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WARNING: The lesson plans listed here are to give you a good idea of what's coming up in the near future. They are not absolute guarantees, and the further into the future they go, the less likely they are to be accurate. Things come up unexpectedly; sometimes it takes more or less time to cover a unit, sometimes there's a snow day, and sometimes I just change things to suit your and my schedules better. The best advice I can give you is that the closer the plan is to the CURRENT DATE, the more likely it is to be correct. Check with me if you have any questions.

Week of August 28, 2006

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  

Welcome back. Sharing of class information, poetry packet, "getting to know you."

HW: Read poems on first 3 pp. of poetry packet and evaluate them. What are the best and worst, and why?

Book of the Week:

Gilgamesh by Stephen Mitchell

 

 

Discussion of good and bad poems from yesterday--difference between what we like & what is good.

HW: Journal Entry#1(pick one)--

A. Does analysis kill or improve literature?

B. The difference between "serious" and "popular" writing.

C. Have we any right to judge literature as good or bad.

Each journal entry will count 30 points.  

 

Continuing with good and bad poetry.

HW: Journal Entry #2--Pick a sonnet we did not analyze and piece out its meaning. No more than one page. At this stage, if you identify the problem areas of the sonnet w/o clear interpretation, that's OK.

 

Picture Day in the Auditorium. We'll finish what we can when we return. Vocab List #1 First quiz next week.   Whee! A day off after an exhausting week!

Week of September 4, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Labor Day

Book of the Week:

The Know-it-All by A.J.Jacobs

 

 

Reading  Shakespeare sonnets in class followed by group work to interpret it. What do you find?

Can you define characteristics of a sonnet?

HW: Journal Entry #2--Pick a sonnet we did not analyze and piece out its meaning. No more than one page. At this stage, if you identify the problem areas of the sonnet w/o clear interpretation, that's OK.

Metaphysical poetry of Donne & Herbert. Characteristics of it.

Lecture on meter and rhymes.

 

 

Analysis of some poetry in the supplementary packet.

HW: Journal entry #3--Address one of the questions in the supplementary packet on your own.

FIRST THREE JOURNAL ENTRIES DUE ON TUESDAY!

Vocab Quiz #1

Lesson #2

 

Week of September 11, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Introduction to poetry project. 

Book of the Week:

State of Fear by A.J.Jacobs

 

 

Working in pairs to analyze poems you've chosen.
Hand in 3 journal entries: 40 pts. each.

Working in pairs to analyze poems you've chosen.

Poem presentation by Mr. Steen. Also handing out & explaining sheets on holistic grading.
Poem presentations start Monday.

Vocab Quiz #2

Lesson #3

 

Week of September 18, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Poetry presentations 

Book of the Week:

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

 

 

Poetry presentations

Poetry presentations

Vocab Quiz #3

Lesson #4

 
Act 80

 

Week of September 25, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Poetry presentations 

Book of the Week:

Short Stories by Roald Dahl

 

 

Poetry presentations
Journals #4 & 5: Write responses response to two of the poems presented by the groups. This should be a combination of appreciation and "analysis."

Poetry presentations
Journal #6: Choose one of the poems and questions from the supplementary packet to respond to.
OR
Write a short analysis of "The Cambridge Ladies" by e.e. cummings. It's in your packet

Tentatively: Looking at a few essays from the journals you handed in on 9/12.

Vocab Quiz #4

Lesson #5

 

 

 

Week of October 2, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Introductory discussion of Shakespeare and his plays. Hand out copy of Macbeth 

Book of the Week:

The Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger

 

 

Reading Macbeth aloud, taking parts, discussing scenes, etc. as we go.
Make sure you look at what I added to #6 last week!
 
Reading Macbeth aloud, taking parts, discussing scenes, etc. as we go.
 
Reading Macbeth aloud, taking parts, discussing scenes, etc. as we go.
Journals 4-6 due. 40 pts. each.

Vocab Quiz #5

Lesson #6

 

 

 

Week of October 9, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Act 80 Day: No class.

Book of the Week:

Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain
Every week this month we celebrate "Banned Books Month" by highlighting a controversial book you have to read!!

 

 

Reading and discussing Macbeth.
Click here for details on the Macbeth paper.

The due date for this paper will be announced at a later date, but will probably be less than a week after we finish the unit.
 
Reading and discussing Macbeth. Reading and discussing Macbeth.
 

Vocab Quiz #6

Lesson #7

 

 

 

Week of October 16, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Reading and discussing Macbeth.

Book of the Week:

1984

George Orwell
Every week this month we celebrate "Banned Books Month" by highlighting a controversial book you have to read!!

 

 

Reading and discussing Macbeth.
Click here for details on the Macbeth paper.

The due date for this paper will be announced at a later date, but will probably be less than a week after we finish the unit.
 
Reading and discussing Macbeth. (There is a possibility that we will watch some of the video today.) Showing first part of Polanski's Macbeth.

Vocab Quiz #7

Lesson #8

Next week we go to the libarary two days to work on the research paper.

 

 

 

Week of October 23, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Information on the Macbeth paper.

Book of the Week:

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley
Every week this month we celebrate "Banned Books Month" by highlighting a controversial book you have to read!!

 

 

Reading and discussing Macbeth.
Click here for details on the Macbeth paper.

The paper is due November 14.
 
Reading and discussing Macbeth. To the library for research on the paper.

Big vocab test 1-8

 

 

Week of October 30, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Reading and discussing Macbeth--probably finish.

Book of the Week:

Dracula

Bram Stoker
Every week this month we celebrate "Banned Books Month" by highlighting a controversial book you have to read!!

 

 

Video on Macbeth. Both the Polanski and the McKellan versions will be compared.
Click here for details on the Macbeth paper.

