Mrs. Pike | Mr. Pike | Waverly Track and Field

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US Literature – September 2008
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Sat./Sun.
1 No school! Labor Day	2 First, tests back.  We will be discussing what to be sure to include in essays – some of us didn’t pay enough attention last year.  Be sure to take notes today – especially about thesis statements! Next, how about we draw some conclusions about the American Dream? We’ll even have a chance to be the ad agency hired to sell the American Dream.	3 We will read and  outline pages 4-12. Why is outlining so important? Be sure to ask and I will tell you!	4 Please be prepared to discuss yesterday’s assignment. Who knows – maybe we’ll even have a quiz on the reading.  Hmm – who will be first to ask to collect them?	5 Read “Earth On Turtle’s Back” on page 16 and “Iroquois Constitution” on page 24. Literary term: imagery Define and give an example. Why is it so important to the Iroquois constitution?	6/7 ALWAYS know the author’s name for ANY piece of literature we read!!!
8 Oh dear, a full week of school! Gold, God and Glory – why did the explorers come to the new world?  What did they find? Literary terms: narrative and primary source (primary source is a very important term throughout the year – make sure you learn it now. “Journey Through Texas” and “Boulders Taller Than the Great Tower of Seville”(homework if not finished in class).	9 Review vocabulary for quiz on Friday – spell the word and match it to the best definition. Discuss reading homework – in what way are these narratives? Are they primary sources? What did the people who wrote these narratives come for – gold, God or glory? What part of the text supports your opinion? Find quotes to support your answers. Read about Columbus and see what he was looking for and how successful he was (or wasn’t!) Vocabulary: Deliberate Disposition Confederate Feign Entreat Subsist Dispatch Copious Improvident Avarice Pacify Mortality Loathsome Pestilence Quiz on Friday (hurray)!!!	10 Making inferences. What was Columbus looking for? Did he find it? What tone does he take in his narrative to the King and Queen of Spain? What can you conclude about what Columbus’ American Dream was? Captivity narratives: “The General History of Virginia” by John Smith (the real one, not the cartoon guy from Pochahontas!)	11 Discuss reading from yesterday. Was it exciting enough? What could be done to make it better? Let’s see if we can jazz it up a little without changing the basic truth of the narrative (that’s what John Smith did!). Read for tomorrow: “Of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford Quiz tomorrow! Quiz tomorrow! Quiz tomorrow!!	12 Vocabulary quiz Discuss yesterday’s reading. Carefully consider the purpose of this selection. What are Bradford’s multiple purposes? Make sure you remember all of these authors and their various desires (gold, God or glory). You will need to know that for next week’s writing assignment. Dare I suggest that you take notes on the readings in the perspective of those three cuases?	13/14
15 New vocabulary! Did I just hear cries of joy?!?!? Abundance Narrative Righteous Pilfer Peril Recompense Paraphrase Manifold Persevere Dialogue I bet you can figure out which ten will be on the quiz!! Quiz on Thursday	16 Discuss Equiano. How is his position different from the others we have read about? Is he gold, God or glory? Ann Bradstreet “To My Dear and Loving Husband” “Upon the Burning of Our House” (handout) Paraphrasing poetry to better understand it. Puritan literature should move the reader to righteousness. Do these accomplish that purpose?	17 Bring your grammar book today (We told you not to sell it last year!!) Working on dialogue. Pages 834-38 in the Elements of Writing book Writing assignment: Write a story in which several of the authors we have read lately suddenly find themselves in modern day America. Do they like what they see? Have any of their dreams or desires been realized by others? What is his/her reaction? Demonstrate that you understand these people and their motives. More details in class. Working on our stories	18 More writing in class today. Take advantage of the fact that Miss Ring and I are here to help you. You are required to write in class. Learning to draft your work is an important skill.	19 Vocabulary quiz today! More cries of joy!	20/21
22 Begin our poetry unit What is poetry? Why are people so drawn to it? So many poems, so little time!! Vocabulary: Hyperbole Efface Earnest Bivouac Strife Sublime Rhyme scheme Meter (in poetry) Quatrain Couplet Petrarchan sonnet Shakespearean sonnet Romantic (not like that, silly!) Metaphor simile Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “Psalm of Life” “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls”	23 What’s the first thing we do with any poem??? Paraphrase!!!! Don’t forget! Continue with the fireside poets. “Thanatopsis” by William Cullen Bryant – a jolly to the first person who can come to me with a definition of thanatopsis!!!	24 One more day (o, maybe two) of the fireside poets and then we will move on. James Russell Lowell “The First Snowfall”John Greenleaf Whittier from “Snowbound” (we will only be reading a cutting of this poem – here it is in its entirety should you wish to continue reading it) These two authors didn’t appreciate on another’s work too much. Let’s see who we think is the better poet!	25 We’ll need this day to finish up yesterday’s poems	26 Vocabulary quiz today. Be ready.	27/28
29 OK, now that you’re all dried out from your river field trip we really will take that quiz. Then Miss Ring will take over with some more poetry (I hear your excitement!!!) I don’t know yet if she has vocabulary for you. If she does, I’ll post it tomorrow. Sixth and Seventh hours still need to paraphrase “Snowbound”	30 Emily Dickinson! “Because I could not stop for Death” and “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died” Vocab. due tomorrow—Quiz on MONDAY! Exact Rhyme Slant rhyme Cornice Surmised Oppresses Finite Infinite Imagiste Shakespearean Petrarchasn Sonnet Apparition	Introduce Poetry Project 2008! (I know how excited everyone is!) First Day of October! I say we read Robert Frost’s, “The Road Not Taken” –I’m sure some of you have read this before-It is perfect for a fall day! Lots of Imagery in this one! It also will serve as a mini example of this poetry project. We will be coloring in class! (yay!)	Imagiste Poetry---hmm, I wonder what this kind of poetry will entail?! William Carlos Williams (what a name!) “The Red Wheelbarrow”, “The Great Figure”, “This is Just to Say” Maybe some Ezra Pound too, if we have time. J	HAPPY HOMECOMING! SPIRIT DAY! Let’s show some Cougar love and have fun!	GO COUGARS!!! Have fun and be safe at the dance tonight!

