2010-2011+US+Lit

2010-2011 American Literature check out the student blog, [|THE DAILY KNIGHT] here's how you can get to the 406 American Literature experience!

Fourth Quarter Assignments
20 May, Friday
 * In-class: We discussed "The Sieve in the Sand" and "Dover Beach"
 * HW: Read pp. 136-165
 * Review for the Semester Exam:
 * Literary Terms
 * 1) allusion
 * 2) antagonist
 * 3) characters
 * 4) characterization
 * 5) external conflict
 * 6) internal conflict
 * 7) dramatic irony
 * 8) extended metaphor
 * 9) Harlem Renaissance
 * 10) hyperbole
 * 11) imagery
 * 12) irony
 * 13) metaphor
 * 14) Modernism
 * 15) narrator
 * 16) novel
 * 17) personification
 * 18) point-of-view (first, third -person, limited, third-person omniscient)
 * 19) protagonist
 * 20) setting
 * 21) situational irony
 * 22) simile
 * 23) symbol
 * 24) verbal irony


 * Works and authors to know
 * 1) //Fahrenheit 451//, Ray Bradbury
 * 2) //The Catcher in the Rye//, J.D. Salinger
 * 3) from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass
 * 4) "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," Ambrose Bierce
 * 5) "A Wagner Matinee," Willa Cather
 * 6) "This is my letter to the world," "'Hop' is the thing with feathers," "Success is counted sweetest," "Because I could not stop for death," Emily Dickinson
 * 7) "The Yellow Wallpaper," Charlotte Perkins Gilman
 * 8) "The Story of an Hour," Kate Chopin
 * 9) "Chicago," Carl Sandburg
 * 10) "Lucinda Matlock," Edgar Lee Masters
 * 11) "Richard Corey," Edwin Arlington Robinson
 * 12) "We Wear the Mask," Paul Laurence Dunbar
 * 13) "Winter Dreams," F.Scott Fitzgerald
 * 14) "I,Too" Langston Hughes
 * 15) "My City," James Weldon Johnson
 * 16) "Any Human to Another," Countee Cullen
 * 17) "If We Must Die," Claude McKay
 * 18) "How it feels to be colored me," Zora Neale Hurston
 * 19) "My Dungeon Shook," James Baldwin
 * 20) "Acquainted with the Night," "Mending Wall," "Out,out---" Robert Frost
 * 21) "The End of Something," Ernest Hemingway
 * 22) "The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock," T.S. Eliot


 * Characters
 * 1) Montag, Mildred, Clarisse, Faber, Beatty, Granger, old woman, book people
 * 2) Holden, Phoebe, Sally Hayes, Jane Gallagher, Stradlater, Ackley, Mr. Antolini, Mr. Spencer, Sunny, Maurice, D.B., Allie
 * 3) Frederick Douglass, Mr. Covey
 * 4) Peyton Farquhar
 * 5) Mrs. Mallard
 * 6) Richard Corey
 * 7) Judy Jones, Dexter Green
 * 8) Nick, Marjorie
 * 9) J. Alfred Prufrock


 * Format of the exam: Most of the exam will be on the novels, //Fahrenheit 451// and //The Catcher in the Rye//. If you read these books, you should do well. There will be a lengthy objective section for the exam, covering the two novels. There will also be an objective portion to cover the material from the textbook (titles are listed above). The objective section will consist of matching, multiple choice, true/false questions. There will be a section where you will be given passages from the text and you will have to identify the literary device that is employed. There will also be an essay question for you to answer, but you will be given a choice of prompts.

18 May, Wednesday
 * In class: We discussed the questions for "The Hearth and the Salamander" and we also discussed the similarities between the world presented in fahrenheit 451 and the world today.
 * HW: Read pp. 100-136. Think about your five books and why you would save them.

16 May, Monday
 * In class: We worked on writing paragraphs determining the significance of one of the following characters---Guy, Clarisse, Mildred. We discussed the importance of books and started working on answering questions for "The Hearth and the Salamander." Presentations of the answers will be given on Wednesday in the beginning of the class period.
 * HW: Read pp. 71-100 of __Fahrenheit 451__. Think about which five books you would save from burning.

