Weeks Two-Five: Fairytales, Philosophy, and Beyond

NOTE: I have a tendency to change and shift the schedule around so try not to get too ahead!

Monday 9/1: NO SCHOOL

Tuesday 9/2:

    • Finish reading the PDF assigned for Friday, 8/29 (starting with "How Children Played Butcher With Each Other")

  • Writing assignment to be placed on Canvas discussion site:

CHOOSE

a) Write an alternate ending to one of the Grimms' fairytales we read for Friday

OR

b) Choose your favorite (or least favorite) of Grimms' fairytales and explain/discuss what makes it interesting/bizarre/repulsive etc.--in other words, why did you choose it? Grimms' Fairytales

  • Note: be sure to include the link to your fairytale in your response

OR MIX AND MATCH! (e.g. do 150 words for "a" and 200 words for "b")

Minimum word count: 350 words.

Thursday 9/4: Read Plato: Allegory of the Cave and brief response on Canvas where you come up with three questions:

  • NOTE: The assignment is relatively short but the text itself is very rich so please linger on it and re-read a couple times.

    • One question should be a close reading question.

    • One question should be a discussion question.

    • One should be a question about larger issues/personal relevance.

Friday 9/5:

Please review Plato's Allegory of the Cave and then:

    • Write a 350 word response on Canvas where you answer one or more questions from last night's discussion post.

      • Please post the question you're responding to in BOLD before writing your response.

      • Please note the author of the question.

      • You should respond to someone else's question, not your own.

      • You can respond to any of the questions.

      • The questions are not included in your word count.

Monday 9/8--Print out, read, and mark Confucius excerpts (read all of Book 1 then the marked passages and glance over the rest BUT do NOT read final two pages).

  • Do a brief response (200 words) on the following question: what does Confucius mean by the "good" or "virtuous" man? Use specific passages to support your ideas.

Tuesday 9/9--Review Confucius and read Mencius excepts (last two pages of handout, pp. 15-16): Confucius and Mencius

  • Bear in mind that Mencius was Confucius' student in much the say way Plato was Socrates' student.

    • Write a response:

    • 300 words

      • Please respond to one of the following topics (you can choose more than one if you wish):

        • What's the most important saying of Confucius in your opinion and why?

          • Write the saying out at the top of your response

        • Where does good come from according to Confucius? According to Mencius?

        • What do you do if there's a bad ruler acc. to Confucius and/or Mencius?

        • Come up with your own question (but make it textually-based).

    • Write the question/s you're responding to at the top of your response.

    • Comment on ONE other person's response.

Thursday 9/11--Read Zhuang Zi excerpts pp. 1-11 (stop at very top of 11, at "profit and loss!").

  • If you prefer, you can annotate the PDF online.

  • Please note that the staple is on the right.

  • The reading begins with "Free and Easy Wandering"

    • Pay close attention to the metaphors that Zhuang Zi (Chuang Tzu) uses; they will help you understand his thinking.

Friday 9/12--NO CLASS but you have a personal essay writing assignment (graded complete/incomplete):

    • Please check Canvas under "Assignments" (not "Discussion") for the assignment.

    • 500 words minimum.

Monday 9/15--Finish reading Zhuang Zi excerpts and post three questions on Canvas under "Discussions."

    • One question should be a close reading question.

    • One question should be a discussion question.

    • One should be a question about larger issues/personal relevance.

Tuesday 9/16--Response on Zhuang Zi (400 words). Please post on Canvas.

    • Pick your own passage/metaphor or analyze the one I'll provide on Canvas.

    • Analyze the language of the passage and the image carefully.

      • Look for the larger implications of the metaphor/s.

    • Choose specific words and phrases from the passage to embed in your own writing.

    • If you choose your own passage/metaphor, please write out the passage before starting your response (and provide the page number)

    • Please respond briefly to the two people ahead of you on the response chain.

    • 400 words (not including quotations)

Thursday 9/18--Response to prepare for in-class essay.

    • 400 words (not including quotations)

    • Please respond briefly to the two people ahead of you on the response chain.

    • For this response, please do the following

      • Write an essay question comparing Plato, Confucius, and/or Zhuang Zi

      • Answer your own question or someone else's

      • Further instructions posted on Canvas.

Friday 9/19--IN-CLASS ESSAY

Monday 9/22--Read Nervous Conditions, Chapt. 1 and part of 2 (bottom of page 26 ". . . below you instead of above.").

    • Attached below, please find a study guide for Nervous Conditions that will help you with names and with understanding the culture.

    • You might not want to read this study guide until you've gotten immersed in the novel. Use it as you wish.

Tuesday 9/23----Read Nervous Conditions, 27-47. Writing assignment posted on Canvas under "Assignments."

Thursday 9/25----Read Nervous Conditions, 47-65. Writing assignment cancelled for today. Student teaching day: Aliya and Robert/ Bryce and Gabi

Friday 9/26----Read Nervous Conditions, 66-86. Note: you'll have a reading day today in which to read up to page 100 of the novel.

Monday 9/29--SCHOOL CLOSED

Tuesday 9/30--No homework!