The paper is due November 14.
 
Video on Macbeth. Both the Polanski and the McKellan versions will be compared.
For good information on MLA style and writing tips, go to Literature Links under Term Paper
Video on Macbeth. Both the Polanski and the McKellan versions will be compared.

Vocab Quiz #9

Lesson #10

 

 

Week of November 6, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Video on Macbeth. Both the Polanski and the McKellan versions will be compared.

Book of the Week:

The Lessons of History
Will and Ariel Durant

 

 

Video on Macbeth. Both the Polanski and the McKellan versions will be compared.
Click here for details on the Macbeth paper.

The paper is due November 14.
 
Video on Macbeth. Both the Polanski and the McKellan versions will be compared.
For good information on MLA style and writing tips, go to Literature Links under Term Paper
Objective test on Macbeth.  

Vocab Quiz #10

Lesson #11

 

 

Week of November 13, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
No School

Book of the Week:

The Stranger
Albert Camus

 

 

Finishing tests.
Hand in Macbeth paper (200 pts.)
 
Introduction to the AP Lit and Comp. exam: Practice test and a look at essay questions. Go over answers to objective test. Look at one or two sample answers to essay questions.

Vocab Quiz #11

Lesson #12

 

 

Week of November 27, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
No School

Book of the Week:

The Golden Compass, etc.
Phillip Pullman

 

 

Reading "The Enormous Radio" by Cheever

 
Discussion of "The Enormous Radio"
HW: Read "The Swimmer"
Discussion of "The Swimmer"

Vocab Quiz #12

Lesson #13

 

Week of December 4, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Reading "An Encounter" by Joyce, following a short lecture on Joyce and his work.

Book of the Week:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

 

 

Discussion of "An Encounter."
HW: Read "A Little Cloud"
Discussion of "A Little Cloud"
HW: Read "Counterparts"
 
Discussion of "Counterparts"
There will be an essay to go along with the short story unit. Click here for details.

Vocab Quiz #13

Lesson #14

 

Week of December 11, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Reading "The Dead" by Joyce.
Here's a link to help you read the story better.

Book of the Week:

The Divine Comedy by Dante (This is NOT a book of the week; it is a book for your lifetime.)

 

 

Discussion of "The Dead."
There will be an essay to go along with the short story unit. Click here for details.

 
Discussion of "The Dead."
Essay will be due before you leave for Christmas vacation--any day (100 pts.)
 
Looking at sample essays from the Joyce/Cheever essay project.
 

Vocab Quiz #14

Lesson #15

 

Week of December 18, 2006  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Looking at Joyce/Cheever essays from years past.
Book of the Week: Marley and Me by John Grogan. If you love dogs (and who doesn't), this is the national bestseller that lives up to its reputation.
Watching A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas. Watching A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas. Coloring and Games. Bring your crayons, markers, board games. No School

 

Week of January 1, 2007  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
No School
Book of the Week: The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Yes, The Hobbit, the beginning of what was arguably the greatest fantasy fiction ever written. If you haven't read it, you're in for a rare treat.
Joyce and Cheever essays due. (100 pts.)
Introduction to Dante's Inferno and Divine Comedy.
HW: Read 1st 2 cantos of Inferno.
Discussion of Cantos 1 & 2 of Inferno.
HW: Read cantos 3 & 4 of Inferno.
Make sure you go to "Literature Links" to check out the INVALUABLE study guide!!
Discussion of Cantos 3 & 4 of Inferno.
HW: Read cantos 5 & 6 of Inferno for Monday.

Vocab Quiz #15

Lesson #16

 

 

Week of January 8, 2007  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Discussion of Cantos 5 & 6: the Lustful and the Gluttons.
HW: Read cantos 7 & 8 of Inferno.

Book of the Week: Eats, Shoots and Leaves, by Lynn Truss.
Discussion of Cantos 7 & 8: the avaricious and prodigal and the wrathful.
HW:
Study for text tomorrow.
 
Short answer test (open book) on Cantos 1-8.
HW: Read cantos 9 & 10 of Inferno
 
Go over answers to yesterday's test (provided everyone's taken it) and discuss Cantos 9 & 10.

Vocab Final #1-16

 

 

 

 

Week of January 15, 2007  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
No School: Act 80
HW: Read cantos 9 & 10 of Inferno.

Book of the Week: To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee.
Discussion of Cantos 9 & 10: the heretics.
HW: Read cantos 11 & 12 of Inferno.
Discussion of 11 & 12: the overall plan of hell and the violent.
HW: Read cantos 13 & 14 of Inferno.
Discussion of 13 & 14: the suicides and the blasphemers.

Vocab Quiz #17

Lesson #18

 

 

 

 

Week of March 19, 2007  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Discussion of Cantos 28 & 29
Book of the Week: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Discussion of Cantos 30 & 31
 
Discussion of Cantos 32 & 33
 
Discussion of Cant0 34 & Review.
Test on Monday on Cantos 28-34.

Vocab Final 17-24

Lesson #25

 

 

 

 

Week of March 26, 2007  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Test on Dante 28-34. 4 x 6 note card OK.
Book of the Week: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Introductory discussion of Faulkner. Perhaps video on him to begin with.
 
Finish video on Faulkner.
Be prepared to discuss first few chapters of AILD on Thursday.
Begin discussion of AILD. Open up with who the characters are and the overall situation of the novel.

Vocab Quiz #25

Lesson #26

 

 

 

 

 

Week of April 2, 2007  

Monday Tuesday   Wednesday   Thursday   Friday  
Discussion of AILD. Open up with who the characters are and the overall situation of the novel.


 

Silent reading of AILD. Discussion of AILD. No School

No School