12 May, Thursday
 * Here is the information on how to cite a web blog posting from [|OWL PUrdue] Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see how to type up the works cited. When you are citing in-text, use the format provided in OWL Purdue--scroll dow to the [|Electronic Sources section.] What you put in the parenthetical citation depends on what you have written in the text itself.
 * Here's a video on how to integrate quotes
 * media type="custom" key="9389554"


 * Read pp. 31-68. Final paper for The Catcher in the Rye is due on Monday, 16 May.

4 May, Wednesday media type="custom" key="9290360" 2 May, Monday
 * In-class: We discussed questions people had about the reading. We looked at the images students posted on the class wiki. Students worked in pairs on a comic that presented a modern day issue that concerns teens today.
 * HW: Read pp. 180-214. Write a response on the wiki about the ending of the novel: Did you like the ending? Did you hate the ending? Why? Here is the link to the page to post your response.

28 April,Thursday Post a quote response. Make sure that you include the quote and then write your response to it in no longer than 150 words. In your response, establish the context, examine a literary element if it is evident in the quote, and analyze its significance to the development of conflict, character, plot, or theme. Include a graphic element that is appropriate and relevant to the response. Here is the link to the wikipage where you can post your response.
 * In-class: Students worked on a quote worksheet.
 * HW: Read pp. 149-180 and write a quote response to post on the wiki.

26 April, Tuesday
 * In-class: For 3rd period we analyzed characters and placed them in categories. Both classes took a group quiz that focused on the different places Holden visited and what each site told us about him. Here is the link to the [|NYT interactive map].
 * Read pp. 122-149. Be ready for a quiz.

20 April, Wednesday
 * In-class: We discussed the characterization of Holden. We also discussed the different kinds of POV. Students worked on an exercise to change the POV from first-person to the fly-on-the-wall technique.
 * HW: Read pp. 98-122 of Catcher in the Rye. Choose a scene from the novel and rewrite it from a different POV---using the fly-on-the-wall technique, third person omniscient, third person limited. Write your rewritten scene on the wikipage for the American Literature wiki for our class; click on the link here POV.

12 April, Tuesday
 * In-class: We discussed the anticipation guide and discussed how the values expressed in the guide may apply to Holden. Students discussed character motivation. We also read about Valley Forge Academy, which many say is the real "Pencey Prep."
 * HW: Read chapters 4-6 and respond to the following: Who is responsible for Holden's alienation? Use evidence from the novel to prove your point.

6 April, Wednesday
 * In-class: We discussed the Frost poems. 3rd period discussed "The End of Something."
 * HW: Read "[|The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock"] (pp. 846-849). Make sure to fill in your assigned section of the chart on the Modern Period wiki page. Create a caricature of J. Alfred Prufrock, making sure to emphasize features he describes in the text of the poem.

4 April, Monday
 * In-class: We discussed Baldwin's open letter. Students worked on a group quiz. We read the introductory essay on Modernism, "Alienation of the Individual" (pp. 816-818). Students examined the poems by Frost in groups and completed a "conversational roundtable" worksheet based on their assigned poem.
 * A note about tonight's homework: Because we were unable to get through all three Frost poems, please read the Hemingway piece, "The End of Something" and complete the response for that work. If you are in period 4, please finish up the worksheet for the Frost poem you were assigned. Be prepared to present your findings to the class on Wednesday. The prompts for the poetry are there, but you won't need to do those until Wednesday, after we have discussed all three poems.
 * HW: See the note above, but please make sure that you post your response on the 406 American Literature wiki. Go to the link for Modern Period and click on the tab marked "discussion", the prompts should be there. Make sure to click on the prompt and then hit reply---this will ensure that your post is nested under the corresponding prompt.
 * #5, p. 825: Who do you think seems most alone---the speaker in "Acquainted with the Night," the speaker or his neighbor in "Meding Wall," or the boy in "Out, out---"? Support your opinion with references from the poem.
 * #6, p. 825: Based on your reading of these poems, explain whether you think Frost viewed being alone as a positive or a negative experience. Use details from each poem to explain your answer.
 * HW continued...Read [|"The End of Something"] (pp. 829-832). Respond to the following prompt in the American Literature wiki: What are some of the forces in modern American society that encourage long-term romantic relationships, and what are some forces that discourage them? Explain.

