LAST WEEK WE READ PRECOLONIAL POETRY by Longfellow and Francis Scott Key and compared that with the soldier's experience in the documentary Wartorn and film Full Metal Jacket. Interestingly, students saw that this early writing did portray the violence and gore or war, but also focused upon the heroic glory a soldier could obtain in these conditions. By week end, students began looking for poems related to their independent novel's theme. What you found should have been recorded in your Noodle account's bibliography.

Monday

Vonnegut and war. Short lecture on Slaughterhouse Five and the backwards war. Then breaking up into small research groups. I want each member to post on their circle wall a)where you are in the novel; what has happened in it so far? b) what poetry have you found that relates to your novel's theme?
HW: Remember to follow the reading schedule for your novel. You should circle vocabulary words, write questions, and annotate: What question about America does your author seek to answer, through the novel?

Tuesday

At war with the Indian. We will read items seven through ten in our packet of war literature, all "poems" from the Native American perspective. We will then read a non-fiction overview of Col Wright's slaughter of the Spokane horses and a fiction section of Sherman Alexie's Reservation Blues on that same event.
HW: Shifting to the Civil War. Read selections 11 through 14 in our war literature packet.

Wednesday

What does the Civil War poems demonstrate about war's impact upon the American soldier's psyche? How does Americans' perception of war change with the War of Northern Aggression? In small groups, we will move through some of the poems, looking for answers to this question.
HW: Carefully re-read the poem, "The Confederate Dead." You should also use some of the research sources to help your understanding of the poem...see what you can find, and share those finding with your research circle.

Thursday

Civil War photography of James Brady: lecture and small group analysis.
HW: Tonight, revisit your noodle bibliography, cleaning it up, finishing any additions you didn't complete.

Friday

Meeting in the library. This time you will try to locate a short story that thematically relates to your novel. You'll become familiar with the SC section of the library and the databases associated with short stories. Finding one that fits nicely will take some time, lots of reading and searching. But it will be worth it.
HW: Reading your novel, and adding short story findings to your noodle bibliography.