October 7th, 2013

10/7/13

In Class:
Journal--  Choose a 'golden line' from your most recent reading; using this line as your first line, write a poem or a narrative.

Students worked independently on final projects.

Exit ticket: Name one thing in which you take pride.

Homework:
Try to finish your final project ASAP.

October 4th, 2013

10/4/13

In Class:
Journal--  Respond to the following quote: "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots." - Marcus Garvey

Students worked independently on final projects.

Exit ticket: Set one academic goal for yourself for this weekend.

Homework:
Work on final projects! (Try to finish a draft of your essay by Monday.)
Catch up on any missing work or journal entries.

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/culture.html#h8frcVwvhHym10wT.99

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/culture.html#h8frcVwvhHym10wT.99

October 2nd, 2013

10/2/13

In Class:
Journal--  Identify a 'golden line' from your reading so far. Explain its meaning and reflect on its significance.

Students worked independently on final projects.

Reminder: show me your notes before the end of the day tomorrow!

Note: This Friday, October 4th, will serve as a make-up Monday for Labor Day. Please bring your materials for Advanced Lit.

Exit ticket: What, specifically, will you not write for your final essay?

Homework:
Read for your final project.
Try to complete a draft of your essay over the weekend.

September 30th, 2013

9/30/13

In Class:
Journal--  Compile a list of your identity traits and roles, each beginning with the phrase "I am...".

Lecture on critical race theory: a school of criticism focusing on the analysis and deconstruction of the portrayal of race in literature and art. We specifically focused on the social construction of race, the transparency phenomenon, and the cultural portrayal in Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Students had the remainder of class to work independently on final projects. Reminder: I need to review your notes on or before this Thursday!

Exit ticket: Approximately what percentage of your final project reading have you completed?

Homework:
Work on final projects!

September 25th, 2013

9/25/13

In Class:
Journal--  Respond to the following quote: "Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development, and building good governance." -Kofi Annan

Discussed and reviewed feminist theory in literary criticism: a school of analyzing events, relationships, and cultural production either as a consequence of or strongly influenced by gender separation and gender hierarchy. (See separate handout for more information and exploration of the theory, including Binary Opposition and Thought.)

The remaining class time was dedicated to work on final projects. Remember to bring your book and anything else you would like for an extended reading time next class!

Exit ticket: Identify one event in Their Eyes Were Watching God that you could analyze using feminist criticism.

Homework:
Read your final project!

September 23rd, 2013

9/23/13

In Class:
Journal--  Identify one "golden line" from the last 40 pages of Their Eyes Were Watching God. Reflect on the meaning and the significance.

Students presented their midterm research projects.

Introduced final project.

Exit ticket: Choose one song that you could use for the Their Eyes Were Watching God soundtrack.

Homework:
Begin reading for your final.

Final Project Assignment Sheet

Advanced Literature: Portraits of the American South – Final Project

Due October 9^th, 2013 by 5:00 PM

In order to further experience the literature and culture revolving around the American South, you will select one reading which explores the milieu of the South. You will then analyze the literature to synthesize your own understanding of the culture.

Assignment:

Part One

You will select and read one of the following pieces as your focus:

            Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: New Directions, 2004. Print.

            Selections from O’Connor, Flannery. The Complete Stories. New York: Farrar, Straus and

Giroux, 1971. Print.

            Faulkner, William. The Sound and the Fury. New York: Vintage, 1991. Print.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a play set in New Orleans circa 1940. It traces the story of the DuBois family, former Southern nobility, falling from grace when Blanche moves in with her sister Stella and Stella’s blue-collar husband, Stanley Kowalski. I will screen the film adaptation of the play (Kazan 1951) after school on Wednesday, October 2^nd, to enhance your reading and understanding of the play.

The selections I have designated of Flannery O’Connor’s The Complete Stories consist of seven short stories taking place across the United States. Each of the stories deal with different characters, events, settings, and themes, but they all contribute to our understanding of the Southern mindset and culture, including religion, dialect, racial profiling, and gender roles.

