AMERICAN LITERATURE

2010-2011 COURSE OVERVIEW

FIRST SEMESTER
FIRST QUARTER
SEPTEMBER 8-21: INTRODUCTIONS, TOPICS, THEMES, AND DREAMS
9/8: Introductions and Expectations
9/9: Letter due; /Intro. American Themes & Dreams
9/10: American Themes and Dreams
9/13: 5 themes/Explorer Lecture
9/14: Columbus and Smith
9/15: How to watch a movie; prep for “In America”
9/16&17: “In America”
9/20: Finish “In America and work on questions
9/21: Discussion/ Questions Due

SEPTEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 5: INTENSIVE WRITING WORKSHOP

(BRING WRITER’S INC. EVERYDAY)
9/22&23 Why we write; WWS procedures/ what makes good writing good and
how do I get better?
9/24: Begin Position Paper #1: The Self-Presentation Essay
9/27: Composition Time
9/28: Samples, Examples and Principles (Details and Specifics)
9/29&30 What the heck is Peer-Review?/Peer Review #1
10/1: Begin Position #2: The Parable Essay
10/4: Composition Time
10/6&7: Return Position #1/Samples and Examples (Beginnings)
10/11: Peer Review #2
10/12: Begin Position Paper #3: The Snapshot Essay
10/13&14: Samples, Examples and Principles (Sentence Variety)
10/15: Composition Time/Return Position #2
10/18: Samples, Examples and Principles
10/19:
10/20&21: Peer Review #3/Introduce Position #4: Then and Now
10/22: Composition Time
10/25: Grammar
10/26: Samples/Grammar
10/27&28: Peer Review #4/Introduce Position #5: The Opposing Voice
10/29: Grammar/Return and Review Position 3
11/1&2 Peer Review #5/Grammar
11/3: Grammar
11/4: Grammar Quiz/Return position #4
11/5: Introduction to Reader Responses
SECOND QUARTER
NOVEMBER 8-DECEMBER 3: TOPIC 1-THE INDIVIDUAL (The Catcher in the Rye)
11/8: Discussion #1 Chpt. 1-5
11/9&10: Return position #5 and Quiz/Revision Introduction
11/12: Introduction to The Catcher in the Rye and JD Salinger
11/15: Topic 1: the individual
11/16: The Puritans
11/17&18: The Minister’s Black Veil (Read and Discuss)
11/19: Discussion #2 Chpt. 6-10

THANKSGIVING!!!

11/29: Revision, Reading and Review

11/30: Discussion #3 Chpt. 11-end
12/1&2: Midterm Examination #1
12/3: Revision work
12/6: Revision work
12/7: Revision due/Prepare for The Crucible
12/8&9: The Crucible
12/10: Discuss Young Goodman Brown
12/13: Return Midterm 1
12/14: Finish The Crucible
12/15: Discussion/Questions Due
12/16&17: Midterm #2

CHRISTMAS VACATION

JANUARY 4-21: PERSUASION AND ARGUMENT

1/4: Introduction to Persuasion and Argument/Revision 2 handed out
1/5&6: Logical Fallacies
1/7: Forms of Appeal
1/10: Building and Supporting Arguments
1/11: The Enlightenment (Franklin)/Review Sheet Handed Out
1/12&13: Argument analysis
1/14: The Enlightenment (Jefferson & Paine)
1/18: Examples (If/Then Clauses)
1/19&20: Peer Review Typed Draft/Begin Freaks & Geeks
1/21: Freaks & Geeks

1/24-1/27: FINAL EXAMS

SECOND SEMESTER

THIRD QUARTER
JANUARY 31-MARCH 10: TOPIC 2: RACE (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
1/31: Exam examination/Handout eclectic essay assignment/Annotation
2/1: “Race”
2/2&3: Culture Shock/Begin Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
2/4: Discuss Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
2/7: Set-up and begin “Mainstream”
2/8: Discussion 1: Chpt. 1-4
2/9&10: “Mainstream”
2/11: Finish “Mainstream”
2/14: Questions Due/Discussion
2/15: Reading time
2/16&17: Discussion 2: Chpt. 5-10/Begin Twain Movie
2/18: Finish Twain
2/22: Reading time
2/23&24: Peer Review (Eclectic Essay)
2/25: Discussion 3: Chpt. 11-18
2/28: Read/ Overview of The King, Duke, Colonel Sherburn
3/1: Discuss 23, 30, and 31
3/2&3: INTRODUCE TOPIC 3: NATURE: A River Runs Through It
3/4: Realism/Prep for midterm
3/7: Finish Culture Shock
3/8: Discussion 4: 32-end
3/9&10: Midterm Exam
3/11: A River Runs Through It
3/14: Finish A River Runs Through It
3/15: Questions Due/Transcendentalism
3/16: Transcendentalism
3/17: Quiz/Return Midterm

SPRING BREAK

MARCH 28 – APRIL 16: RESEARCH (Bring Writers Inc. everyday)

Schedule handed out at time of assignment
4/16: Research Project Due
FOURTH QUARTER
APRIL 18-MAY20: TOPIC 4-MONEY, CLASS (The Great Gatsby)
4/18: Money, Class, and the Disillusionment of the Dream
4/19: Modernism
4/20&21: Begin Poetry Project
4/25: Discussion 1: Chpt. 1-3/Poetry
4/26&28: Work Day
4/29: Work Day
5/2: Discussion 2 Chpt. 4-6
5/3: Poetry and Poems
5/4&5: Work Day
5/6: Fitzgerald and Modernism
5/9: Fitzgerald and Modernism
5/10: Last Gatsby Discussion
5/11&12: Midterm
5/13-17: Work Days
5/18-20: Presentations

MAY 23 – JUNE 10: THE WESTERN (Lonesome Dove)

5/23: The Western: True American Literature/The Portfolio
5/24: Prepare and Begin Lonesome Dove
5/25&26: Lonesome Dove
5/27: Discussion 1 and Review Sheet
5/31: Lonesome Dove
6/1: Lonesome Dove and Discussion 2
6/2&3: Lonesome Dove and Discussion 3
6/6: Lonesome Dove (Short, ungraded discussion)
6/7: Lonesome Dove
6/8&9: Finish Lonesome Dove
6/10: Portfolio Due/Questions Due/Final Discussion