College Prep World Classics Literature and Composition semester course Mrs. Cave

Transcription

1 College Prep World Classics Literature and Composition semester course Mrs. Cave Course Overview and Objectives This course is designed with a variety of purposes: to increase critical reading and writing skills so that the student can better interpret and discuss classic World Literature, and to accustom each student to the demands of college-level thinking, writing and workload. This course provides sustained explicit instruction in the areas of: Literary terms and devices Analytical reading strategies Socratic Seminar discussion format Conventions and traits of effective expository prose Guiding Principles: Reading and Writing Weekly reading and discussion of chapters from Thomas C. Foster s How to Read Literature Like a Professor help us to build a shared foundation of language for meaningful analysis and interpretation of texts. Students are required to keep a reading journal/notebook for all texts and daily vocabulary, grammar and class discussion notes. Besides daily journal writing, students can expect to write weekly essays, some of which may be timed writes, two processed papers of three to five pages each, and one MLA research paper of six to eight pages. Students are required to meet a minimum of once per grading period with teacher, before or after school, for an individual writing conference. With the exception of daily journal entries, all writing in the class is teacher and peer edited at least once, prior to submission for a grade and all papers may be re-written for a grade up to an A- within one week of being returned to student. Daily writing may take the form of journal entries to reflect on in-class reading, reaction to and explication of a poem or short story, and/or practice grammar/spelling within context of reading text. Essay topics will often mirror AP Lit Exam questions 1 and 2. First essays will be processed with first draft teacher and peer edits and as students become familiar with the expectations, timed writes will be incorporated. The Author and Works paper is outlined in the Final class project. It requires extensive research, MLA citation, rigorous self, peer and teacher editing and revising, as well as oral presentation to class. Instructional Focus: Review of Close Reading, Literary Terms, and Elements of the College Essay ex. Synopsis versus Summary (Do Not Merely Summarize the Plot!) correct insertion of quotes, evidence, evidence, evidence and Basic Strategies for Poetry Explication i.e. TP-CASTT and DIDLS

2 Texts and supplements may include but are not limited to: The Inferno---Dante A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich---- Alexander Solzhenitsyn The Odyssey Homer Othello, Hamlet, The Tempest Shakespeare Frankenstein Mary Shelley Oedipus Rex, Antigone Sophocles Medea--Euripides A Doll House Henrik Ibsen The Awakening Kate Chopin A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens Writing About Literature E.J. Roberts How to Read Literature Like a Professor Thomas C. Foster Grades We have two grade periods per semester. There are four units per grade period for a total of eight with a research paper/presentation project constituting unit nine. Unit grades will be assessed in this way: 40% attendance and participation-includes daily journal entries and or reading comprehension quizzes and discussion 30% weekly essays, timed writes and/or tests 30% processed papers and final paper and presentation ***Honors designation available*** See teacher for contract Units of Study Each unit includes weekly chapter readings and discussion of Foster s book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Literary Foundations Units 1-4 Texts: Selections from Genesis, the Epic of Gilgamesh, Inferno, Oedipus Rex, Antigone and/or Medea, Hamlet, Jason and the Argonauts Various short stories and poetry. Independent Reading Choices: Beowulf, Siddhartha, Don Quixote De la Mancha, Gulliver s Travels, The AEneid, The Iliad, Scarlet Letter, The Chosen, Dracula, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Candide, Madam Bovary, Frankenstein, The Crying of Lot 49 Choose an essay prompt from list provided by teacher and write a 3-5 page literary analysis paper on your chosen novel-due October 21,2011.

3 ***Introduction of Literary Circle Project *** Limit 3-5persons per group-no exceptions Due at end of Unit 6. Students will choose a book of literary merit from the list provided and in groups of 4-5 closely read the text and discuss in Socratic Seminar style. Students will take a test on the novel and: 1. Keep a reading log for the novel, keep track of meaningful passages and quotes, react to author style, tone and technique, vocabulary in context, as well as other commentary and reactions as needed. 2. Each member of the group will read, keep up with group dictated timelines and create critical thinking questions to discuss with the group. 3. Each member will choose an appropriate essay prompt with teacher guidance and write a processed paper which addresses the prompt in relation to the novel read with clear, concise thesis and extensive and detailed support from the novel, with careful treatment of quotations. Due December Help to plan and execute a group presentation of the book to the class with visuals and handouts, which include the key literary elements of the novel, the style and literary importance of the author and an explanation of the social, historical or cultural significance of the work. Presentations begin on December 14. Unit 5 and 6 Cultural Perspectives Text: The Poisonwood Bible Independent reading choices for Literary Circle Project: When Heaven and Earth Changed Places, The Things They Carried, They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, I Will Fight No More Forever, Catch-22, All Quiet on the Western Front, The God of Small Things, The Jungle, The Good Earth First draft of Final Unit 9 MLA research paper due for peer editing on January 10. See last page of syllabus for details. Unit 7 British classics Texts: A Christmas Carol, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations Unit 8 Existentialism Texts: Waiting for Godot,

4 Unit 9 Semester Final Presentations begin ten class days before last day of class. Requirements: 1. Formal Literary Analysis (7-10 pages) paper-persuasive format-mla research based. Keep a reading journal 2. Research an author; his or her life and times as well as political, social, historical and literary significance and read two novels as well as short fiction and poetry by the author; read literary analysis texts as appropriate. (Minimum 5 sources-no more than three internet sources). 3. Connect the author s life and times to the political, social, historical and literary movements of the times. Identify aspects of the author s writing which exemplify his/her views, literary contribution, political attitudes or historical significance. This constitutes your thesis. 4. Presentation to class with visual (15-20 minutes) 5. Actively observe each presentation, take notes and prepare questions for discussion. FURTHER HELP FOR THIS COURSE IS AVAILABLE 1. Any day after school 2:35pm- 3:30 pm, Room By appointment 6:35am 7:25 am and during lunch, Room Voice mail (360) ext jcave@sw.wednet.edu 5. Web page accessible through SWSD #206 web site Assignments will be posted on Skyward on the day they are due. An asterisk (*) designates that the assignment was turned in but has not yet been graded. A zero (0) designates that the student did not turn in the assignment. Parents may contact SWHS Registrar, Dee Brown for Skyward access codes: dbrown@sw.wednet.edu Tutorials or reading circles will be scheduled after school for continued discussion, writing conferences and practice with poetry explication, timed writes and multiple -choice exams prior to the AP test in May.

5 Literary Foundations