The Sound and the Fury is a novel that portrays the slow decay of another family of Southern nobility, the Compson family. The story is told over about forty years from four different perspectives: the mentally-handicapped youngest son, Benjy; the hyper-intelligent and psychologically troubled middle child, Quentin; the aggressive and self-centered middle child, Jason; and the proud and insightful matriarch of the family’s black servants, Dilsey.

Part Two

While reading, you will take notes on a separate sheet of paper to submit as part of the assignment. These notes should reflect not only the plots events and characters, but also thematic (underwater) reflections and your personal insights.

- You can use any format for these notes as long as I am able to interpret them.

- You may also use outside sources to help, but you MUST properly cite these sources within your notes.

I need to review your notes on or before October 3^rd in order to ensure your progress and understanding.

Using these notes to identify an important section of your reading, you will write a “close reading” analytical essay:

1) Identify a passage of the piece that conveys a broader, overarching theme or symbol of Southern culture.

2) Focusing specifically on this passage, explore the author’s evaluation and portrayal of this theme or symbol. Explain what it means, how the author constructs it, and why it helps us understand the South and the world better.

I highly recommend that you submit at least one draft to me before October 8^th.

Tips for success on this project:

·      Start reading right away. The sooner you dig in to your text, the sooner you will be able to start your higher-level thinking.

·      Ask questions. I’m here to support you throughout this project—you are absolutely welcome to ask for help, to bounce ideas off me, or to just chat.

·      Set aside time to work on this project outside of class. While you will have some time to work in class, you will not be able to create an A quality project in class-time alone.

September 18th, 2013

9/18/13

In Class:
Journal--  Reflect on the importance of gossip and the oral tradition in TEWWG. "[The 'colored people'] were there with their tongues cocked and loaded, the only real weapon left to weak folks. The only killing tool they are allowed to use in the presence of white folks" (Hurston 185-6).

Students worked independently on:
  - Sharpening up midterm projects and preparing to present on Monday.
  - Reading handout including "It's More Than Just Rain or Snow" and "If She Comes Up, It's Baptism" from How to Read Literature Like a Professor. (This will help decode the hurricane from TEWWG.)
  - Catching up on missing work (three discussion questions from p. 154-90; finish TEWWG; any other missing assignments.)

Exit ticket: Define 'psychoanalysis.'

Homework:
Prepare for your presentation on Monday.
Write one paragraph recapping an instance in which your sex or gender made a difference (subtle or explicit) in the outcome of the event.
Catch up on any missing work.

September 11th, 2013

9/11/13

In Class:
Journal--  Reflect on the following passage from Their Eyes Were Watching God:
"Before the week was over [Tea Cake] had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in possession" (Hurston 147).

Briefly discussed Chapter 17 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, particularly this 'surprising' instance of physical abuse and its nonchalant description.

Students worked independently on:
- Midterm projects and presentation preparation.
- Making up any missed journal entries. *Submit all seven journals before the end of class.*
- Making up any missing work.
- Next reading assignment (through p. 190 by Monday).

Exit ticket: Give yourself a grade for the first half of the block so far with a brief explanation. Consider all your academics, but also your social and outside-of-school life.

Homework:
Finish and submit midterm projects by 3 PM!
Catch up on missing assignments.

September 9th, 2013

9/9/13

In Class:
Journal--  Wade back through Ch. 11 (p. 100) in which Tea Cake courts Janie. How does Tea Cake approach Janie in comparison with Logan Killicks and Joe Starks? What important lines and ideas can you pick out regarding race, class, and gender distinctions?

Discussed the third reading of Their Eyes Were Watching God, particularly focusing on Tea Cake and Miss Turner as characters and representations of ideals.

Independently, students worked on midterm projects with the remainder of class time.

Exit ticket: a) Approximately what percentage of your project have you finished? b) What is your very next step toward finishing your midterm?

Homework:
Read through p. 154 of TEWWG by Wednesday.
Write three discussion quetsions.
Finish midterm project by Wednesday at 3 PM.
Complete any missing journals or assignments ASAP.