Justice In Literature – September 2008
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Sat./Sun.
1 No school (what great words!)	2 Test over The Chamber.  Please be ready.	3 Letter writing skills. Bring the Writing book (you know, the purple one!!) We will format the letters correctly, or we will not send them out. Remember that a letter is essentially a published piece of work and should be as perfect as possible when we send them out.	4 Letter writing. Hopefully we can get into the library to type the letters.	5 Begin movie A Time to Kill Please be aware that we are watching the movie so that we can write about it along with the summer reading assignment. I think the movie is important or we wouldn’t be watching it. Therefore, you may find yourself taking quizzes much the same way we do when we are reading. Be ready for it!	6/7
8 Go over letters one last time. Address envelopes. Revisit why it’s so important to have these be as perfect as possible. Discuss the basis of A Time to Kill. We will be trying to decide if the crimes committed by Carl Lee are better, worse, or the same as those committed by Sam. For those of you who have not yet read The Chamber, I’d get going if I were you!	9 Ok, today we really, really will begin the film.	10 Film	11 Hopefully finish the film today.	12 Learn about the format of comparison/contrast papers. Define each of those words and decide on a purpose for the paper. Topic: Sam and Carl Lee both kill two people. Sam dies for his crime and Carl Lee goes free. How can each of these outcomes be just? Compare/contrast (choose one – don’t try to do both) Quotes are required	13/14
15 Finish movie. Discuss conclusion as we prepare for our essays	16 Learn about the format of comparison/contrast papers. Define each of those words and decide on a purpose for the paper. Topic: Sam and Carl Lee both kill two people. Sam dies for his crime and Carl Lee goes free. How can each of these outcomes be just? Compare/contrast (choose one – don’t try to do both) Quotes are required	17 Writing in class.	18 Writing in class. Bring A Lesson Before Dying for class tomorrow.	19 Typed final draft due in class today. Begin Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying.	20/21
22 Papers due today!! You need to bring A Lesson Before Dying to class with you today. Read chapter one this evening, please. Review the circumstances of the South in the mid-twentieth century. What could be expected during this time and in this place?	23 Explain the reading journal that you will be keeping for this book. Respond to the following for your journal: “I was there, yet I was not there.” Chapter Two this evening, please Review conflict in literature. Be aware of these definitions as we read the book and be prepared to identify the various instances they are made clear.	24 Chapter Three New quote: “Living and teaching on a plantation, you got to know the occupants of every house, and you knew who was home and who was not… I could look at the smoke rising from each chimney or I could look at the rusted tin roof of each house and I could tell the lives that went on in each one of them (37-38) Try to address what this tells you about the rest of the characters as well as Grant’s inner conflict (you know, man vs. self!)	25 In class writing time to draft responses to the first two quotes. Chapter Four	26 In class reading. Be sure to bring your book. Chapter Five-Seven for Monday	27/28 Homecoming week begins!!
29 Reading quiz Polishing our responses to the quotes. What justice issues can you identify with the story so far? How do you see them being resolved? Chapters 8-9	30 Chapters 10-11 Have any of your views changed? Writing time for your summaries and questions.	Chapters 12-13 I will be collecting your summaries and questions today. Be sure that you are caught up	Reading day today!!! Bring your books to class. Chapters 14-16 for Monday. See you Saturday at the game!!!

Honors U.S. Literature – September 2008
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Sat./Sun.
