Week 2 Syllabus: April 3

WE ARE AT THE MID-POINT IN HOMER’S POEM, but are very near the end of Odysseus’ journey to Ithaca. In fact, he is nearly there. Having landed on Scheria, home of the Phaecians, he’s arrived at the LAST island before hitting his home island, Ithaca. We will read about Odysseus meeting Princess Nausicaa, Queen Arete, and King Alcinoos, and also how they transport him home on their magical, self-propelled ship. From there, we will skip the chapters wherein Odysseus spies on the suitors, in disguise of an old, homeless beggar. We will finish the Odyssey next week, as he slays the suitors and then is reunited with his wife, Penelope.

WEDNESDAY, April 3

• We will start class today by watching the first 9 minutes of a cheesy documentary about grammar, and more specifically about SUBJECTS and PREDICATES, and more specifically what a PHRASE is. Your speaking notes may not include sentences, but only bullet points that are phrases. We will end at minute 9:00.

• Writing talking points on a) the author, and b) the plot summary.

• Turning to Homer’s Odyssey. We will read book 13 and 16 together, today in class (our edition skips books 14 and 15, and shortens 16).

• Ending class with our 20 minutes of SSR.

• HW: Finish reading the short version of book 16, and complete the plot summary worksheet for books 13 and 16. We will add notes for book 17 in class on Friday, when we read it together.

FRIDAY, April 5

• Returning to our practice with subject and predicate, this time completing two worksheets that will help you identify them. Remember, your oral presentation notes should ONLY consist of bulleted subjects, predicates, or phrases!

• Working on writing talking points for the third part of your presentation: c) dramatic reading of an important passage (1+ page in length).

• Turning to book 17 and 19 (book 18 is omitted). We will add notes to your worksheet.

• SSR at end of class.

• HW: Read book 20 in Homer’s Odyssey. We finish the epic poem next week!

Week 10 Syllabus: March 11

IN JOSEPH CAMPBELL’S MONOMYTH, THE HERO’S most important transformation comes during “initiation.” Having undergone departure, and at some point while encountering difficulties prior to to his major conflict (or final battle), the hero must undergo some type of transformation. Without this change, the hero will not be able to successfully defeat the monster, or accomplish his task, in the hero journey. Often, this transformation is symbolic, and takes the form of a symbolic “death and rebirth.” Odysseus must journey to the land of the dead, or the Underworld, where all dead reside. This is his his literal and figurative “low point” in the journey. While there, the ghosts he encounters will give him advice on what makes life worth living. Keep careful notes on their advice to him…he will need it!

TUESDAY, March 12

• Starting with independent reading, SSR.

• After collecting homework, quiz on book ten.

• Watching a scene that depicts book 10. We will watch:

  • This clip from Assante’s The Odyssey: meeting Circe on Ogygia

• Moving into book eleven, in which Odysseus journeys into the Underworld.

• HW: Read the next four pages in book 11, up to and including Odysseus’ conversation with his mother, Anticlea.

• Also watch this second clip: from Percy Jackson, the encounter with Charybdis.

WEDNESDAY, March 13

• Working on a “ghost” worksheet and completing a bit of research on the ghosts that Odysseus encounters. We will start by taking notes on Elpenor, Anticlea, and Achilles.

• We will then listen to the end of book eleven, wherein Odysseus meets various women (ghosts).

• HW: Finish reading book 11. In the last third of the chapter, Odysseus meets fellow soldiers who died either in battle at Troy, or at home returning from Troy. What lesson should Odysseus learn from these ghosts?

FRIDAY, March 15

• SSR.

• After being assigned ONE dead, Greek hero to research, you will use the following resources to begin gathering information about your assigned ghost.

  • START HERE. The Encyclopedia Britannica will have solid background on all of these Greek ghosts.

  • The Gale in Context’s “World History” database is another good place to start. They have background information on each ghost.

  • The Theoi Project is a good resource for scholarly details (scroll down to find search feature on this one)

  • Myth Index has some basic background.

  • The Met has a collection of Greek and Roman art.

  • You can find more art on Artstor, and visual version of Jstor.

  • National Archeological Museum of Greece for statues and older art

  • Books. Yes, believe it or not, books still exist. And here’s a couple of resources that may help, including Arts & Humanities and The Encyclopedia of Religion

  • Finally, Tufts University has an excellent database that will include where your assigned figure appears in Greek sources.

