Syllabus for 10/23-27

LAST WEEK: Students are in the thick of revising their Alchemist essays. Remember, ALL students need to contribute to the verbal comments. Whether or not our revision discussions are effective is directly related to your participation in the process. Do NOT think you can sit on your hands during this work! Student also completed some

    Monday

    • Continuing with revision work, students reading their essays on our last novel. Today we will read a beautifully illustrated work, "How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head."

    • HW: If we don't finish the children's story in class, follow this link and read it.

    Tuesday

    • Reading Alchemist papers. We will also read the frontpiece to the work, about Valmiki the poet. We will read the second introduction in class, up through Rooman #xxv.

    • Hw: Spend 20 minutes practicing the pronunciation of the characters. Use the recordings made by a former M&M students to nail those down correctly. 

    Wednesday

    • Finishing the essays! Reading "Prologue" on pages 3-6 together. What do we discover about this world, as it's presented to us by Valmiki (through the eyes of Narayan)?

    • HW:  Read the first introduction to The Ramayana, up through and including Roman #xvi.

    Thursday

    • Introduction to the frame narrative. Does love at first sight exist? Reviewing notes on the documentary, what Campbell might say of Indian mythology, and what we discover culturally about 16th century India through the start of the epic poem. 
    • HW:  Finish the "Prologue" and read first half of chapter one, "Rama's Initiation" on pages 7-13.

    Friday

    • Crossword day. We will complete a study guide that on Hinduism terms that were presented in the documentary and the pre-reading chapter on Hinduism. 
    • HW: Finish reading chapter one, and annotate chapter two of The Ramayana, "The Wedding."
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