| Syllabus
| First Quarter's Assignments | Revised:
Oct. 22, 2008 |
|
| Take
a Peek! [Second Quarter's Assignments] |
Week
of August 20 to 22 (Beginning of First Quarter and First Semester) |
| Wed | First
day of class: Class introductions. English III as part of the Prep English
sequence and the NAD Curriculum Guide (reading, writing, speaking, listening,
viewing). Review of rationale for journaling as part of the writing process. Journal
Writing #1 ("Being back at school is good . . . " or "The best
part of my summer was . . . " or "I'm hoping . . . ") Reading survey
and sharing. No hmwk. [Handshake and potluck tonight!] |
| Thurs | Journal
Writing #2 (untimed: preparation for class discussion): - Why
do we have grades?
- What
function/s do grades serve?
- Agree/disagree:
"Grades are a good reflection of what I know about a subject."
Explain.
- Agree/disagree:
"Grades are a better reflection of how conscientious I am as a student than
how well I know the subject." Explain. (Can students who are organized, don't
procrastinate, and learn the teacher's 'system' earn better grades than students
who know more about the subject but are not as conscientious?)
- Complete:
I get good/not-so-good grades because . . . .
- Agree/disagree:
"Good grades reflect good teaching. If the teacher is really good, everyone
in class will earn good grades." Explain.
- Agree/disagree:
"Grades are fair." Explain.
Hmwk:
Discuss Journal Writing #2 questions with your parent/s and/or some other adult.
Be prepared to explain their ideas in class. |
| Week
of August 25 to 29 |
| Mon | Grief.
Journal Writing #3 (Untimed: A prayer; A drawing; What I hope will happen at Prep
this year; My personal hopes; What I need to accomplish between now and . . .
). Read lit text pp. 32-40 & 42-43. Distribute
British Authors Project. No hmwk.
Leave notebooks
in classroom for initial check. |
| Tues | Intro
British Authors Project. (Select first,
second, and third choices by Thursday.) Class discussion on grades. How do these
ideas impact you personally? How do these ideas play out in English class?
Hmwk:
Work on British Authors Project choices.
Be ready with first, second, and third choices on Thursday. |
| Wed | Journal
Writing #4 (Untimed: What does it take to be "heroic"? Does the word
"heroic" have a different meaning now than it did long ago? Can people
be heroic in different ways?). Make sure you've finished reading lit text pp.
32-40 & 42-43. Review of English
website. No hmwk. |
| Thurs | [30
min. session] Due: First, second, and third choices for British
Authors Project. Course syllabus. No
hmwk. |
| Week
of September 1 to 5 |
| Mon | No
class: Labor Day. |
| Tues | View
"Mother Tongue" (video in The Story of English series). |
| Wed | [Publication
Workshop: half of class members attending wksp.] Browse in Resources
for the Study of Beowulf. Create at least one page of notes (in your
own handwriting, in your own words, with sources) to give evidence of your research
and learning. Notes due Monday.
Hmwk: Publication people need to do
research outside of class. |
| Thurs | [Publication
Workshop: half of class members attending wksp.] Continue browsing in Resources
for the Study of Beowulf. Continue working on at least one page of
notes (in your own handwriting, in your own words, with sources) to give evidence
of your research and learning. Notes due Monday. No hmwk (unless you still need
to finish the research and notes).
[Stacey Juliano Memorial Service: Sept.
6, 4 pm, in PUC Church.] |
| Week
of September 8 to 12 |
| Mon | Due:
At least one page of notes giving evidence of your research and learning in Resources
for the Study of Beowulf. Finish viewing "Mother
Tongue" (video in The Story of English series).
Hmwk (to be
spread over this week): Check out this website: http://www.lone-star.net/literature/beowulf/
--an adaptation from the Old English. Read "A
Note on the Translation." Read "Episode2
- Grendel Attacks," "Episode
3 - Beowulf Comes to Herot," "Episode
4 - Grendel Meets Beowulf" or "Grendel Attacks Again," and
"The Expedition
to Grendel's Mere." AND Browse in Wikipedia
article on Beowulf. |
| Tues | Explore
language of Beowulf. Beowulf
in Old English and audio
file (mp3). Begin reading Beowulf selections (in lit text) aloud in class
(through p. 51).
Hmwk: Continue with browsing started on Monday. |
| Wed | Finish
reading Beowulf selections (in lit text) aloud in class (start p. 52). Discuss
merits of Beowulf story, modern works that have similar cultural roles. Begin
qstns #1-6, 9, 10, 12 & 13. Due by end of class Thursday.
Hmwk:
Complete browsing started on Monday. |
| Thurs |
Read parody aloud: "Grendel's Dog, from Beocat," p. 67. Intro Beowulf
Project. (Due: Tues, Sept. 23) - Write
a parody (See p. 67 and "Beowulf as Inspiration" in Resources
for the Study of Beowulf website.)
- Pick
15 to 20 lines to memorize. (Pay attention to "Performance: Recitation,"
p. 61, for pointers.)
- Write
"Hometown Hero Saves the Day!" p. 61
- Write
"A Hero's Handbook on Living," p. 61
- Create
a visual representation of a scene from Beowulf (movie, artwork, collage,
. . .).
Finish Beowulf
questions (#1-6, 9, 10, 12 & 13) by end of class. No hmwk.
[Prep Football
Tournament on Sunday] |
| Week
of September 15 to 19 |
| Mon | [ITED/CogAt
Testing] Make project choice by end of class. Work on Beowulf Projects.