September 4th, 2013

9/4/13

In Class:
Journal--  Reflect on the impact your/your family’s socioeconomic status may have had on your life path.

Lecture and discussion on Marxism as literary theory.


Marxism: in literary theory, a school of analyzing all events and relationships either as a consequence of or strongly influenced by class dynamics. (i.e., “Must be the money.”)
 
Read Marxism handout as a class.
Lecture and discussion on the construction of an SES hierarchical society (see diagram).
 
ideology: the common understanding, ideals, values, and worldview of a particular society on how the world works. By nature, an ideology will promote the ideals of the dominant class.
 
hegemony: the process of the proletariat internalizing and reproducing ideology. 




Discussed the second assigned reading of Their Eyes Were Watching God, first reviewing the timeline of book so far. The discussion was specifically focusing on the class conflict surrounding Joe Starks, Janie, and the Eatonville community. 

Instructor assigned and reviewed midterm project.

Exit ticket: Define 'hegemony.'

Homework:
Read through p. 147 of TEWGG and write three discussion questions by Monday.
Bring at least two sources for your midterm research.

Midterm Project -- Advanced Literature

Advanced Literature – Midterm Project

Due September 11^th, 2013

In order to gain a stronger perspective of the context of Their Eyes Were Watching God, you will research a particular time period surrounding the story. This examination will allow you and your classmates to better understand the interactions, events, characters, and setting of our focus novel.

Assignment:

Part One

Your first task is to research the culture and society of the American South during your chosen time period. The time periods you may choose are as follows:

1850-1860	Pre-Civil War
1861-1865	Civil War
1866-1877	Reconstruction
1878-1914	Pre-World War I
1915-1939	World War I, Pre-World War II

You will research the time period using at least four different sources. You should try to answer the following questions, in addition to including any other information you think is relevant:

·      What is the political atmosphere during this time? ·      What is the racial atmosphere during this time? ·      What is the economic atmosphere during this time? ·      What sort of events are contributing to upcoming conflicts? What events are a consequence of preceding conflicts?

·      What is the cultural atmosphere (e.g., art, music, literature, etc.) during this time? ·      What is the state of gender relations during this time? ·      How do you see the characteristics, ideology, or ideals of this society reflected in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

You may use any reliable resource, including books, the Internet, and people with a credible background. However, all your research must be documented. Any information that you gather from any source outside of your own knowledge needs to be properly cited. The citations should be in MLA format: consult Shane or Purdue OWL (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/) for information on proper citations.

Part Two

Your second task is to compile your research into a project of your choice which demonstrates your new understanding of the time period. Possible projects include, but are not limited to:

·      a traditional essay

·      a PowerPoint presentation

·      a timeline with photos

·      an illustrated poster including important information

·      a song or other musical depiction

I am entirely open to other ideas for this section of the project; just make sure you get approval first.

You will present your project to the class on either September 16^th or 18^th, 2013.

Tips for success on this project:

·      Start early. The more time you allow yourself, the better your research and project will be.

·      Ask questions. I’m here to support you throughout this project—you are absolutely welcome to ask for help, to bounce ideas off me, or to just chat.

·      Set aside time to work on this project outside of class. While you will have some time to work in class, you will not be able to create an A quality project in class-time alone.

August 28th, 2013

8/28/13

In Class:
Journal--  How are you perceived by the outside world?

Lecture and discussion-- Psychoanalytic Theory in Literary Criticism
literary theory: the variety of lenses through which we can interpret literature.
     -> What exactly are we looking for?
psychoanalysis: the process of observing and interpreting the psychological dimensions of a literary piece, its author, or its characters. Often engages the sexual subconscious.
There are three "layers" of human psychology, according to Sigmund Freud's study of psychoanalysis: the id, the ego, and the superego.

Id

- "subconsious"

- obscured, inaccesible

- animalistic/instinctual: seeks air, water, food, sex, sleep, excretion, homeostasis (the essentials, according to Maslow

- only 'layer' existing from birth

- repressed by societal standards

Ego

- personality/identity traits and reasoning

- seeks to satisfy the id in a sociologically-realistic manner

- extremely and constantly engaged in a state of anxiety--neurotic (id), realistic (external world), and moral (superego). Anxiety which is not properly reconciled can lead to a pantheon of psychological defense mechanisms and disorders.