31 March, Thursday
 * In-class: We finished annotating and discussing the poems by Hughes, Cullen, Johnson and McKay.
 * HW: Read Baldwin's essay, [|"My Dungeon Shook]" (pp. 792-795). Typed response- What ideas about cultural identity do you get from Baldwin's letter?

29 March, Tuesday
 * In-class: We took notes on the Harlem Renaissance. Students worked on annotating poems by Hughes, Cullen, Johnson, and McKay. Students took notes on the poem presentations.
 * HW: Read Zora Neale Hurston's [|"How It Feels to be Colored Me"] 9pp. 783-786 in your text or click on the link.

Third Quarter Assignments
14 March, Monday
 * In-class: We discussed the story, "In the American Society" and talked about how it related to the American Dream. We read Lucy Honig's "English as a Second Language." We discussed foil characters, contrasting situations, etc.
 * HW: Respond on the wiki to the folowing prompt - Do you think immigration is mostly bad or mostly good for the United States today? Give at least three reasons for your opinion. Make sure that you are able to back up your claims with at least one piece of researched evidence. Please tell us where you found your evidence.

10 March, Thursday
 * In-class: 3rd period- presented their "American Dream" posters. All classes- We discussed "Winter Dreams" and examined the significance of the title. We started reading "In the American Society" (pp. 718-730).
 * HW: Finish reading "In the American Society" and respond to the prompt on the new American Literature wiki (click on the link, click on "The American Dream" and then click on the discussion tab--read other people's responses and then write a response)- At the end of the story, Mr. Chang says, "you girls are good swimmers...Not like me." How does this statement relate to the theme of the story?

8 March, Tuesday
 * In-class: 4th period presented. We started reading "Winter Dreams" in class.
 * HW: Finish reading "Winter Dreams" (pp. 681-698). Answer the questions for the story as you read. Do not wait until the end to answer the questions. If you want to listen, play the [|audio link] here.

23 February, Wednesday
 * HW: Write a poem about your own city or town or about one you have visited. Imitate the style of "Chicago" using epithets and personification, parallelismnto depict the town.

17 February, Thursday
 * Sorry I did not put the link up earlier, but here it is. If you don't get to it, I totally understand. We'll view it in class tomorrow and discuss it then. Think about the questions we discussed in class about what would cause an immigrant to come to a new land. The title of the series is [|"Faces of America."]Click on the link and you will find 5 video segments there. Choose any three to view or view all of them. As I said, we will view them in class tomorrow as I am posting this so late. Just be ready to talk about what America means to immigrants.

11 February, Friday
 * In-class: This is what 3rd period worked on---Students worked in groups and presented information about their given topic based on the short story, "The Story of an Hour." After we discussed the answers, students created epitaphs for Mrs. Mallard. The epitaphs should be ironic or clever or funny. After that we discussed the two essay options for the culminating activity for this section of the unit. Period 4---Because half of the class was gone for the science fair, we watched "Frontier House." We will be one day behind period 3.
 * HW: Period 3 needs to have a draft of their essay for "Women's Voices, Women's Lives." Period 4 has to finish writing the epitaph for Mrs. Mallard. We will complete the other class work when we meet on Tuesday.

9 February, Wednesday
 * In-class: We discussed "The Yellow Wallpaper" and then students took a group quiz on the short story. We also examined how "The Yellow Wallpaper" could be interpreted as a "Gothic horror tale, as a semiautobiographical account of a mental breakdown, or as a symbolic presentation of the effects of social and economic oppression of women." We listened to an audio recording of "The Story of an Hour" as we read it in the text (pp.624-625).
 * HW: Typed response- Mrs. Mallard "breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long." Explain what theme you see expressed by these sentences.

7 February, Monday 1 February, Tuesday
 * In-class: We discussed and examined an annotation of the Dickinson poem, "I never saw a Moor." Students worked in groups to share their annotations of their assigned Dickinson poem. Students presented their annotations and interpretations to the class.
 * HW: Read Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" (pp. 606-618). Please complete the reading guide as you read the short story. If you would like to hear the audio version of the short story, click on this link--[|"The Yellow Wallpaper" audio].
 * Students presented their group topics and posters. We discussed the quote by Margaret Mead on p. 590 and read the timeline and the introductory essay, "Women's Voices, Women's Lives" on pp. 592-596.
 * HW: Students received a packet of poetry by Emily Dickinson. Students were assigned poems by group. Please make sure to read the poem, annotate it, and write up your interpretation of the poem.