• HW: Reading book 12 for homework over the weekend.

Week 9 Syllabus: March 4

THE WORLD IS A DANGEROUS PLACE, AND around every corner lurks death. Like Sindbad the Sailor, Odysseus’ journey includes mysterious caverns, horrific monsters, and powerful gods who threaten his very existence. Yet Odysseus endures. In books 9 and 10, our focus for reading this week, we will see our hero confront a one-eyed giant, escape a multi-headed serpent, and evade a sea-gulping beheamoth hidden below a whirlpool. Each encounter includes some form of social or moral lesson. Pay keen attention to these morality tales, and what the reader should generally learn about listening, leadership, and humility before god.

TUESDAY, March 5

• Starting with independent reading, SSR.

• After collecting homework, quiz on book eight.

• Preparing for next oral presentation. This speech will be pre-written, but must then be “translated” into phrase-based notes that will then be used to describe “the interesting aspect” to the book you either most-recently finished or have been reading for some time.

• After collecting homework, we will preview the book 9 homework.

• Reading and annotating book nine together, modeling annotation technique.

• HW: Finish reading book nine, and complete worksheet in preparation for tomorrow’s quiz.

WEDNESDAY, March 6

• Collecting “cyclops” homework.

• Quiz on book 9.

• Ending class with annotations on book 10.

• HW: Read and annotate book 10.

FRIDAY, March 8

• SSR.

• Analysis of book 10

• Small group work on book 10 worksheet.

• Film clips that illustrate books 9 and 10

• HW: Finish the book 10 worksheet for class on Tuesday. Quiz on Tuesday. Read book 11 over the weekend. Each ghost that Odysseus meets teaches him some type of lesson. What should Odysseus learn? Keep marginal notes on that topic.

Week 8 Syllabus: February 26

ODYSSEUS IS THE MOST UNLIKELY OF HEROES. When we meet him, he is isolated and sobbing daily, wishing for death in lieu of being trapped with a beautiful goddess on a paradise island. When he returns to land after drifting at sea for 20 days (and nearly drowning in the process), he is literally naked and afraid, hiding under a pile of leaves for warmth and safety. THIS is our hero? Pay attention to the difference between Odysseus as the hero we meet and Odysseus the hero described in the books 9-12 flashback.

TUESDAY, February 27

• Starting with independent reading, SSR.

• 5 minutes of studying for quiz on book 5, followed by the 16 question quiz.

• After collecting homework, we will preview the book 6 homework.

• Reading and annotating book six together, modeling annotation technique.

• HW: Study book six, completing the homework for class tomorrow in preparation for the quiz.

WEDNESDAY, February 28

• Before taking the quiz, we will review the resources available to you here, in class, elsewhere on the internet. USE THESE! They will help.

• Quiz on book 6.

• Ending class with SSR.

• HW: Read the summary of book seven online (audio summary is in Lombardo files), and then read and annotate book eight.
  
  There are four parts to this chapter: 1) Demodocus sings about how Hephaaestus’ wife, Aprodite, gets caught having an affair with Ares; 2) After a bath, Nausicaa and Odysseus have a private chat filled with innuendo; 3) Demodocus sings about the end of the Trojan War, causing Odysseus to cry; 4) King Alcinous stops the story-telling and sining, and tells a story about a prophecy that the island of Scheria would one day transport home a man hated by Poseidon, and as a result the sea-god would build mountains around the island, forever cutting them off from the sea.

FRIDAY, March 1

• SSR.

• Mr. Easton’s recorded introduction to these film clips.

• Watching some film clips of Chuck Noland (get it…NO LAND?), a man who becomes stranded on an island, who attempts to escape from it, just like Odysseus escapes from Ogygia island and Calypso:

  • Trapped on an island;

  • Effect of isolation on mental health;

  • Leaving the island;

  • Lost at sea and giving up hope.

• Small group work on book eight, analyzing the chapters’ main theme: love interrupted! What should the reader realize about Odysseus, based on how he responds to these four parts in the poem?

• HW: Complete the worksheet on book 8. We will have the quiz on Tuesday.

