Welcome to College Prep: Perspectives in Literature!

In this class we will examine literature using different critical lenses.  We will practice reading challenging pieces and communicating our ideas visually and in writing.  When you are finished, you will have reflected deeply, applied several different critical perspectives to your analysis of literature, analyzed media texts, and created your own media text.  You will be prepared for college level English whether you are moving on to college life or taking an Advanced Placement course.  Welcome!

Please read both Welcome Letter and course syllabus attached below.

Friday  20 November 2009

We reviewed the definition of archetype and then told the story of one archetype, Pinocchio.  We discussed why this might be a common archetype.  Then we viewed several pictures and completed the graphic organizer on page 95, looking for the scene details, and details that told us about the characters.  We presented our findings on ONE of these to the class.

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Thursday  19 November 2009

We took an online end of unit assessment.  If you were absent, please see Mrs. A. to make arrangements to make this up.

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Wednesday  18 November 2009

We finished unpacking unit 2.  We will complete graphic organizers for our Embedded Assessments on Friday.

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Tuesday  17 November 2009

We completed the reflection on unit 1 on page 84 in our text books.  The reflection should be written in our vocabulary notebooks.

We then read pages 85 - 90 to anticipate the skills and learning necessary for success in unit 2.  We will debrief our ideas tomorrow.

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Monday  16 November 2009

We had time to get feedback on our first draft of the EA 2 essay on being a stranger.  We then began working on producing a final draft.  This should be typed, 12 point either Times New Roman or Arial, and double spaced.  The final draft is due at the beginning of class tomorrow.

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Friday  13 November 2009

We had the opportunity to begin drafting our reflective essay for EA 2.  You should have a completed final draft by Monday.  Monday we will receive feedback and then work on our final drafts.  A completed final draft will be due at the beginning of class on Tuesday.

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Thursday  12 November 2009

We finished reading and analyzing Baldwin’s “Stranger in the Village”.  We began brainstorming our own event as the basis for our own “stranger” essay, EA 2.  We will begin drafting this tomorrow.

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Tuesday  10 November 2009

We continued to read Baldwin’s “Stranger in the Village.”  We will finish this on Thursday and begin EA 2.  Please think about an event in which you or someone you know felt like a “stranger in the village” or was perceived as “strange” by some group.  This will be the subject for your essay.  We will begin drafting on Thursday.

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Monday  9 November 2009

We read and discussed through page 74 (Baldwin’s “Stranger in the Village”).  We began reading the next four paragraphs (Chunk 5).  We will continue reading and discussing tomorrow.

We also discussed and defined irony, satire, and sarcasm in addition to our regular vocabulary.

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Friday  6 November 2009

We read and analyzed Baldwin’s “Stranger in the Village” through paragraph six.  We identified tone and selected evidence to support our assertions.

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Thursday  5 November 2009

We began reading Baldwin’s “Stranger in the Village” by first scanning the text for unfamiliar words and then defining and replacing them.

We then read through the first paragraph and analyzed Baldwin’s set up of his circumstances and use of the word “sight.”

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Wednesday  4 November 2009

We reviewed the concept of being a stranger in the village and also reviewed the excerpt from The Joy Luck Club.  We discussed using dialog and looked again at Tan’s use of dialog in the excerpt.  

Take your writing from yesterday and determine how best to include dialog.  Revise your writing using the instructions at the bottom of page 68.  Turn in your revision with your first draft.