1 No school!!! Heck, have fun!	2 Heroes.  First we will define them, discuss them and identify them.  This is important because tomorrow’s essay question deals with heroes.  You get to decide who you believe the hero is.  You even get to bring in a 3x5 card with two (2) quotes on it to use to support your choice in your three paragraph essay in tomorrow’s test.	3 Test (isn’t life exciting???) Vocabulary homework – get the definitions.  Quiz on Friday. Avarice Userer Extort Ostentation Parsimony Prevalent Hoard Quagmire Flourish Obliterate Propitiatory Prowess Saunter Doleful Plight Censure Superfluous I guess that’s enough for now.	4 You’re honors – you get to start in the middle of the book (ok, not quite the middle, more like late beginning) Read and outline pages 228-238.  I’ll check the outlines tomorrow	5 Borrowing from another culture.  Washington Irving “Americanizes” literature and brings us “The Devil and Tom Walker” pages 240-252. Direct and indirect characterization	6/7 ALWAYS know the author’s name for ANY piece of literature we read!!!
8 How about a nice quiz to start things off? Good, I thought you’d like that. Discuss the reading. Direct/indirect characterization – sounds like a really good opportunity for chart making. Don’t you just love a good chart? After we define our terms, you will find quotes from the text of the story to support your claims. Review point of view in story telling. Homework: Read pages 384-85. You will have to know these people, so I recommend that you take a few notes on who they are and what they did.	9 Define utopia. If we were able to create our own utopia, what would it look like? What would it include? Would it exclude anything? Create one with your group. Be ready for a brief presentation to the rest of the class. Somebody tell Jessica Doody that we’re doing the utopias today.	10 Homework: Read Walden “Where I Lived and What I Lived For” Don’t forget – a reading quiz is practically guaranteed each day when we are reading anything.	11 How does all of this impact transcendentalism? How are these people “walking the walk” Read “Solitude” from Walden	12 Maybe we’ll go outside today and see what we can see – how do our observations stack up to Emerson’s and Thoreau’s? Remember when I told you there’d be more homework in this class? Here we go!! Weekend homework – “The Ponds” (A&B).	13/14
15 If it’s nice we’ll go outside today, but it’s rained so much I don’t know that it could be very dry!! Metaphors; similes. What’s the purpose? Why are they effective? Search Walden for metaphors and similes	16 Writing about nature. What did you see outside that compares to Thoreau? Can you find the same passion that Thoreau found? Writing in class about nature. Include at least three metaphors to emphasize what you see and how you feel.	17 Does Thoreau’s idea of utopia work out? How does it sound to you? What does Emerson include in his idea of a utopia? (Remember, Emerson is the one from whom Thoreau borrows the pond) “Nature” and “Self-Reliance” pages 386-392. Do his thoughts impact your idea of a utopia? Does the concept of utopia intersect with anything that looks like the American dream? Any dream?	18 “Civil Disobedience” What are Thoreau’s issues? What drives him to take the action he takes? How does it support the views of a transcendentalist?	19	20/21
22 Although Thoreau makes a meritorious point with Civil Disobedience, is it right to call on people to behave this way? Is it ever right? Conversely, is it always wrong? If Thoreau were alive today I’m convinced that he would blog (after all, there’s no charge for it and he’d reach many people with his message. What would his message be today? Is it possible to find a cause for positive change that would work with the concept of “Civil Disobedience”? How about we mix in a little bit of Walden as well? The issue you will write about must have something to do with natural resources. Grades will be based on quality of issue (does it benefit a number of students, or just a few?). Appropriateness of the call to action (are you chaining yourself to trees to ask people to recycle?)Spelling, correct grammar and punctuation. No first person this time and limit yourself to three to five paragraphs (yup, it would be appropriate to have a thesis this time!). Also, only one verb of being per paragraph! And, oh yeah, toss in a metaphor just for the fun of it! This will be due, typed, on Wednesday.	23 I haven’t decide yet, but I am considering starting The Scarlet Letter today, so please be sure to bring it with you. A bit of background on Nathaniel Hawthorne.	24 Turn in your blog today. We will be peer reviewing them in class today, applying the criteria listed on Monday’s entry and then sending you back to the drawing board so you can turn in an even better final copy tomorrow (with the rough draft attached!)	25 Ok, final copy due today. Be prepared to share it in class. Jolly to those who move the listeners to action!! A little moment on how we learn and how that’s going to effect you while we read this book. It’s work, but it helps you understand the novel more completely. Bring Hawthorne with you!	26 A little quiz over the transcendentalists, including vocabulary from Emerson’s writings. We shall see.	27/28 Homecoming starts this weekend!!!
29 Look! Vocabulary – I say we have a quiz on Wednesday – what do you think? Utopia Edifice Ponderous Inauspicious Frailty Sluggish Gallows Impulse Token Haughty Gentility Evanescent Brazen Visage Demeanor Ignominy Essence Chapters seven and eight tonight! Forget your book at school? Click here for a spare copy! That’s enough for now.	30 Time to work on you study guides in class today (it is homecoming week, after all) How is the anti transcendentalist viewpoint coming through? How does Hawthorne feel about the Puritans? What clues support your answer?	Vocabulary quiz today. Don’t worry, you’ll love it!! New vocabulary for next week!! (Exciting, isn’t it?) Infamy Tempestuous Ignominy Retribution Besmirch Annihilate Assimilate Inevitable Inquisitor Kindred Insidious Sanctify Anathema Deportment	Reading day today.

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Mrs. Pike | Mr. Pike | Waverly Track and Field