28 January, Friday
 * HW: Finish up your posters for the presentation of the topics (liberty and conflict) on Tuesday.

26 January, Wednesday
 * In-class: We went over the homework assignment and discussed Twain's use of local color. We went over what aspects of life on Guam we could include in a story that would have "local color." Students created and performed skit that had characters, conflict, a resolution and use of at least three aspects of local color.
 * HW: Read "A Wagner Matinee" (pp,, 543-550) and complete the chart on the setting of "A Wagner Matinee."

24 January, Monday
 * In-class: We discussed the values taught in "High Horse's Courting." We discussed the elements that lead us to believe that this is a story that is part of oral literature. We read "I Will Fight No More Forever." We read the excerpt from //The Autobiography of Mark Twain// (pp. 531-538).
 * HW: Finish reading the story if you have not done so already. Examine the definition of "local color realism" found in the literary concepts box on p. 539. Create a chart to record the examples of local color realism that are present in the story. Make sure to note what makes it "local color."

20 January, Thursday
 * In-class: We discussed the irony in "The Clod." We read the introductory essay, "Tricksters and Trailblazers" on pp, 510-512. We discussed the misunderstandings that can take place as a result of language and cultural differences. We then read the folktle, "THe Indian and the Hundred Cows" (pp,. 515-516). We answered questions 4, 5, 6 from pp. 519 in class orally. Students worked in groups to create an illustrated chart based on the concept of "Liberty" while another group worked on the authors' uses of irony in the works.
 * HW: Read [|"High Horse's Courting"] (pp. 523-527) and type up a response to p. 528, #4:"He was always teaching me things," Black Elk said of Watanye, who told him this story. In your opinion, what values does "High Horse's Courting" teach?

18 January, Tuesday
 * In-class: We discussed the view of war as presented by Ambrose Bierce in his short story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." We also discussed possible reasons for the situational irony and the structure of the story. We read Lewis Beach's "The Clod" and discussed the meaning the title as well as the ironies in the play.
 * HW: Finish the vocabulary sheet if you did not finish it in class. Typed log: How would you compare the playwright's view of war to Ambrose Bierce's view of war in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"? Consider how the soldiers and civilians are depicted and how military ideals are presented.

13 January, Thursday
 * In-class: We discussed the homework question and then examined how quotes from Emerson's "Self-Reliance" can be related to Frederick Dougalss's narrative. We also completed the vocabulary exercise on p. 457 as a class. We read "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" (pp. 465-473) and completed the worksheet about suspense. Here's a link to the text of[| "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge."]
 * Here's the movie of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"
 * media type="custom" key="8034774" width="140" height="140"
 * HW: Read the letter to Sarah Ballou p. 474. Type up response to the following question from p. 475 (#5) of the text: Judging from this story, how do you think the author, Ambrose Bierce, views war? Consider the following:
 * the statement about hanging and the "liberalmilitary code" (p. 446)
 * Farquhar's sentiments about the Southern cause, ans the result of these sentiments
 * the action of the Federal scout who visits Farquhar

11 January, Tuesday
 * In-class: In groups students answered questions about the opening pages of the unit, Conflict and Expansion. We read the timeline and introductory essay on pp. 440-444. Students wrote the vocabulary words, the part of speech, and definitions on the back of the vocab worksheet. Students completed the vocab worksheet in class. We also watched the following videos about Frederick Douglass.
 * media type="youtube" key="Su-4JBEIhXY?fs=1" height="268" width="336"media type="youtube" key="7j0jvj4e4XU?fs=1" height="268" width="448" align="right"


 * HW: Finish reading the excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (pp. 447-454). Typed response log: What do the conflicts between Douglass and Covey reveal about slavery's effects on both slaves and masters?