Week 7 Syllabus: February 20

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES THAT WILL BE HELPFUL to you while reading Homer’s Odyssey. First, please remember to use the audio files while reading. Hearing the names while seeing them can help with memory and understanding; those files are here. Secondly, the University of Pennsylvania Classics Department keeps a useful site of pronunciation guides, maps, and timelines that can help you wrap your mind about what-happens-when and to-whom in the epic poem; their web resource is located here. Finally, I do have summaries of each book, and you can read these as both pre-reading and post-reading comprehension checks to your understanding; find that here.

TUESDAY, February 27

• Starting with independent reading, SSR.

• 5 minutes of studying for quiz on book 5, followed by the 16 question quiz.

• After collecting homework, we will preview the book 6 homework.

• Reading and annotating book six together, modeling annotation technique.

• HW: Study book six, completing the homework for class tomorrow in preparation for the quiz.

WEDNESDAY, February 28

• Before taking the quiz, we will review the resources available to you here, in class, elsewhere on the internet. USE THESE! They will help.

• Quiz on book 6.

• Watching some film clips of Chuck Noland (get it…NO LAND?), a man who becomes stranded on an island, who attempts to escape from it, just like Odysseus escapes from Ogygia island and Calypso.

• HW: Read the summary of book seven online (audio summary is in Lombardo files), and then begin reading the first 8 pages of book eight.

Week 6 Syllabus: February 13

LAST WEEK I COLLECTED YOUR HAROUN ANNOTATIONS and we shifted into Greek mythology. We watched a History Channel documentary, “The Greek Gods” and collected your in-class notes. Scholars read an overview of the main characters of Homer’s Odyssey. We had a lecture on the creation myth of ancient Greece, how all creation myths move from chaos to order, from nature based, uncontrollable gods toward (more) civilized gods who establish social rules and (often) create humanity. This week, we will formally begin reading the epic poem, Homer’s “Odyssey.”

TUESDAY, February 13

• Returning annotations of Haroun and discussing the importance of writing as a form of thinking. (write AS you read—it matters)

• Importance of questions (wrong question=wrong answer(s)).

• We’re reading through the second half of book 1, modeling annotation technique focused on questions. We will start on page 8 and will focus on Athena’s advice to Telemachus. Speaking of which, below is a clip we will watch about Athena.

• Here is a link to that video.

• HW: Finish the reading guide to book 1. We will collect it on Thursday!

THURSDAY, February 15

• SSR.

• After, we will collect the line-by-line reading guide to book one.

• We will then turn our attention to book four. We will listen to the abridged audio while reading the text, pausing it as needed to answer questions.

• Link to the audio is here.

• Link to the book four guide is here.

• HW: First, if your class did NOT finish reading book four and the guide, finish both.

• Then, review you annotations of book four. Make sure you have circled vocabulary. Go back through your annotations, and number the questions you’ve written out. Finally, add notes to “The Old Man of the Sea” story, specifically hero-journey notes. Where is the call to adventure? What threshold is crossed? How do the heroes go “into the unknown” world? Who is the mentor/helper, and how to they aid the hero of the story? What does the hero gain by accomplishing his journey? All these notes need to be handwritten into book 4 for class next Wednesday.

The Greek Gods: Background Video

The worksheet for notes was distributed in class, and will be collected after finishing the video on Friday, 2/9.

Audio for "Abridged" Lombardo translation

Click on the image above to access the audio for the Lombardo. NOTE: If one chapter has multiple files, please access the one marked “ABRIDGED”—it’s been edited to match Lombardo’s “Essential Odyssey.”

Week 4 Syllabus: January 29

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MYTHOLOGY? HOW DO MYTHS and Joseph Campbell’s “monomyth” help us better understand our place in the world, and our role and purpose in life? We will transition from Haroun by looking at one of the 1,001 (Arabian) Nights, the tale of Sindbad the Sailor. We’ll also briefly examine the story of Perseus, who defeats Medusa and obtains the golden fleece. Finally, we will officially start reading Homer’s Odyssey this week. Make sure you have the Essential Odyssey, translated by Stanley Lombardo, for class on Friday.

TUESDAY, January 30

• Silent, sustained reading.

• Lecture on organizing your paragraphs on Haroun & Sea of Stories

• Careful re-reading of Sindbad for Campbell’s hero journey.

