the feelings the images arouse in us.

Sometimes it seems that Hopper (1882-1967) could have eternized almost any undistinguished moment of introspection or inaction in anyone's life. That's why his paintings can make us wonder about the opportunities for consciousness and revelation we have been blind to in ourselves. It is also why we strive to get behind the curtain of Hopper's stillness and figure out what's going on.

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Text 3: Excerpt from "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl. (Find the complete story here.)

"Listen," he said. "I've got something to tell you."

"What is it, darling? What's the matter?"

He had now become absolutely motionless, and he kept his head down so that the light from the lamp beside him fell across the upper part of his face, leaving the chin and mouth in shadow. She noticed there was a little muscle moving near the corner of his left eye.

"This is going to be a bit of a shock to you, I'm afraid," he said. "But I've thought about it a good deal and I've decided the only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you won't blame me too much."

And he told her. It didn't take long, four or five minutes at most, and she sat very still through it all, watching him with a kind of dazed horror as he went further and further away from her with each word.

"So there it is," he added. "And I know it's kind of a bad time to be telling you, but there simply wasn't any other way. Of course I'll give you money and see you're looked after. But there needn't really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. It wouldn't be very good for my job."

Her first instinct was not to believe any of it, to reject it all. It occurred to her that perhaps he hadn't even spoken, that she herself had imagined the whole thing. Maybe, if she went about her business and acted as though she hadn't been listening, then later, when she sort of woke up again, she might find none of it had ever happened.

"I'll get the supper," she managed to whisper, and this time he didn't stop her.

When she walked across the room she couldn't feel her feet touching the floor. She couldn't feel anything at all - except a slight nausea and a desire to vomit. Everything was automatic now - down the steps to the cellar, the light switch, the deep freeze, the hand inside the cabinet taking hold of the first object it met. She lifted it out, and looked at it. It was wrapped in paper, so she took off the paper and looked at it again.

A leg of lamb.

All right then, they would have lamb for supper. She carried it upstairs, holding the thin bone-end of it with both her hands, and as she went through the living-room, she saw him standing over by the window with his back to her, and she stopped.

"For God's sake," he said, hearing her, but not turning round. "Don't make supper for me. I'm going out."

At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head.

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For Writing and Discussion
1. In what ways do the texts reinforce stereotypical gender roles? In what ways do they defy them?

2. Do the artists appear to be supporting or criticizing these stereotypes? Do you believe one gender is portrayed more sympathetically? Explain.

3. With whom do you identify most in both the painting? The story? Are we meant to sympathize with Mrs. Maloney or be horrified by her, or somewhere in between? What about Mr. Maloney? Does the way Hopper depicts the figures in "Room in New York" make them more or less appealing to you? Discuss how each artist uses point of view to add meaning to his text.

4. Why do you suppose Dahl doesn't provide a definitive cause for the breakdown in the Maloney's relationship? And why would Hopper obscure the facial expressions of the figures in his paintings? Do these omissions make the texts more or less satisfying to you as a reader? Why?

5. Both texts depict intimate relationships at varying stages of disintegration. In what ways might these unhappy couples suggest broader sociological commentary about divisions in the world beyond our homes?

6. Does the Times review help you to understand Hopper and what he is trying to convey? What lines from the review apply especially well to "Room in New York"? How? Do any of them also apply to "Lamb to the Slaughter"?
Going Further
Both Hopper and Dahl created work that depicts the emotional toll of social alienation and estrangement. The following articles discuss the considerable impact isolation can have on physical health at all stages of life.

" The Toll of a Solitary Life"

" Having Friends is Good for You, Starting in Your Teens"

" Meet, Mingle and Stay Healthy "

For many people, however, social exclusion is sadly not a choice. And still others are natural introverts for whom forced social interactions are in themselves stressful.

Ask students to construct an argument in response to the following questions, conjoining evidence from the articles with their own thoughts on the subject.

* Can articles like these cause more harm than benefit? And can social isolation even be quantified?

* How many friendships are enough to stave off the damaging effects of loneliness? Is this a fixed number, or does it vary from person to person?

Then, invite them to think about how art conveys emotion, the way Hopper, the "master of loneliness," conveys a sense of isolation. Have students click through the slide show from the 'Hopper Drawing' exhibit, at the top of this post, and describe what specific features suggest this to them. What do these paintings add to their discussion about loneliness? What is the distinction between loneliness and solitude? Is it possible to live a fulfilling life completely alone? Why or why not?

Then, challenge students to make some art of their own - inspired by the Dahl story or one of Hopper's paintings. Students can create poetry, drama, song lyrics, video, or use any other genre of creative expression. To help, teachers may want to use these two assignment worksheets (both Word documents):
Crime Story Outline Art Imitates Life
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Does Digital Connectedness Count?
Few would argue that technology has transformed our social interactions and behaviors in profound ways. Though it is creating new opportunities as well as shrinking boundaries and facilitating relationships, at what costs have we embraced the digital revolution?

Have students look around on the subway, at the park, or in just about any public space. How many people have their faces buried in their electronic devices, oblivious to everyone and everything around them?

Then, invite students to use the arguments that appear in the Room for Debate: "Is Digital Connectedness Good or Bad for People?" to construct a response to the following questions, or some of their own.

* To what extent does your own mobile device interfere with your desire or ability to interact with others in close proximity to you?

