WE BEGIN THE YEAR with a graphic short story, “The Day I Disappeared.” What does this story mean? After writing and discussing an analysis, students will post an interpretive paragraph on our class blog. That will be followed up by examining Damascus Nights. Students will select one of Salim's friends's tales and examine it using Joseph Campbell's monomyth as a lens. We will spend the first two weeks using the summer reading as an introduction to Campbell's theory.

MONDAY

Introduction to the course and myself. We will take course pictures, and hand out tonight’s reading "The Day I Disappeared."
HW: Read the distributed story.

TUESDAY

Reviewing course expectations, taking gradebook photos, and introducing the squarespace class blog. We will begin discussing the story.
HW: Write an answer to the question, "What does the story mean?" Bring a printed copy of your response and be prepared to share it in class.

WEDNESDAY

Discussion of the comic, "The Day I Disappeared." Students will present an overview of their ideas.
HW: Post a revision of your written response as a comment to the blog entry for the aforementioned graphic short-story. A few tips: 1) make sure you are logged into your NT google account. 2) if prompted, enter a squarespace account using your first name, last initial, and NT google email address. We will start class by troubleshooting postings in class on Thursday.

THURSDAY

Troubleshooting the squarespace postings. Then reviewing the postings to the class blog, the written analysis of "The Day I Disappeared." We will also cover the school's academic integrity policy.
HW: Ask two questions for four (4) student responses. These can be "what about" or "have you considered" questions. They could also be questions asking for further depth of analysis, but must be specific. What more do you want to know about their interpretation? What didn't the consider? What assumptions did they make? What territory did they leave unexplored?

FRIDAY

Introduction to mythology. What is myth? What do we mean by the word? We will begin reviewing a packet of information that will help us answer these questions.
HW: Select one of Salim's friends's stories from the summer reading. Each student will select one of these tales, and write an essay that analyzes the tale. This weekend, re-annotate your chosen chapter--whichever of Salim's friends's stories you choose. You want to a) mark vocabulary; b) write your reader's questions, and c) annotate for the lesson learned relative to that story's narrator's journey.