• While reviewing Sindbad, Ms. T. will be meeting individually with students to discuss their Haroun paragraphs.

• HW: Revise your two paragraphs, making sure you use the argumentative structure we’ve studied. Also, make sure your annotations of Haroun are finished. I will collect books on Friday.

WEDNESAY, January 30

• No SSR today.

• Working on a quote assignment, selecting quotes from the Sindbad reading that answer questions about Campbell’s monomyth. Due by end of class.

• HW: Finish revising your Haroun paragraphs, and get them (re)posted to Canvas as soon as they’re finished.

FRIDAY, January 26

• Self-assessment of your annotations, and then collecting books (Haroun).

• Revisiting the spreadsheet on independent reading.

• Silent, sustained reading.

• Lecture on reading Homer’s Odyssey, and key terms you’ll need to know for annotation.

• HW: Reading book one of the Lombardo translation of Homer’s Odyssey.

Week 3 Syllabus: January 22

THIS WEEK, WE WILL FINISH OUR CLOSE READING OF RUSHDIE’S novel, ending our reading of it by delving into some of the novel’s complexity (i.e.: how the novel is an allegory for free speech, against censorship; the role of classical Indian dance; Carl Jung’s psychological concept of “the shadow”). We will end by writing a paper that analyzes ONE of the various stages of J. Campbell’s hero journey. By the way, get your copy of Lombardo’s Essential Odyssey this week. We’re starting it next week.

TUESDAY, January 23

• Silent, sustained reading.

• Re-reading chapter 11 and reading chapter 12, to the end of our novel.

• Small group work on a worksheet on chapter eight.

• HW: Finish reading chapter twelve, AND complete the worksheets on chapters 10, 11, and 12.

WEDNESAY, January 24

• Silent, sustained reading.

• Listening, reading about, and analyzing the Beatles song, “I am the Walrus.”

• Creating a plot-line for Haroun’s hero journey, including the phases departure, initiation, and return.

• HW: Complete the plot line for Haroun & the Sea of Stories. I’m collecting books on Monday and grading annotations next week.

FRIDAY, January 26

• Silent, sustained reading.

• 6th period: Working on the hero-journey assignment on Haroun.

• Write a first draft of your paper connecting our reading with Campbell’s hero journey. How does the main character experience the hero journey? For this assignment, you will focus on ONE of the three aforementioned phases, giving an example of TWO steps within that ONE phase.

• Starting the reading of Arabian Nights, covering the introduction.

• HW: Reading the “Sindbad the Sailor” journey. As you read, annotate for Sindbad’s hero journey. Where do you see departure, initiation, and return? Where does he make allies? Where does he obtain advice from a mentor? Where is there a symbolic death and rebirth? How does Sindbad manage to survive his final battle and return home? What has Sindbad learned?

NEXT WEEK: We will explore one of the Arabian Nights (aka 1,001 Nights), specifically the third journey of Sindbad the Sailor. It’s these stories that Rushdie models his novel, and we will be able to make connections between Homer’s Odyssey and Haroun.

Week 2 Syllabus: January 16

THIS WEEK, WE WILL FINISH OUR CLOSE READING OF RUSHDIE’S novel, ending our reading of it by delving into some of the novel’s complexity (i.e.: how the novel is an allegory for free speech, against censorship; the role of classical Indian dance; Carl Jung’s psychological concept of “the shadow”). We will end by writing a paper that analyzes ONE of the various stages of J. Campbell’s hero journey. By the way, get your copy of Lombardo’s Essential Odyssey this week. We’re starting it next week.

TUESDAY, January 16

• Silent, sustained reading.

• Review of Freudian and Jungian psychology (covering the concepts of Freud’s ego, id and superego, and Jung’s self, persona, shadow, consciousness and unconsciousness).

• Reading an essay, “Listening to Your Shadow.”

• Small group work on a worksheet on chapter eight.

• HW: Finish this chapter 8 study guide, due tomorrow.

WEDNESAY, January 17

• Silent, sustained reading.

• Reading chapters nine and ten in Haroun.

• HW: Finish reading chapter ten for class on Friday.

FRIDAY, January 19

• Silent, sustained reading.

• Small group work on chapters nine.

• Listening to chapter 10 or 11, depending upon where your class is in the reading of Haroun.

