12th Grade: Welcome and H.W.#1, Due Friday, 9/5

Welcome to Writing in the World!

1. Fill out the brief college essay survey on Google Classroom. It will help you and your teacher plan how to make use of your time to write a meaningful and effective college essay.
2. Review the essay topics: https://www.commonapp.org/blog/announcing-2025-2026-common-app-essay-prompts
3. Join Google Classroom! Do Writing Discoveries 1 and 2 of “The College Essay Guidebook” in the working document attached to the assignment in Google Classroom. This will be your working document for all Writing Discoveries. Print this out and bring it to class to share some of it with peers in small group discussions.
   
   Go to Amazon (link below). YOU WILL FIND WRITING DISCOVERY 1 and WRITING DISCOVERY 2 by CLICKING ON READ SAMPLE (it is directly under the book cover image). Scroll down to find them. Of course, you may choose to read the introduction now (or you will read it later). I advise you to read and do Writing Discovery 1 without looking at Writing Discovery 2. Then, move on to Writing Discovery 2. : https://www.amazon.com/College-Essay-Guidebook-Powerful-Yourself/dp/0999391909/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=david+mandler&qid=1631417851&sr=8-1

10th Grade: WELCOME to FOUNDATIONS, H.W.#1, Due Friday, 9/5

Welcome to Foundations of Literature! An exciting year is ahead of us, so, let’s get straight into the thick of it.

Homework #1: Read Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.”

1. As you read, underline a part of the text you find significant, confusing, amusing, or anything else and write on the margins (or in your notebook) why you underlined it. Be prepared to share this work in class as a springboard for a larger discussion. (around 20 minutes)
2. In class, we’ll develop your reflections on what Plato is really arguing about the nature of truth or what connections you can make to your own world. Jot down some of your initial thoughts in your notebook. If it’s confusing, so be it! Confusion is your friend. Don’t worry. We’ll be developing these thoughts more thoroughly in class during small group and all class discussions. DO NOT USE AI OR OTHER SOURCES. Right now, what YOU think is what matters. Don’t spend more than 5-10 minutes on this work.

Google Classroom has the documents handed out in class, including the reading. Here’s a digital copy of that one here. https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/seyer/files/plato_republic_514b-518d_allegory-of-the-cave.pdf

A DIFFERENT TRANSLATION OF “THE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE” IS DRAMATIZED IN THIS VIDEO. WATCH IT. IT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE TEXT BETTER. Some of you may find the text easier to understand if you watch this first. It’s only 8 minutes.

Final Note of Appreciation to SENIORS–Rising College Freshmen

It has been a pleasure and a privilege for me to have been your English teacher this year. May you find success (or success find you) in whatever you choose to do in your life.

ALL MISSING ESSAYS MUST BE SUBMITTED ON TURNITIN.COM NO LATER THAN MIDNIGHT TODAY, 6/16, ON TURNITIN.COM. SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CLOSED AS MP3 ENDS TODAY. PLEASE EMAIL ME A BRIEF MESSAGE WHEN YOU SUBMIT IT, SO THAT I KNOW TO CHECK FOR SURE.

If you have not returned any of the books, please do so by putting your name on a slip of paper into the book and placing the book in my mailbox.

I’ll leave you with an original song of mine (which I recorded instrument by instrument a while ago on my Triton keyboard). I’d record the singing part differently now, but that’s another point. If you want to hear my “official” goodbye song, scroll down to the sophomore announcements. Oh, and feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel now that you’re leaving Stuy.

Final Note to the Sophomores, Rising Juniors!

You may submit the end of year reflections UNTIL WEDNESDAY, 6/18, on Jupiter for a grade.

I’d like to thank you for all the hard work, dedication and intelligence you have demonstrated both in and out of our class throughout the year. The quality of class discussions has been impressively high precisely because you came to class prepared. I am aware that the amount of work you had to do was at times daunting, but I hope that all that work has translated into some concrete writing and thinking skills and an larger knowledge base you will be able to access in future years. Thanks for trying to be the version of yourselves in class. Keep on saying the lines, “All Nature is but art unknow to thee…” etc. and, perhaps, one day you’ll even believe it to be so.

If you have not returned books, put your name on a slip of paper in your book and leave it in my mailbox either on the second floor or in room 601.

Don’t be strangers! Say hi when you see me in the hallways, on the subway, etc.

Have a wonderful summer!

I leave you with a song I did in class some time ago. I let you all go. Good luck on Regents and finals.

12th Grade: H.W.#80, Due Monday, 6/16

1. Finish and post your Kazohinia reflection/book review on Jupiter (submit it on Google as well).
2. Bring back all books you still have.
3. Submit ALL missing essays on turnitin.com by Monday for possible credit. Submissions will CLOSE on Monday!

