Reading and Assignment Schedule (Subject to Change)
English 300, Spring 2007
Dr. Stewart

Week 1: Mon., Jan. 15: Class Dismissed, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

Week 2: Mon., Jan 22

• Introductions, in-class writing (analysis); talking about topics and themes

Week 3: Mon., Jan 29

Due today:

• Short Guide to Literature (SG), Chapters 1-4. Pay particular attention to terms in bold used in those chapters (conflict, resolution, gap, indeterminicies, etc.), to the section on compare/contrast in Chapter 4, and to "Checklists" provided in some of the chapters. Keep all of these in mind for the remainder of the semester.
• Read Kate Chopin's "Desiree's Baby" found at http://departments.weber.edu/vetsupwardbound/new_page_6.htm
• Read O. Henry's "The Last Leaf" found at http://www.eastoftheweb.com/cgi-bin/version_printable.pl?story_id=LasLea.shtml (you'll be writing your fiction essay on one of these)
• Identify a theme in each
• Annotate the short stories by noting literary elements such as:
  • Irony
  • Setting
  • Characterization
  • Conflict
  • Symbolism or metaphor
  • Ambiguity
  • Point of view
  • Other literary elements
    

Week 4: Mon., Feb. 5

Due today:

• SG, Chapters 6-9 (pay close attention to various approaches to literature (feminism, Marxism, etc.)
• Draft of Fiction Essay Due for peer review (5 pages) (working from "Desiree's Baby" or "The Last Leaf")

Week 5: Mon., Feb. 12

• An Introduction to Poetry, Chapters 1-6
  • Find 2 poems from An Introduction to Poetry that share the same theme
  • Identify that theme
  • Note literary elements such as
    • Irony
    • Setting
    • Characterization
    • Conflict
    • Symbolism or metaphor
    • Ambiguity
    • Point of view
    • Other literary elements
• In class, we will brainstorm your ideas regarding the above
• Fiction Essay Due

Week 6: Mon., Feb. 19

Due today:

• Draft of poetry essay (compare/contrast) due for peer review (5 pages)
• The Giver (all)
• Deeper Reading (DR), Chapters 1-2
• Gallagher writes that he wants "students to think in bigger terms" when it comes to their reading (20). Identify some questions you would pose for students in order for them to think in bigger terms regarding The Giver. Provide your rationale.
• Identify an activity that will help focus the reader (see pages 20-21 of Deeper Reading (DR)) regarding The Giver. Provide a rationale.
• Gallagher uses metaphor to deepen comprehension. In essay form, explain the use of irony in the text. Be sure to include quotations from the text.

Week 7: Mon., Feb. 26

Due today:

• DR, Chapter 3
• Final version of your poetry essay
• Develop an Anticipation Guide for The Giver (see page 40 of DR). Provide a rationale.
• Develop a Theme Spotlight for The Giver see page 41). Provide a rationale.
• Pick one chapter from The Giver and develop Daily Focus Questions (text-dependent, pg. 46, and text-independent questions, pg. 47).

Week 8: Mon., March 5

Due today:

• DR, Chapter 4
• Draft of major compare/constrast essay (5 pages)
• Pick 3 chapters from The Giver and create a text frame with gaps (see pages 55+) for each chapter

Week 9: Mon., March 12

Due today:

• DR, Chapters 4-5
• Final version of major compare/contrast essay
• Create your own Time Line with Questions and Predictions (cite passages for evidence) for The Giver (see page 95 of DR)

Week 10: Mon., March 19 Spring Break, Class Dismissed

Week 11: Mon., March 26

Due today:

• DR, Chapter 6, 7
• Create your own Mystery Envelope, consisting of 20 questions for The Giver (see page 118)
• Create your own Theme Triangle for The Giver (see page 122)
• Create your own metaphorical graphic organizer for The Giver (see pages 146-147)

Week 12: Mon., April 2

Due today:

• DR, Chapter 8, 9, 10
• Create an issues graphic organizer for The Giver (see page 155-56)
• Conduct an internet search and find 3 articles that might be applicable to issues raised in The Giver

Week 13: Mon., April 9

Due today:

• Read "Outrageous Viewpoints" Identify some of the issues brought up in that article that would likely cause The Giver to be a commonly challenged text (also look to the internet for challenges). Identify how you would respond to those challenges. (This should be 3 or 4 pages.)

Week 14: Mon., April 16

• Read "Why Johnny's Teacher Can't Teach" at http://www.city-journal.org/html/8_2_a1.html and George Will's article, "Ed Schools vs. Education" at http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/slstewart/EdSchoolsGeorgeWill.doc
• Relying on your observations and experience, write a response to those articles (about 4 pages).

Week 15: Mon., April 23

• All revisions due today
• Teaching packet due today
• Presentations of teaching packets--approximately 15-20 minutes

Week 16: Mon., April 30

• Presentations of teaching packets--approximately 15-20 minutes

Week 17: Finals Week