• HW: Finish reading the novel for class on Tuesday. I WILL collect annotations next week. Remember, you should have a) circled vocabulary, b) written out questions, and c) taken notes on where you see the hero journey in Rushdie’s novel.

Snow Day! Homework for 1/12 Weekend.

Because of the cancelled school day, I’m shifting what we were going to do in class to homework.

First, read the following handout. It reviews chapter eight (plot summary), and then provides an overview of the Indian classical dance tradition of Abhinaya (a form of dance that incorporates careful movement of body with other aspects of emotional acting—this is my shortened, flawed definition). The handout ends with a NYT review of a performance of Abhinaya.

You can view the PDF worksheet by clicking here.

Second, watch the following video clips. The first is a very short ( >2 minutes long) definition of Abhinaya, the “language” that Mudra/shadow’s and the Guppies’ method of communicating in Rushdie’s novel..

Third, watch the first few minutes of the following workshop. In it, Dr. Arpana Ramaswamy gives a lecture about how to perform Abhinaya. You should NOT watch the entire video (unless you are inspired to do so)—just the first five minutes should suffice to give you a sense of what she’s teaching.

Finally, watch this short, five minute performance of Abhinaya. What is the performer trying to communicate? What is happening to this character? What situation is she in? See if you can identify the story behind what is happening in her performance (and in the story behind her performance).

We will discuss it when we return from the snow day.

Welcome to Week 1 of Semester 2

I HOPE YOU EXPERIENCED A HAPPY AND HEALTY WINTER BREAK, and that you’re returning refreshed and ready to work on your writing and reading skills. Second semester will be primarily different in content. First semester we focus on short stories and a novel; second semester we will focus on an epic poem (Homer’s Odyssey) and a play (Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet). We will likely continue independent reading, though it might occasionally be assigned readings. But first we must close up our work on Haroun & the Sea of Stories.

Monday, January 8

• Class is 20 minutes long today.

• I will pass out and review grade reports relating to the final exam.

• Updating your independent reading, adding strengths and weaknesses of your current choice (the positive reasons for recommending it, and reasons why you would NOT recommend it).

• Returning to Rushdie’s Haroun & the Sea of Stories. Remember, I will re-collect and grade chapters 8 through 12 as your first annotation grade in semester two.

• HW: Read and annotate chapter eight. How does the Shadow Warrior become a helper to Haroun on his hero-journey?

WEDNESAY, January 10

• Close re-reading of “The Turtle”

• Completing the STAR reading re-assessment. Here’s the link. Remember, you user name is your id, and your password is your birthdate—8 digits.

• HW: Independent reading. Begin planning for your SECOND oral presentation, this one focusing on the book’s strengths and weaknesses (or why you WOULD or would NOT recommend it to peers). Do that by completing the new, two columns in the “Independent Reading: Book Next” google sheet (about your books positive and negative attributes).

FRIDAY, January 12

• Snow day!

• HW: See “Snow Day Homework” post.

Week 9 Syllabus: finals

THE LAST ASSIGNMENTS FOR FIRST SEMESTER include your revision of the “Haroun crosses the threshold” paragraph, a revision that should have been posted onto Canvas. You can RESUBMIT the new draft right over the already graded version. The second assignment is your annotations of chapters 1 through 6 in Haroun & the Sea of Stories. See Mr. Easton with questions about those assignments, after the final.

Monday, December 18

• Independent reading.

• In small groups, students will add details to their setting map for the novel (illustration of the moon of Kahlani on the front). This assignment will be collected and graded when we are finished with the novel, approx. two weeks into January.

• HW: None.

TUESDAY, December 19

• FINALS: Both classes meet in room C-224. The final will begin at NOON, 12 pm.

• Bring pens, a pencil, water and snack (as needed) and your independent reading (to read quietly when done).

• The final is broken into three parts:

  • Reading and annotating a very short story (there will be audio);

  • Writing a paragraph about that same story (on paper)

  • 10 multiple choice, reading comprehension questions.

• When done with the final, students cannot leave the testing room. Bring something to read quietly when finished.

• Students with extended time will finish that in the official “extended-time” room in D Building starting at 1:35, after the final ends.

FOR NEXT SEMESTER (OVER WINTER BREAK)

• The next book we’re reading is the abridged epic poem, Homer’s Odyssey.