IF ABSENT, PUT YOUR NAME ON A PIECE OF PAPER, SLIP IT INTO THE BOOK, AND PLACE YOUR BOOK IN MY MAILBOX IN ROOM 601.

–Bring some chips, soda, cakes, cookies, you name it. But bring yourself for sure.

10th Grade: H.W.#80, Due Monday, 6/16

1. Continue working on projects AND the end-of-the-year reflections (in Google Doc). Jupiter will open later.
2. BRING BACK YOUR BOOK FOR COLLECTION. REMOVE POST-ITS.
   
   NOTE: All missing major assessments MUST be submitted by Monday, 6/16. When you submit your very late assignment, EMAIL Dmandler@stuy.edu to let me know I should check it. Turnitin does not send notifications.

12th Grade: H.W.#79, Due Friday-Monday

1. BRING BACK KAZOHINIA THE BOOK! You will be using it to write your book review/reflections IN CLASS tomorrow. It will be COLLECTED at the end of class AS WELL AS ANY OTHER BOOK YOU HAVE NOT RETURNED YET.
2. Begin working on your reflection Kazohinia in Google Doc. It will have to be posted on Jupiter Forum for a grade by MONDAY, 6/16. You will be sharing out your reflections IN CLASS on Monday.
   
   * What are your reflections on Kazohinia?
   * What did you like/dislike about its 1) plot, 2) style, 3) concepts presented?
   * How has your understanding of the novel changed as a result of class discussions?
   * How has your understanding of yourself and the world changed?
   * Why/why not would you recommend it?
   
   Eventually, if you want it to make a difference in the real world,
   POST THIS on amazon.com in the reviews section under the book. It’s easy to find.

NOTE: ALL MISSING MAJOR ASSESSMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY MONDAY, 6/16. OTHERWISE, THE ZERO STAYS.

NOTE#2: Check comments and grade on turnitin.com for The Vagrants essay.

10th Grade: H.W.#79, Due Friday-Monday

1. If you have not presented yet, work on your presentations full steam.
2. EVERYONE will have to submit the FINAL reflections on the course next Monday. A Google Doc will be opened for you to work in–but you will upload it to Jupiter (multiple submissions in case it’s too large for one).
   
   As the year comes to an end, it is time for some larger reflections on how far you’ve come in this course. Think about each unit of the course from September to now (“Allegory of the Cave,” Oedipus the King, Antigone, Theban plays, Tao Te Ching, Mythology, The Odyssey, Candide, Siddhartha, Macbeth, Dracula, The Unbearable Lightness of Being and The Master and Margarita).
   Which unit or book did you like the most/the least and why? (this question covers only TWO books, of course).
   What did you forget almost immediately? What have you retained? Why?
   What concepts/skills have you learned that you can transfer from one course to the next? (tragedy, Aristotle, synecdoche, metonymy, any other new concepts…)
   What theme do you now see that connects almost all of these works of literature?
   What other book would you recommend (especially if you know people in other classes who talked about a book you would have liked to have read)?

12th Grade: H.W.#78, Due Thursday, 6/12

1. Finish reading the novel, Voyage to Kazohinia. You will have ample time over the next few days.
2. Write at least two post-it notes.

Looking Ahead (DUE June 16 on Jupiter Forums): Write a reflection on the novel Voyage to Kazohinia. It will have to be posted on Jupiter Forum for a grade. What are your reflections on Kazohinia? What did you like/dislike about its 1) plot, 2) style, 3) concepts presented? How has your understanding of the novel changed as a result of class discussions? How has your understanding of yourself and the world changed? Why/why not would you recommend it? If you want your writing to make a difference in the real world, post your review on Amazon.com in the reviews section under the book. It’s easy to find.

We may MAKE some time for this written work on Friday in class. On our last day together as a class, we will be sharing out your reviews. You may bring some pop corn, snacks, chips and drinks for our last session fiesta.

ONCE AGAIN: ALL OUTSTANDING ESSAYS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY JUNE 16TH FOR CREDIT. Missing essays from June 17th=zero.

10th Grade: H.W.#78, Due Thursday, 6/12

WORK FULL STEAM ON YOUR PROJECTS AND THE STATEMENT OF INTENT IN THE WORKING DOCUMENT WHETHER YOU PRESENT ON THURSDAY OR LATER.

There should be no unedited/untouched working documents by tomorrow afternoon.

If you present on Thursday, you need to have your statement of intent submitted on turnitin.com AND bring in a hard copy for me to read as you’re presenting. We will have NO TIME for technical glitches. It’s your responsibility to make sure that your video/pictures/anything digital WORKS. Email me your project in advance just in case, so that I can pull it up before class.

Here it is: Margarita Remastered. I’d love to see which lines you liked–which rhymes you thought “good” or any other reactions–especially as a comment under the video. I’m also curious to know which lines would require some explanations. You can always email me with your reactions to this poem or with questions about your presentation (Dmandler@stuy.edu).