Superego

- collective unconscious/conscience

- morality, cultural code

- affective

Read selections from "It's All About Sex..." from How to Read Literature Like a Professor.

Discussed the first reading of Their Eyes Were Watching God, specifically focusing on the pear tree scene and Janie's first marriage.

Exit ticket: What purpose does the id serve?

Homework:

Read through p. 100 of TEWWG.

Write three discussion questions.

Note: There will be no school Monday, September 3rd, 2013, for the Labor Day holiday. This class will meet again Wednesday, September 5th, 2013.

 

August 26th, 2013

8/26/13

In Class:
Journal--  "It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula K. LeGuin
Reflect on a journey or a trip you've taken.

Using student-generated discussion questions, the class discussed “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty. We explicated the ‘quest’ model implemented in "A Worn Path" and described in "Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)" from How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. Finally, we reviewed and discussed Welty’s essay “Is Phoenix Jackson’s Grandson Really Dead?”

A Very Brief Introduction to African American Folk Tradition (Things to Expect in Their Eyes Were Watching God)
oral tradition: the system of reproducing culture without documentation, through storytelling, song, etc.
     - allows for improvisation, adaptation, and exaggeration
     - common historically in every surviving culture, though particularly significant in African American history folk: a term describing the oral, musical, and artistic culture of ‘the common people’
     - frequently applied to African American cultural and literary traditions emanating from the era of American slavery
     - regards issues of class and poverty, as well as cultural heritage. dialect: the phonemic construction of a regional manner of speech.
     - helps create an appearance and feeling of folk culture, particularly one with strong oral tradition.

 - Zora Neale Hurston was one of the first African Americans to be educated as an anthropologist. Consequently, she engaged in regular critical study of black culture, folklore, and language, especially in the American South. Her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered one of the strongest pieces portraying the life of black Americans in the post-Civil War American South. It provides us unique insight to the lives of women, the structure of class, and the dynamics of race in this period.

As a group, we read and reviewed the first five pages of TEWWG, specifically noting the concept of a "framed story."

Exit ticket: Name one medium that could be used for folk expression.

Homework:
Read through p. 26 of TEWWG.
Read "How Did He Do That?" from How to Read Literature Like a Professor.
Write three discussion questions on the first reading of TEWWG. 

August 21st, 2013

8/21/13

In Class:
Journal--  To what expectations and standards do the people in your life hold you? (Consider family, friends, teachers, employers, yourself etc.) How does these expectations make you feel? How often do you fall short of these expectations?

Discussed the definitions and distinctions of tone and mood in literary analysis.
  tone: the emotional quality that an author creates in a piece of writing.
  mood: the emotional quality that a reader perceives in a piece of writing.
Screened Sarah McLachlan's SPCA commercial and "True Facts About the Tarsier" to discuss the implementation of discrepancies between tone and mood.

Lecture on Southern Gothic writing style:

Emerging from similar historical circumstances, Southern Gothic style grew directly from traditional European gothic, e.g. Frankenstein and Dracula. It also finds roots in American literature, like that of Edgar Allan Poe.
- tone/mood: generally very dark
- macabre
- deeply-flawed characters
- decay/downfall (literal and figurative)
- undertones of American racism and poverty
  *surrealism 

Class discussion of "A Rose for Emily."

With remaining class time, students began homework.

Exit ticket: Describe the difference between tone and mood.

Homework:
Read "Every Trip is a Quest..." from How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster.
Read "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty.
Write at least three discussion questions on "A Worn Path."

August 19th, 2013

8/19/13

In Class:
Welcome!
Reviewed syllabus and class expectations. Set up journal folders.

Journal--  "Independence is happiness." -Susan B. Anthony
How do you define the idea of 'independence' in your mind? Reflect on an instance in which you felt particularly independent--or otherwise.

