Syllabus | Assignments Revised: Oct. 18, 2007
Week of August 20 to 24
Mon	Teacher In-Service Meetings
Tues	First day of class: Course syllabus. Journal #1 (My summer questions-untimed). Class introductions. Organize English class notebooks. "Mrs. Dibben, you need to know" questions. Hmwk: Finish organizing (and decorating English class notebook). Finish "Mrs. Dibben, you need to know" questions.
Wed	Read aloud "Shock Tactics," by H. H. Munro. Brainstorm on the subjects of complacency, status quo, powerlessness, and being in a rut. Journal #2 (Untimed: What would it take to get you out of your school rut and into a better, healthier, happier, more successful school year?) Share ideas. No hmwk (as long as your notebook is organized).
Thurs	Syllabus quiz. Read aloud "The Schartz-Metterklume Method," by H.H. Munro. Intro British Authors Project. Hmwk: Investigate authors listed in the British Authors Project. Browse online to decide on your British Authors Project choice.
Week of August 27 to 31
Mon	Due: British Authors Project author choice. (Come to class with 1st & 2nd choice.) View "Mother Tongue" video (from The Story of English series). Take notes on video to be filed in "Notes" section of English notebook. Hmwk: Browse in these "Resources for the Study of Beowulf" [http://www.library.unr.edu/subjects/guides/beowulf.html] in the University of Nevada, Reno, website. Write out in your own words, in your own handwriting, at least a half page of notes to bring to class on Wed. Be prepared to share something interesting/unique with your classmates.
Tues	Due: notes from yesterday's hmwk browsing in Beowulf site. Finish "Mother Tongue" video. Hwmk: continue browsing in these "Resources for the Study of Beowulf" in the University of Nevada, Reno, website. (Check out "The Language of Beowulf" and "Beowulf as Inspiration," especially.) Bring at least a half page of handwritten notes to class on Thurs. Be prepared to share something interesting/unique with your classmates.
Wed	Due: additional notes from yesterday's hmwk browsing in Beowulf site. Read pp. 32-40 & 42-43 in lit text. Journal #3 (Untimed: What does it take to be "heroic"? Does the word "heroic" have a different meaning now than it did a millennium ago? Explain.) Hmwk: Check out this website: http://www.lone-star.net/literature/beowulf/ --an adaptation text used in class. Read "Episode2 - Grendal Attacks," "Episode 3 - Beowulf Comes to Herot," "Episode 4 - Grendal Meets Beowulf." Episodes 6 & 7 encompass the adaptation of the last section we'll read in class.
Thurs	Journal #4 (What happens in your life after Prep? How is what you're doing here this year going to make your future easier/better? What decisions do you need to make this year? To what extent do you control your own success?). Discuss epic hero and the hero plot line in other works. Begin reading Beowulf selection in text, starting on p. 44. No hwmk. Leave English notebooks in the classroom for initial check.
Week of September 3 to 7
Mon	No class: Labor Day
Tues	Explore language of Beowulf. Beowulf in Old English and audio file (mp3). Finish reading aloud Beowulf selection in text. Discuss pagan and Christian elements of selection, epic heroes, and why cultures create larger-than-life heroes. No hmwk.
Wed	[Publications Workshop] Journal #5 (Untimed: Epic heroes, Biblical and otherwise). Do Beowulf qstns, #1-6, 9 & 10, p. 60. No hmwk.
Thurs	[Publications Workshop] Complete qstns, #1-6, 9 & 10, p. 60--if not completed yesterday. No hmwk.
Week of September 10 to 14
Mon	Read aloud "Grendel's Dog, from Beocat," p. 67. Intro Beowulf Project. (Due: Thurs, Sept. 20) Choose one option: 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!" or "A Hero's Handbook on Living," p. 61 Create a visual representation of a scene from Beowulf (movie, artwork, collage, . . .). [Right click to download 2004 Beowulf video .mp4 file (141 MB)] View previous years' Beowulf videos. Decide on project during class time and submit choice before leaving class. Hmwk: Continue working on Beowulf Project (due Thurs, Sept. 20).
Tues	[British Authors Project intro by PJ H.] Intro Venerable Bede, pp. 78-79. Read aloud selection from The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, pp. 81-83. Read aloud "Caedmon," pp. 83-84. Hmwk: Continue working on Beowulf Project (due Thurs, Sept. 20).
Wed	Journal #6 (Ecclesiastical history of your own life). Continue with Venerable Bede. View examples of illuminations for medieval manuscripts, pp. 32, 79, 80. Do qstns. #1-5, p. 85. Illuminate answer sheet in style of medieval manuscript. Due in class. Hmwk: Continue working on Beowulf Project (due Thurs, Sept. 20).
Thurs	View Medieval Manuscripts (Available in PUC library: VTR Z 107 .A7 M4 1993). Continue working on Beowulf Project (due Thurs, Sept. 20).
Week of September 17 to 21
Mon	[ITED/CogAt Testing] No class. Hmwk: Continue working on Beowulf Project (due Thurs, Sept. 20).
