NOTE: The following assignments may change so please don't get too far ahead! Also, if you finish the memoir early, please make sure to review the assigned reading before each class meeting.
NOTE: I haven't yet put in student teaching days. I will hand out the sign-up sheet for student teaching on Monday and we'll begin the following week.
Mon 9/30--NO SCHOOL!
Tues 10/1--No homework!
Thurs 10/3--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 3-28 (25 pages).
Fri 10/4--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 29-53 (24 pages).
Mon 10/7--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 54-78 ("Brian said, 'Yes.'") (24 pages) AND journal entry.
Optional topic: Think about Well's description of the fire in the "motel" where her family was staying in San Francisco. From your own childhood, recall something you didn't understand at the time, but that makes sense now. Try to describe this memory from a child's perspective, using as many of the senses as possible.
Tues 10/8--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 78-101 (23 pages).
Thurs 10/10--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 102-125 (23 pages) AND response.
Fri 10/11--No class but read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 129-154 (25 pages). Also, please think about possible topics for a personal essay of your own.
Mon 10/14-- Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. pp. 155-179 (24 pages) AND journal entry.
Topics:
a) What's your glass castle?
b) Describe a moment or moment/s in your life where you began to diverge from your parents' beliefs or values. Make the scene come alive by using as many of the senses as possible.
Word count: 300 words
Tues 10/15--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 180-205 (25 pages).
Thurs 10/17--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 206-230 (24 pages).
Fri 10/18--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 231-254 (23 pages) AND response.
Mon 10/21--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 255-279 (24 pages) AND journal entry.
Optional topics:
a) Write about a childhood friend or enemy. Describe them so that the reader can really SEE them and get a vivid sense of the friend or enemy's character.
b) Jeannette and her siblings move to New York City. Is there any place you've wanted to run off to and why?
word count: 300 words
Tues 10/22--
Homework:
Look on your period's website for the instructions for the personal essay.
Period 4: Personal Essay Instructions Period 4
Period 5: Personal Essay Instructions Period 5
Look through your old freewrites, journal entries, and responses and see if there are any that jump out at you/that you think might be the basis for a good personal essay.
On your journal site, please write out THREE possible ideas for a personal essay.
In-class personal essay writing practice on The Glass Castle.
Thurs 10/24--Read and take notes on The Glass Castle, pp. 280-288 (8 pages/end). Also read attached article ("My Daily Dives in the Dumpster"). Scroll down to find the article at the bottom of this page.
Fri 10/25--NO SCHOOL!
Mon 10/28--NO SCHOOL!
Tues 10/29--Please see your period's website under "Responses: 10/29: Dialogue Exercise." Word count: 400 words (but see instructions).
Thurs 10/31--Writing workshop
Homework:
a) For everyone: make sure you post THREE possible topics for your personal essay, if you have not done so already.
b) For those who don't have a topic yet:
Do short freewrites on all of the topics and see which is the most interesting to write about.
Word count: 400 words
c) For those who do have a topic:
Do a 500 freewrite on your topic. You may have already done so in class. If so, just continue writing this freewrite.
OR, if you've gone beyond the freewrite stage, write the first three paragraphs of your essay. Please look at how Walls opens up her memoir for tips on good opening lines and paragraphs.
d) For everyone, regardless of what stage you're at:
Write a draft of dialogue that you might want to include in your essay. The dialogue will likely be trimmed later, but, for now, write the entirety of the dialogue. To reach the word count, you may have to write a few different dialogue scenes.
Word count: 350 words
Rejection therapy link (if you're interested in seeing more of Jia Jiang's rejections): www.entresting.com/blog/100-days-of-rejection-therapy/
Fri 11/1--Writing workshop. Homework t.b.a.
Mon 11/5--Personal essay due. See instructions on period website.