Discussed and reviewed concepts surrounding critical reading. Critical reading is:
   -critical                                       -transactional
   -active/attentive                          -investigatory
   -personal                                     -deliberate
   -communal/collaborative
Reviewed the "iceberg" model of reading as meaning-making.

Brief introduction to William Faulkner and "A Rose for Emily."

Exit ticket: If there is one thing I will do to be successful this block, it will be...

Homework:
Complete syllabus goals and agreement.
Read "A Rose for Emily."
Write at least two discussion questions about "A Rose for Emily."

Syllabus -- Advanced Literature: Portraits of the American South

Advanced Literature: Portraits of the American South

August 19^th – October 17^th, 2013

MW 10:40 - 12:10, Room _

http://boulderprepadvlit.blogspot.com/

Shane Abrams

shaneabrams@boulderprep.org

Course Texts

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Harper, 1937. Print.

The vast majority of course texts will be provided in handouts; a folder, binder, or other organizational system will be necessary.

The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, 3^rd ed. Eds. Ross Murfin and Supryia M. Ray. Boston: Bedford, 2009. Print.

The following blog will also serve as a resource for disseminating materials, notes, and texts: 

http://boulderprepadvlit.blogspot.com/

Course Description

This course will examine the characteristics of the pre-Civil Rights American South through the scope of Zora Neale Hurston’s classic novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, along with supplementary poems, short stories, and critical texts. Advanced Literature is designed as a Boulder Prep Language Arts capstone reading class with the intent to prepare students for a college-level literature course. By studying Hurston’s novel and other related texts, students will gain greater insight to the particularly time period and cultural setting of the South in the 1900s while also developing awareness of literature as a cultural reflection and critique.

Learning Outcomes and Essential Questions

During this course, students will develop the ability to…

·       read, analyze, discuss, and respond to a variety of texts.

·       engage in unique and relevant literary discussions and assignments by drawing on personal experiences, academic analysis, and textual information

·       develop higher-level cognition skills and critical reading techniques to engage literature at a college preparatory level.

We will aim to explore—perhaps even answer—some of the following questions:

·       How does literature reflect and critique our current society? Our historical backgrounds?

·       What role does ethnicity and cultural heritage play in our social circumstance and participation?

·       What factors of culture and geography contribute to identity and life experience?

Outcomes Assessment

The following assignments will be used to assess students’ progress toward learning outcomes: participation & attendance (graded daily); daily journal entries (graded once per block); in-class and out-of-class assignments; a midterm project or exam; and a final analysis and presentation. Additionally, other artistic or academic assignments will be collected and assessed when the instructor sees appropriate.

Classroom Policy – Grading, Attendance, and Comportment

Grades for Advanced Literature will be calculated on a points-based scale; i.e., each assignment, including long-term projects and daily participation grades, will be valued at a certain number of points possible. Over the 8-week course, points possible will amount to roughly 1000-1200 points. At any time, a student may request his or her grade, and I will do my best to provide a response in a timely fashion.

Extra credit will not be provided, barring unforeseen, extenuating circumstances; therefore, students are expected to complete each and every assignment to the best of their respective abilities. Opportunity for success will not be withheld: each student will have the chance to excel, in terms of grades and personal growth. However, the burden lies upon the student to optimize these opportunities.

Students should attend all classes as possible. There will be only 15 sessions of Advanced Literature; each absence is detrimental to learning potential. I will not deduct points for absences, whether they are excused or unexcused. However, students are always responsible for information, work, and cumulative assignments which they miss when absent: missing multiple classes will unforgivingly hinder a student’s academic success. If a student misses class, I advise visiting the course blog – http://boulderprepdadvlit.blogspot.com/— to see what she or he missed and what she or he needs in order to catch up. If you know in advance that you will miss a class, please consult with me beforehand.

Students are expected to arrive to class on time. This means that each student should be sitting at a desk with all necessary materials, including any assigned reading for the class, ready to begin working at 10:40. This does not mean walking from the Commons to the classroom at 10:40; this does not mean arriving at 10:39 and leaving to use the bathroom until 10:45. In regards to individual breaks, you should think of yourselves as adults during this class: leave the classroom only when you must and only when it is appropriate. At the maximum, only one student should be out of the classroom at any given time.