• YOU MUST ORDER THIS VERSION: Stanley Lombardo’s translation of The Essential Odyssey by Homer, ISBN# 0872208990. Note: this version has gold bars at the top and bottom of the cover. You need this edition, the ESSENTIAL Odyssey. It looks like this:

.

Week 8 Syllabus: December 11-15 (Last week of Sem 1)

WHO ARE THE HELPERS & MENTORS THAT WILL AID Haroun’s journey? We will carefully re-re-read chapter five and six this week, and then carefully read chapter seven, looking for those who provide material help to him, and then those that merely provide advice. Sometimes, characters will do both. We will revise our “crossing the threshold” paragraphs as a way of studying for the final. Speaking of which, both periods 6 and 8 will take the final together in room C-224 on Tuesday, December 19 at noon. Don’t be late for the showdown at high noon!

TUESDAY, December 12

• Independent reading.

• Returning to the paragraphs written about Haroun’s crossing the threshold. I’m extending the timeline to finish this revision to THURSDAY so that everyone can get into the AAC to get another pair of expert-eyes on your revision.

• Re-re-annotating chapter five and six. Where do you see the hero journey? Haroun has completed departure, and is into the second stage, “Initiation,” wherein he will face obstacles, get advice from mentors, obtain aid from helpers.

• HW: Paragraphs are due by the start of class ON THURSDAY.

• Make sure you have chapter six annotated BEFORE class tomorrow.

WEDNESAY, December 6

• I am collecting and grading your annotations on Chapters 1-6 today. You will hand in, AND get your book back, in class today.

• While grading, students will read independently and/or have writing conferences with Ms. Tamvakis.

• We will begin reading chapter seven together.

• HW: Finish reading and annotating chapter seven for the hero journey. Pay attention to …

FRIDAY, December 8

• Independent reading.

• Revising and then posting your paragraphs about Haroun crossing the threshold to Squarespace.

• Lecture, reviewing stylistic issues and content problems with your paragraphs.

• Reading chapter six in class.

• HW: Read chapter six for homework for class on Tuesday.

• Also, stop into the AAC and have a tutor review your body paragraph. Then, RESUBMIT a newly revised paragraph to Canvas, so I can issue a new grade.

Week 7 Syllabus: December 4-8

REMEMBER THE CHEESEBURGER PARAGRAPH FORMAT? We will practice for the final by writing a paragraph about Haroun and the hero journey. Haroun will finally embark into the “initiation” stage of his hero journey, flying to Earth’s second moon, Kahalani and crossing the Sea of Stories to the City of Gup.

TUESDAY, December 5

• Independent reading.

• Lecture on final, and preparing for final.

• WRITING ASSIGNMENT: draft an argumentative paragraph that explains how Haroun crosses a threshold in his hero journey in Rushdie’s novel.

• HW: Paragraphs are due by the start of class tomorrow.

WEDNESAY, December 6

• Independent reading.

• Students that have NOT submitted their paragraphs to Canvas, will do so with Ms. Tamvakis.

• Lecture on Chapter 4, “Iffs and Butts”

• Time permitting, we will start listening to chapter five.

• HW: Read and annotate chapter five for the hero journey. Pay attention to the difference between the Guppies and the Chuppwalas, and for tests that Haroun must face.

FRIDAY, December 8

• Independent reading.

• Revising and then posting your paragraphs about Haroun crossing the threshold to Squarespace.

• Lecture, reviewing stylistic issues and content problems with your paragraphs.

• Reading chapter six in class.

• HW: Read chapter six for homework for class on Tuesday.

• Also, stop into the AAC and have a tutor review your body paragraph. Then, RESUBMIT a newly revised paragraph to Canvas, so I can issue a new grade.

Audio for "Haroun and the Sea of Stories"

Click on the image above to access audio files for each chapter of the novel.

Week 6 Syllabus: November 27-December 1

WRITING IS A FORM OF THINKING. You simply must write while you read. It helps you formulate questions that you have about what you’ve read. It helps clarify confusion you might have about passages you don’t understand. It helps you make connections and see patters that you might otherwise miss. It helps you synthesize information, developing new ideas about what you’ve read. It also helps serves as a rough sketch for the writing assignments you’ll inevitably get from your teacher about what you’ve read. In short: annotations help you think. We will practice this important skill this week.