Second Quarter Assignments
3 December, Friday 1 December, Wednesday
 * In-class: We discussed "The Fall of the House of Usher." Students turned in their worksheets. We read [|"A Rose for Emily."]
 * If your class did not finish reading the story, please finish it at home.
 * In-class: We discussed "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and the use of Gothic elements. Students worked in groups to answer the questions for "The Fall of the Usher." You may want to look at the [|annotated version] of the story from Virginia Commonwealth University.
 * HW: If you did not finish answering the questions, complete them so that we can go over the answers in class. If you find any other information regarding your section on diction, imagery, or sound devices, please include it on your chart. If you are interested in watching a Vincent Price version of "Fall of the House of Usher," see the link below.
 * media type="youtube" key="DlpZRQap6FQ?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

23 November, Tuesday
 * In-class: We discussed the meaning of the two Cummings poems. We read "The Dark Side of Individualism" (pp. 352-354) and students started reading "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment."
 * HW: Finish reading [|"Dr. Heidegger's Experiment"] and complete the worksheet on allegorical details. Please type up your response to the story. Click on the link to the story to hear an audio recording of the story. Here is the etext version of [|"Dr. Heidegger's Experiment."]

19 November, Friday
 * In-class: Students worked on the poem "anyone lived in apretty how town" by e.e. cummings. Students worked in their poetry groups to answer questions and build an interpretation of the poem.
 * HW: Write down what you think of e.e. cumming's "grasshopper"

17 November, Wednesday
 * In-class: Students worked in two groups---one group examined the Whitman poem, "I Hear America Singing" and the other group examined Whitman's "I Sit and Look Out." Both groups annotated the poem and discussed its meaning with members of their groups. Students then worked on creating a poem modeled after the Whitman poem---making sure to use the poetic devices of parallelism, repetition, and cataloging. Because there was not enough time in class, students will present their interpretation of the Whitman poem and their collaborative poem to the rest of the class on Friday.
 * HW: None---unless your group did not finish the poem, in which case, you must finish it up to present on Friday!

15 November, Monday
 * In-class: We looked at photos of Walden Pond and Emerson's house. We discussed quotes and related quotes from "Sef-reliance" and "Walden." Students worked in pairs or triads to find examples of how transcendentalist thought is present in society today. Students must find quotes from songs, news, tv, movies, etc. or examples of people who exhibit the listed elements of transcendentalism.
 * HW: Finish the worksheet if you have not done so already.

27 October, Wednesday
 * In-class: We discussed the rhetorical devices used by speech writers and essayists. Students examined Patrick Henry's speech and evaluated his use of rhetorical devices.
 * HW: Period 3 has no homework.

21 October, Thursday
 * In-class: We talked about the expectations for the papers that are due on Wednesday. We read "The Right to be Free" and Patrick Henry's speech at the Virginia convention. Students worked on a worksheet analyzing Patrick Henry's arguments for taking up arms against the British forces.
 * HW: Papers on //The Crucible// are due on Wednesday, 27 October.

19 October, Tuesday
 * In-class: We edited papers today. I have copies of the first draft. I will edit those tonight and tomorrow---all of you will have your papers back by Thursday! Fun!
 * HW: You can work on your papers, but remember that I still have the first draft to return to you on Thursday. The paper will be due on Tuesday, 26 October. Please bring your textbook on Thursday.

15 October, Friday
 * In-class: We edited the thesis statements written by the groups. Students worked on their outlines for their papers on The Crucible. Outlines should include the thesis statements, arguments (written as topic sentences), and textual evidence (quotes). Below are the thesis statements we worked on.
 * [[file:CrucibleThesis.pptx]]
 * HW: Please type up your completed draft (at least 500 words) of your Crucible paper. It is due on Tuesday. If you are able to email it to me earlier, then please do so. This will give me a chance to edit your paper by Tuesday.

13 October, Wednesday
 * In-class: We watched the end of The Crucible. We discussed the differences between the movie and the play and analyzed the effects of the differences. We went over the "How to Write a Thesis Statement" brochure. Students got together in their topic groups to develop two thesis statements based on their topic and a character in the play.
 * HW: None

First Quarter Assignments
1 October, Friday
 * In-class: We discussed the internal and external conflicts that people listed for the assigned characters from the play. We also discussed how these conflicts were related to the "crucible" that each character faced. We watched the first 35 minutes of the movie, "The Crucible."
 * Homework: Typed response: Give an example of an internal conflict and an external conflict from Act III. Which do you think contributes more to the tension of this act (Act III)?