My classroom is a place for personal growth, be it intellectual, emotional, or otherwise. I expect all students to help me maintain an environment conducive to such growth. All students are entitled to the right to improve and evolve, and no person should infringe upon this right in any manner. My classroom will be a safe and respectful environment for my students to exercise their right to learn.

Course Specific Grades:

Daily participation – 10 pts. / day

Daily journal entries – 150 pts.

Discussion questions/golden lines – approx. 200 pts.

General assignments – 10-20 pts. / each (approx. 200 pts. total)

Midterm – 200 pts.

Final project – 300 pts.

                  * see particular assignment sheets for specific breakdown and expectations

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism and cheating, whether intentional or unintentional, shall not be tolerated. Every student is expected to follow any and all codes of academic honesty endorsed by Boulder Preparatory High School.

Electronic Devices

In order to contribute to a classroom environment which respects everyone’s educational opportunities, students are asked to refrain from the use of cell phones and other unnecessary and/or distracting devices during class time. When you are in class, regardless of the nature of the activity, your cell phone should be put away, your music device shut off, and any other devices out of sight. Devices that seem to be distracting any student will be impounded for the remainder of the period.

Materials Needed

Please bring these things to class every day:

Writing materials (pen/pencil, paper)

Course texts (Their Eyes, handouts, assignments, etc.)

Writing journal

Binder, folder, or other organizational system for hand-out readings

Approximate Schedule of Study and Curriculum

This schedule is a rough estimate and is subject to change.

            Reading assignments should be completed before the beginning of the class period for which they are listed.

Week one (8/19 - 8/23) –	Introduction to Critical Reading and Analysis Social Circumstance and History in the American South
Week two (8/26 - 8/30) –	Introduction to Zora Neale Hurston and the Harlem Renaissance 8/28 – p. 26, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Week three (9/3 - 9/6) –	Psychoanalytic Criticism 9/5 – p.100, TEWWG
Week four (9/9 - 9/13) –	Marxist Criticism 9/9 – p. 147, TEWWG 9/11 – p.154, TEWWG Midterm projects due no later than 3:00 PM on 9/11!
Week five (9/16 - 9/20) –	Feminist Criticism 9/16 – p. 190, TEWWG 9/18 – p.193, TEWWG
Week six (9/23 - 9/27) –	Critical Race Theory / Multiculturalism
Week seven (9/30 - 10/4) –	Short Fiction and Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and the American South
Week eight (10/7 - 10/14) –	Short Fiction and Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and the American South

Miscellaneous

I reserve the right to amend or alter this syllabus; please note that any changes are made in an effort to create the best possible academic environment. I will notify students of any such changes as promptly as possible.

I wholeheartedly welcome feedback. Please do not hesitate to provide response to my teaching practices, assignments, etc.—but please provide this feedback while class is not in session.

 [Please complete and return this section.]

During the course of this block, I hope to:

	Identify at least two concrete, measurable academic goals.
	Identify at least two abstract, subjective, and/or personal goals.

I think my biggest asset as a student is:

I believe my greatest struggle as a student is:

I do best on assignments which:

I, _______________________________, hereby acknowledge that I have received and reviewed this

(print name)

syllabus. Any questions or concerns that have arisen have been addressed adequately.

I recognize that I am a student: I am capable of anything I encounter in this course, though it may be challenging—and it should be challenging. I will not state that I “can’t” do something, but that I “can’t yet.” I will ask for help when I need it, whether assistance is from Shane, from my peers, or from another responsible individual.

I will contribute to a classroom environment which is healthy, fun, welcoming, intellectual, emotional, and safe, among other things.

I will respect everyone’s educational opportunities; I will respect our building; I will respect my peers’ and instructors’ belongings; I will respect everyone’s right to make amends.

I will be the best person—intellectually, socially, and otherwise—that I can be.

_____________________________________                                                                                        __________________

    (signature)                                                                                                                                                   (date)