Tuesday, November 28

• Independent reading.

• We will practice our annotation technique, re-reading one (or both) of the following short stories: “Raymond’s Run” and/or “The Adventure of an Indian Princess.”

• Besides circling vocabulary and writing questions, students will look for examples of Campbell’s hero journey (or monomyth) in each work, adding to the annotations that are already there.

• HW: For those who didn’t do so, read chapters one and two. All others, read chapter two of Haroun.

Wednesday, November 15

• Period 6 will attend the preview of the freshmen/sophomore play, meeting in Cornog Auditorium.

• Period 8 will begin with:

  • Independent reading.

  • Watching the following documentary about Campbell, the hero journey, and the film The Wizard of Oz.

• HW: Watch the following documentary. Those who watched in class don’t have homework!

Friday, December 1

• Independent reading.

• Review of plot points in chapters one, two and three. What are the key passages that illustrate: a) the characters and their relationships, b) the setting of the story’s action, and c) the key conflicts happening between the characters?

• Reading chapter four aloud, together. Haroun and Iff cross the threshold into the Land of Stories, and the hero journey begins.

• HW: As you continue to read, pay attention to the trials that Haroun endures. Who are his helpers, and how to they help prepare the hero for the final battle? Where does Haroun encounter doubts or challenges to achieving his goal? Where does Haroun hear sage (wise) advice, and is he able to enact his/her/their recommendations?

• This weekend, finish reading chapter four and read chapter five on your own. There will likely be a reading quiz on Tuesday!

Week 5 Syllabus: November 21

WE HAVE FINISHED WATCHING THE FILM VERSION OF FRANK BAUM’S novel, The Wizard of Oz, the film that Rushdie based his book upon ( in structure, character, and theme). While watching, we took notes on Joseph Campbell’s monomyth (or hero journey). We will apply this concept to our annotations in the novel. This week, we take a break from this study to think about the literary tradition that helped establish Thanksgiving as an American, national holiday: correspondence.

Tuesday, November 21

• We will a) watch two clips from a documentary about the beginnings of and the establishment of Thanksgiving as an American, national holiday.

• We will also read Lincoln’s proclamation as well as Sarah Hale’s editorial about the holiday.

• HW: If you are behind in your reading in Haroun, catch up.

• EXTRA CREDIT: Write a poem, at least 20 lines, about “giving thanks.” The topic itself can be about anything you are thankful for, but do use some poetic devices (rhyme, rhythm, structure—not ALL devices, of course, just some).

Week 4 Syllabus: November 13-17

IF YOU HAVE NOT PURCHASED YOUR COPY OF HAROUN, do so. We are starting the novel this week. I know that the bookstore has been catch-as-catch-can, a phrase which here means “not open on a consistent basis.” Nonetheless, you need the book. You can purchase it via Alibris.com here We will also begin our study of Joseph Campbell’s hero journey, or “monomyth” as he calls it. In preparation for annotating the novel, we’ll study The Wizard of Oz, a film that Rushdie based his book upon ( in structure, character, and theme).

Tuesday, November 14

• Independent reading.

• 6th period will read pages 3 and 4 of the handout on Haroun.

• Lecture on the monomyth (keep notes in your book).

• Short TED talk on the monomyth, aka hero journey.

• Because many students didn’t have their book, we started the film analysis of Oz early.

• HW: For those who didn’t do so, read chapters one and two. All others, read chapter two of Haroun.

Wednesday, November 15

• Independent reading presentations for period 6.

• Independent reading for period 8.

• Period 6: Watching The Wizard of Oz, completing the hero journey example chart as we watch.
  Period 8: Modeling how to annotate the novel, using desk camera (chapter one).

• HW: Read (and annotate—circle vocabulary, keep notes of free-speech and the novel Haroun) chapters one and two…due Friday!

Friday, November 17

• After independent reading, we will continue or finish The Wizard of Oz.

• Continue to take notes on the monomyth as it appears in the film. Remember, there will be MULTIPLE examples of: crossing a threshold, mentors, helpers, trials.

• HW: Read chapter three in Haroun. Annotate for the monomyth (hero journey) in chapter three. Review what happens in chapters one and two, and add “departure” notes there, too.