29 September, Wednesday
 * In-class: We discussed the different kinds of conflicts. After those were listed on the board, students worked in pairs to find examples of the different types of conflict in The Crucible. We discussed the different kinds of conflict students listed on the board. We also discussed the symbolism of the "crucible." We read Act III (pp. 77-86).
 * HW: Finish reading Act III (pp. 86-111) and list the external and internal conflicts of the character you have been assigned from the "Crucible" worksheet. Don't worry about connecting it to the "crucible" symbolism---just list the different conflicts and offer a brief explanation of the conflicts associated with your assigned character.

27 September, Monday
 * In-class: We went over the questions for Act II (except for period 3!) and practiced writing responses to quotes. See the powerpoint presentation for more information. The last four slides have quote responses written by 4th period.
 * [[file:Crucible - Quote response.pdf]]
 * HW: Write a quote response for any two quotes you found for your theme worksheet. Please make sure that you have added quotes from Act II in your theme worksheet.

23 September, Thursday
 * In-class: We went over the vocabulary for Act I and read the background information for Act II. Students presented their "poppets" for The Crucible. We read Act II in class.
 * HW: Please finish reading Act II---through p. 76. Please answer the questions you have been assigned. All will answer #1 and #6; boys will answer #2 and #4; girls will answer #3 and #5. Your answers should be type-written and double-spaced.

21 September, Tuesday
 * In-class: We discussed the new vocabulary sheet for Act I and we also read some historical information about the time period in which The Crucible is set. We also discussed the ways in which Miller used dramatic irony. We discussed the characterization of Abigail and John Proctor as ironic characters. In groups students created "poppets" that show how their chosen characters appear to the citizens of Salem as well as reveal their hidden secrets and true selves.
 * HW: Complete vocabulary worksheet. Girls will complete the even numbered exercises and the boys will complete the odd-numbered problems. Also, find three quotes (per group) from Act I that illustrate the topic you have been assigned. The 4 topics are authority, hypocrisy, guilt, and hysteria. The assigned topic should be highlighted in your booklet.

17 September, Friday
 * In-class: We took the word-of-the-day quiz. In 3rd period we saw the Maori dancers and then read The Crucible. In 4th period we took the quiz and read The Crucible through Act I.
 * HW: 3rd period has to read through Act I---please finish reading up to page 46.

15 September, Wednesday
 * In-class: We reviewed for the quiz. We discussed the annotations and categorized them as being an element of character, setting, or conflict. Please continue to annotate as you read. Period 4 was had time to read, so we read up to p. 30.
 * Period 3: Please read pp. 30-34 and summarize the commentary. I know it is difficult, just do your best and write down what you understand.
 * Period 4: Please finish reading pp. 19-34 and summarize the commentary on pp. 30-34. Again, I know it is difficult, so please write down what you understand.
 * QUIZ on word-of-the-day vocabulary tomorrow.

13 September, Monday
 * In-class: Students completed a group activity to prepare for the vocabulary quiz on Friday. We also listed the expectations for children today and children in Puritan times. We went over the how to annotate bookmark. As we read pp. 7-19 (3rd period) and pp. 16-25 (4th period), we discussed the conflicts and characters and Puritan ideals presented in the section of the reading.
 * HW: **For period 3,** please finish reading up to page 19 and note the expectations of Puritan children as noted in the text of the play. Start thinking of ideas for your scene illustration. **For period 4**, note the expectations of Puritan children as presented in the reading. Please choose a section of the act to illustrate for your stage setting. This is due on Wednesday.

7 September, Tuesday
 * In-class: Student groups presented their section of the Jonathan Edwards sermon. Students also completed the persuasive speech devices chart. Students also discussed the issues presented on the pre-reading sheet for //The Crucible//.
 * HW: Please read pp. 3-7 of //The Crucible// and answer the questions for the "overture". Girls will answer the odds and boys will answer the evens.

31 August, Tuesday
 * In-class: We discussed students' examples of Puritanism in contemporary American society. We also examined poetic meter. We read the two Bradstreet poems, "To my dear and loving husband" and "Upon the Burning of our house."
 * Quickwrite #2, p. 152: In the last two stanzas of "Upon the Burning of Our House," Bradstreet compares heaven to a house. Develop an analogy, an extended comparison of two things that have certain similarities, to explain your personal view of one of the following concepts: heaven, love, God, home, loss, marriage, wealth.

