Daily Schedule

 

 

This is a tentative schedule, subject to change due to class pace, unexpected class cancellations, and other factors.  We will follow this daily course outline pretty closely, and it provides you with a sense of what to expect each week, so you can manage your time accordingly.  You are expected to come to class with assigned reading for each night completed, and have prepared any Portfolio entries, rough drafts, or final polished essays due on that day, unless I specify otherwise in class.

 

T     Jan. 24      Syllabus review, orientation, and definition of Literature.

 

T     Jan. 31      Retellings, Preface xv-xvii, Chapter 1, 15-29, Elements of Literature, 31-36,

                        44-45, 56-70, Chapter 4, Reading Poetry, 85-102, Elements, hand out on reading

                        poetry. Roethke’s My Papa’s Waltz, 67-68.   

 

T     Feb. 7       Randall’s Ballad of Birmingham, 885-6, Patterson’s Birmingham 1963, 886-7.

Farina’s Birmingham Sunday, 887-8, Hughes’ Birmingham Sunday, 888-9.  Work

                        with a student model of a portfolio entry.

           

T     Feb. 14     Portfolios 1 & 2 are due.  Introduce Biographical Research Essay

                        Assignment, continuation of “Birmingham” poetry, and watch Spike Lee’s

                        Documentary Four Little Girls.          

 

T     Feb. 21     Retellings, Writing about Literature, 149-180, work with a student model, MLA

                        review.

                    

T     Feb. 28     Draft Day:  Biographical Research Essay.  Peer Review/Conferencing.

                        Retellings, Chapter 3, Reading Short Fiction, Elements, 73-84, Chopin’s Story

                        of an Hour, 73-75.

           

T     Mar. 7      Continuation of Chopin’s Story of an Hour. Watch The Joy That Kills, film.

 

T     Mar. 14    Final Biographical Research Essay is due. Retellings, Chapter 8, Monsters and                             

Heroes, 183-186, Oates’ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? 186-97.

                        Introduce Comparison/Contrast Essay.

 

T     Mar. 21    Watch film clip from Smooth Talk, read Retellings, The Pied Piper of Tucson,

                         198-208. Explicate Dylan’s, It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue, 209.

 

T     Mar. 28    Portfolios 3 & 4 are due.  O’Connor’s, A Good Man is Hard to Find, 393-403,

                        Carter’s The Fall River Axe Murders, 211-227.

 

T     Apr. 4       Draft Day:  Comparison/Contrast Essay.  Peer Review/Conferencing.  In a

                        New Light, 233-236, Guilty—No!  No! 241-245.

 

April 10-16      SPRING BREAK:  COLLEGE CLOSED

 

T     Apr. 18     Final Comparison/Contrast Essay is due.  Chapter 5, Reading Drama, 103-122,

                        Valdez’s Los Vendidos, 103-118, film, hand out Giovanni’s Love Poems.

 

T    Apr. 25      Portfolios 5 & 6 are due.  Nikki Giovanni’s Love Poems.

                       

T     May 2       In-class Poetry Explication.  Portfolio revisions are due.  In-class

                        Conferencing.  Watch film clip of Giovanni reading her poetry.

 

Final Exam Period:  Mandatory attendance required, and an absence on this night will count double.  Although you are not taking a final exam for this class, on this evening I will be returning Portfolios and your Poetry Explication, and if time permits, averaging final grades.