Hmwk:
Work on Beowulf Projects. |
| Tues | [ITED/CogAt
Testing] No Class |
| Wed |
Work on Beowulf Projects.
Hmwk: Work on Beowulf Projects. |
| Thurs | [ITED/CogAt
Testing] Work on Beowulf Projects. No hmwk. |
| Week
of September 22 to 26 |
| Mon | Venerable
Bede. Read sections in text. Work on qstns #1-5. Due by end of class.
Hmwk:
Finish Beowulf Project. Due tomorrow at beginning of class. |
| Tues | Due
at beginning of class: Beowulf Project (See listing at Thurs, Sept. 11.)
Share projects with classmates. Test review notes on board.
Hmwk: Study
for test (Thursday). |
| Wed | Medieval
manuscripts video. Test review.
Hmwk: Finish studying for test. |
| Thurs | Test:
Beowulf, Venerable Bede, "Mother Tongue" video notes. No hmwk. |
| Week
of September 29 to October 3 |
| Mon | [CR]
Intro Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales. Listen to beginning
of Prologue in Middle English. [Another
audio option] Read aloud from Chaucer's
Prologue to The Canterbury Tales. Pick a pilgrim to become an expert
on: vocab, characterization. Sign up in class.
Hmwk: Become
an expert on your pilgrim. Be ready to read that section aloud in class.
[Check
out the parallel
texts at the Medieval Sourcebook site and/or the parallel
texts with Middle English glossary at librarius.com. Here's a link to another
source, canterburytales.org. Choose "Enface ME-MO" to see parallel
texts.)] ["Becoming
an Expert" assignment] |
| Tues | [CR]
Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales. Continue reading aloud from
Chaucer's Prologue to
The Canterbury Tales. (Students read aloud the passage on "their
character.") [Summary
of "The Knight's Tale" from SparkNotes.com] |
| Wed | [CR]
Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales. Continue reading aloud from
Chaucer's Prologue to
The Canterbury Tales. (Students read aloud the passage on "their
character.") [Summary
of "The Knight's Tale" from SparkNotes.com] |
| Thurs | [CR]
Finish reading The Prologue of The Canterbury Tales. Begin answering "Literary
Elements," #1-3, p. 123. Begin reading "The
Pardoner's Tale," (pp. 125-130).
Hmwk: Finish reading "The
Pardoner's Tale" by beginning of class on Monday. |
| Week
of October 6 to 10 |
| Mon | [CR]
Discuss "The Pardoner's
Tale," (pp. 125-130). Listen to rap version. Intro Chauceresque self-description
assignment.
Hmwk: Continue Chauceresque self-description assignment.
(Due Wed. at beginning of class.) |
| Tues | [CR]
Work period: Chauceresque self-description assignment. Intro Chaucer
in-class essay.
Hmwk: Complete Chauceresque
self-description assignment. Due tomorrow at beginning of class. |
| Wed | [CR]
Due: Chauceresque
self-description assignment. Share self-descriptions in class. Continue working
on Chaucer in-class
essay. (Students may have 3 X 5 card on desk during in-class essay. Card can
include introductory thought, thesis statement, topic sentences, notes about examples,
concluding thought. Do NOT write whole essay on card.)
Hmwk: Complete
preparation for Chaucer in-class essay. |
| Thurs | [CR]
Chaucer in-class essay.
No hmwk.
[POP Church in the Redwoods & Rio Football Tournament this weekend] |
| Week
of October 13 to 17 |
| Mon | No
School: Fall Break |
| Tues | [CR]
Intro poetry unit. Poetry
survey. Examples
of poetry handout.
Hmwk: Complete poetry
survey. Bring a hard copy of a poem (song) that you like.
[Enrichment:
Try this contest @ wordsmith.org.] |
| Wed | [CR]
Due: hard copy of a poem (song) that you like. Share and discuss. Introduction
to sonnets. Read pp. 208-9 in lit text. No hmwk. |
| Thurs | No
Afternoon Classes: Teacher In-Service |
| Week
of October 20 to 24 (End of First Quarter) |
| Mon |
[CR] Sonnets. Pass back papers. Distribute Sonnet
Writing Option and discuss. Read and analyze Wyatt's
"Whoso List to Hunt" and Spenser's
"Sonnet 75." Write response to qstns # 1-3, p. 221. (Due by end
of class) Discuss meters other than
iambic pentameter with examples.
Hmwk: Work on your sonnet--if you're
choosing this option. [Sonnet Writing
Option] |
| Tues | British
Authors Project reminders and examples. [CR] Selected
Shakespearean Sonnets.
Hmwk: Continue working on your sonnet--if
you've chosen this option. [Sonnet
Writing Option] |
| Wed | [CR]
Sonnets. Discuss variations on iambic pentameter with examples. Review for test: - Be
able to identify Italian, English and Spencerian sonnets explain why.
- Describe
what iambic pentameter is.
- Be
able to scan a line of poetry and describe its meter.
- Analyze
problem/situation of sonnet, turn, and how the sonnet resolves.
- Be
able to identify variations on iambic pentameter within a line of poetry.
- Describe
common themes of sonnets, especially from the English Renaissance.
Hmwk:
Prepare for sonnets test or complete your sonnet by tomorrow at the beginning
of class. |
| Thurs | [CR]
Sonnets test OR turn in your sonnet. There will be time to share sonnets.
[WOPAM
this weekend] |