* What might you be missing out on, if anything?

* Are human beings actually becoming more isolated from each other than ever before, or has technology improved our capacity for connection?

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The Importance of Being Needed
After reading "Lamb to the Slaughter," one wonders if Patrick Maloney's palpable disdain for his wife's compulsive desperation to serve him ultimately prompted her murderous rage. And in Hopper's "Room in New York," the male figure's imperviousness toward his lonely female companion is similarly painful to witness.

Students might read one or both of the pieces suggested below, and answer the related questions.

1. In an Times Op-Ed entitled " Dalai Lama: Behind Our Anxiety, the Fear of Being Unneeded," published a few days before the 2016 presidential election, the Dalai Lama argues that "we all need to be needed," and that "the more we are one with the rest of humanity, the better we feel." Though he concedes that our political leaders have a particular responsibility to ensure more compassionate, inclusive societies, he stresses that on a personal level, we can all satisfy "the universal human hunger to be needed."

After reading, ask students:

*In what simple, practical ways can you behave more inclusively or compassionately in your own daily interactions with others?

*When passing a casual acquaintance in a school hall, or when locking eyes with a stranger on the subway, what is your typical reaction? Do you quickly look away, bury your face in your phone, or do you smile and say hello?

* For one day, can you adjust your responses to better align with the advice given by the Dalai Lama, and record any differences you experience in your mood or state of mind as a result? What conclusions can you draw about how consciously connecting with others affects your own emotional well being?

* Use your own data to formally respond to the following prompt: Do you believe it is more effective to enact social change on a personal level through your own choices and daily interactions with others, or via large-scale social and political activism, such as the recent Women's Marches?

2. In "Lamb to the Slaughter," Mary Maloney dotes on her husband. This can be interpreted as alternately nurturing and solicitous, or cloying and suffocating, a dynamic often replicated between parents and their adolescent children.

In "My U-Turn From Isolation to Intimacy," single mother Michelle Fiordaliso examines the poignant dissolution of emotional intimacy in her life as her teenage son grows up and away from her.

After reading the article, have students consider the following questions:

* With whom do you most identify in the article, the mother or her teenage son? Explain.

* How can you remain emotionally connected with your parents while simultaneously maintaining your own independence?

* How can you establish boundaries in your relationships without pushing away too hard or hurting a parent's feelings?

* Is it even your responsibility to make your parents feel better about your need for autonomy?

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Hopper as a Muse
Few Hopper paintings are as recognizable as "Nighthawks" (1942), which has been endlessly studied, investigated, and reproduced by countless artists, and also parodied by American cultural icons such as "The Simpsons," "Sesame Street," "Peanuts" and ""Star Wars" to name a few.

According to Hopper biographer Gail Levin, "Nighthawks" was inspired by a 1927 Ernest Hemingway short story, "The Killers," which in turn spawned the 1946 film noir classic by the same name, directed by Robert Siodmak.

Students can study these interconnected texts to better understand how artists and writers speak to each other across genres and time periods, and to discuss what about "Nighthawks" makes it so universal and iconic.

Though he died in 1967, Hopper's moody ambiguity and unspoken truths continue to beckon artists, writers, and musicians to this day. Here are a few of the many examples:

" At Edward Hopper's Home, Legally This Time"

In 2013, internationally renown multimedia artist Tony Oursler staged a site-specific art installation at Hopper's childhood home in Nyack, N.Y., where he once broke in as a child when it was unoccupied and in disrepair.

" If Hopper's Freeze-Frame Magic Sprang to Life"

In 2008, the University of Maryland and the National Gallery of Art in Washington jointly produced a one-act opera inspired by five Hopper paintings called "Later the Same Evening." Included in the show are the dysfunctional couple depicted in "Room in New York."

" Gustav Deutsch Brings Hopper's Paintings Alive"

Inspired by a 2004 retrospective of Hopper's work in Europe, Austrian filmmaker Gustav Deutsch transformed 13 Hopper paintings into a live-action, feature-length film in 2014 called " Shirley, Visions of Reality."

Invite your students to find more examples, in The Times and elsewhere.

Finally, you might invite students to craft their own fictional narratives inspired by one of his pieces. This construct has been replicated often, with the latest iteration released in December 2016: In "In Sunlight or in Shadow" is an anthology of Hopper-inspired short stories written by authors such as Joyce Carol Oates and Stephen King. What stories might your students write?

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Additional Learning Network Resources for Visual Arts & Literary Instruction
* Our Monday What's Going On in This Picture? live-discussion feature invites students to do the same kind of close-reading and inference-making as they do with Edward Hopper, above.

* Our ongoing series about teaching the elements of art with images and articles from The Times has lessons on texture, color, shape, form and line so far.
Jeanne Coffey-Chun teaches English at Wallkill Senior High School in Wallkill, N.Y., where she taught this lesson to her 11th grade classes.

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Text to Text | Edward Hopper and Roald Dahl

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In a 2000 review, Grace Glueck described Hopper as a "master of loneliness" whose barren landscapes, silent interiors, and pensive figures convey "a haunting emptiness." The desolation becomes most unsettling in those pieces that depict ostensibly intimate situations; Hopper veils his couples' expressions from us and one another with his indistinct brush strokes and moody shadows.

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Thursday with a guided reading. Friday students will skim, annotate and write to a prompt using the strategies of cutting the FATT and staying true to the task.