27 August, Friday
 * In-class: Students wrote their group essays on First Encounters.
 * HW: In the introductory essay, you learned about the values and beliefs of the Puritans. Though the Puritans lived hundreds of years ago, their beliefs and values permeate throughout American society. Type a response noting where you see Puritanism in contemporary American society. Explain the Puritan trait and where you see it. Include an image which helps to explain your ideas.

25 August, Wednesday
 * In-class: We read the story, "They're Made out of Meat" (pp. 127-128). We created a web re: the ideas about first encounters presented in the story. Students then worked in groups to draw connections between the works we read and the ideas presented in "They're Made out of Meat."
 * HW: Read "Between Heaven and Hell: The Puritan Tradition" (pp. 142-146). Write up your summary notes.

23 August, Monday
 * In-class: We discussed the homework assignment---the Puritans' view of nature, God, and the Indians. We also read from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (pp. 101-105). We watched a clip from the mini-series, "Roots." Students in 3rd period had time to complete the vocabulary worksheets.
 * HW: Typed response to #2, p. 106: Which of the experiences that Olaudah Equiano describes in the narrative would be the most difficult for you to endure? Explain why. use imagery in your explanation.

19 August, Thursday
 * In-class: We read "Women and Children First" and worked on the chart to compare primary v. secondary sources. We also discussed the pros and cons of each kind of source. We examined an example of a primary source from early American history and read a summary of the piece. Guidelines for writing a summary were discussed. In groups, students wrote summaries of one of their primary sources.
 * HW: Typed log of question #3, p. 98: On the basis of these excerpts, what conclusions can you draw about the Pilgrims' way of looking at the world? Consider their attitude toward nature, their attitude toward God, their attitude toward Indians.

17 August, Tuesday 13 August, Thursday
 * In-class: We read the introductory essay, "First Encounters." We discussed the posters students created about the Pilgrims. We viewed photos from Plymouth Plantation. We read from Of Plymouth Plantation (3rd period started reading "Women and Children First"). We started working on the strategic reading worksheet to practice summarizing skills.
 * HW: Please finish the strategic reading worksheet on a summary of Of Plymouth Plantation. Please look for a primary source from this period in American history. Look at the links below to find primary sources. Please make sure that your print your example (no more than two-three pages in length, please!).
 * Links for primary sources re: Pilgrims
 * [|Mayflower History]
 * [|First Thanksgiving]
 * [|Primary Sources from the Library of Congress]
 * In-class: We discussed the values they would present in a myth. THen we talked about different kinds of rituals that people follow. We read "The man to Send Rain Clouds" and examined the different rituals that the Laguna and the Catholics follow. We also discussed the external and internal conflicts in the story.
 * HW: Answer the question from p. 51 - Are all the conflicts resolved in the story, "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"? Explain. Please also complete the vocabulary worksheet for "The Man to Send Rain Clouds."

11 August, Wednesday
 * In-class: We went over the vocabulary for "The World on the Turtle's Back." In groups, students answered questions related to the video, "The Native Americans: Tribes of the Northwest." In two groups, students read "Coyote and Buffalo" and "Coyote, Fox, and Whale" and then performed retellings of the myths. We discussed the values that each myth taught to the Okanogan people.
 * HW: Typed response - If you were to create a myth for your peers, what value would you teach or promote? Why? Please answer the question fully, but with no more than 250 words.

9 August, Monday
 * In-class: We went over the chart of creation for "The World on the Turtle's Back." We also discussed the four functions of myth according to Joseph Campbell. Please make sure to go over the elements of Native American literature. You'll need to know this and be looking for it when we read the Coyote stories on Wednesday.
 * HW: Please complete the vocabulary worksheet for "The World on the Turtle's Back." Also, please type up a response for question #3 on page 29: What are the most important things you learned about the values and way of life of the Iroquois from reading this myth? Consider: their attitude toward nature, their view of their gods, important foods, rituals, and games, the roles of men and women.

5 August, Thursday
 * Read "The World on the Turtle's Back" (pp. 23-28) and complete the worksheet on analyzing creation myths.
 * create a gmail account and email me (for the subject box: American Literature Last Name, First Name)
 * turn in your signed syllabus on Monday, 9 August