Tues	[ITED/CogAt Testing] No class. Hmwk: Continue working on Beowulf Project (due Thurs, Sept. 20).
Wed	Work period for Beowulf Project--due tomorrow. Test review notes on board. Hmwk: Complete Beowulf Project.
Thurs	Due: Beowulf Project. Share projects. Journal #7 (Midterm self-assessment). Review for test. Hmwk: Study for test over Beowulf, etc. (Beowulf, Venerable Bede selections, "Mother Tongue" video notes, and "Medieval Manuscripts" video notes)
Week of September 24 to 28
Mon	Test: Beowulf, Venerable Bede, "Mother Tongue" video notes, "Medieval Manuscripts" video notes. No hmwk.
Tues	Intro Geoffrey Chaucer and Canterbury Tales. Begin reading Prologue (through Monk). No hmwk. Hmwk: 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.]
Wed	Listen to beginning of Prologue in Middle English. [Another audio option] Intro Prologue-style description of self writing assignment. Continue reading aloud from Chaucer's Prologue to The Canterbury Tales (to doctor). Hmwk: Read about the "General Prologue" and The Canterbury Tales.
Thurs	Continue reading aloud from Chaucer's Prologue to The Canterbury Tales (to parson). Journal #8 (Untimed: devise a physical and behavioral description of one of the pilgrims we have already read about). No hmwk. [ "Chaucer's tales become rap songs"]
Week of October 1 to 5
Mon	Discuss characteristics of pilgrims. Continue reading aloud from Chaucer's Prologue to The Canterbury Tales. Hmwk: Work on your Prologue-style description of self.
Tues	Finish reading aloud from Chaucer's Prologue to The Canterbury Tales. Hwmk: Work on your Prologue-style description of self. Due Thurs.
Wed	No class (senior event with Mrs. Denton) Hwmk: Work on your Prologue-style description of self. Due Thurs.
Thurs	Due: Prologue-style description of self. Share Canterbury Tales pilgrim illustrations. (Click on links in left column, and click on small illustrations to enlarge.) Work on a medieval-style illustration for your Prologue-style description of self. Prepare for an essay test. Essay test question options (pick one): Identify and explain three characteristics that Chaucer admires in a person Identify and explain three characteristics that Chaucer thinks deserve criticism. Include a thesis statement in the intro to your essay, and support your answer with references to specific characters. You may have one 3" X 5" card on your desk while you write the essay. (Notes on the card may include the thesis statement, topic sentences, references to specific characters. You may NOT have your whole essay written on your card and merely copy it out on Tuesday. Cards will be collected with your essay test.) No hmwk--unless you want to continue your preparation for Tuesday's test. [WOPAM this weekend]
Week of October 8 to 12
Mon	Continue with test review and illustrations for Prologue-style description of self. Illustrations and final drafts of Prologue-style descriptions are due by end of class. Hmwk: Prepare for Canterbury Tales test.
Tues	Test postponed because of Senior Portraits. Study period for essay test. Hmwk: Prepare for Canterbury Tales test.
Wed	Test: Prologue of The Canterbury Tales. (See essay question options, Thurs above.). No hmwk.
Thurs	Mrs. Dibben gone: work period. No hwmk.
Week of October 15 to 19 (End of First Quarter)
Mon	[British Authors Project Intro by Chris W.] View King Arthur: The Legend and the Land. Read "Miracle and Morality Plays," p. 173. Read "Allegory," p. 188. Read selections from Le Morte d'Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory. Chpts 5-7, Book 1 and pp. 159-164 [Book XXI, Chpt III; Chpt. IV; Chpt. V; Chpt. VI; Chpt. VII]. Hmwk: Complete reading, pp. 159-164. [Links to homework reading: Book XXI, Chpt III; Chpt. IV; Chpt. V; Chpt. VI; Chpt. VII] [Learn more about Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory.] [Complete text of Le Morte d'Arthur]
Tues	Reading quiz: Mallory hmwk reading. Intro Everyman. Pick parts. Read Everyman (pp. 175-187) aloud. No hwmk.
Wed	Continue reading Everyman. Do qstns #1-5, 8-10, & 14, p. 188. (Due by end of class.) No hmwk.
Thurs	Read "The English Renaissance," pp. 199-206. Read "The Sonnet," pp. 208-209. Sonnet reading day. Read 221-top (Sonnet 30, Spenser), p. 234 (Sonnet 39, Sidney), & p. 211 ("Whoso List to Hunt," Wyatt). Hmwk: Think about a sonnet topic. You will be writing an original sonnet about something that is important to you. Assignment requirements: Use a Petrarchan, Shakespearean, or Spenserian rhyme scheme. Word process the sonnet, and decorate and/or illustrate it. Due in class next Thurs. (Submit to Turnitin.com by next Thursday, midnight.) [If you need a quick reminder about the sonnet rhyme schemes, check out the Wikipedia article, "Sonnet."]