Welcome to Honors American Lit
S.A.T. I recommend that you all take the SAT between now and January. Because you have taken the PSAT, you are familiar with the format and might do better on the current SAT than you will on the Revised SAT (percentile rating, that is).
--The best books, they don't talk about things you never thought about before. They talk about things you'd always thought about, but that you didn't think anyone else had thought about. You read them, and suddenly you're a little bit less alone in the world. You're part of this cosmic community of people who've thought about this thing, whatever it happens to be. -Tommey Wallach
Class syllabus
Homework:
1. Read syllabus, have parent or guardian read it, sign, and return Monday.
2. Learn all names by Thursday after next.
3. Learn all literary terms by next Thursday/Friday (yes, 40, but you already know most)
4. Finish Getting to Know You handout, including 1/2 page telling me about yourself. Make it interesting and revealing. I want to know the real you, not just typical biographical information--your passions, what makes you tick, things like that. Due Monday.
5. Print Summer Reading Essay and bring it to class next Thursday/Friday (17th). Actually due Sunday 27th };^}
6. Bring your copy of How to Read Literature like a college professor next Tuesday.
7. First three lines of Song of the Open Road by Whitman Monday.
What can I say, I love teaching Honors American Lit where the discussions are lively, the insights keen, and the writing enjoyable to read (please keep it that way :^]
Rather than create a website, I've set up this blog for our class and you will be required to view it from time to time. I prefer blogs to websites because they can be updated so easily and they also give you the opportunity to comment on the things that are said here and to give me input concerning neat and useful links to add to the "Resources" tab and the "Cool Stuff "tab."
My goal is to make this class as stimulating as it is challenging. The works that I've chosen for us to study, as well as the assignments, should give you opportunities to think through challenging issues and to solidify your new ideas as you write your papers and produce creative projects.
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Class today (actually today and tomorrow):
1. The American Dream
- National Public Radio (NPR) video on the singer Bruce Springsteen and the American Dream. Springsteen's American Dream--Beautiful and Bleak
- Born to Run with lyrics (Bruce Springsteen) Discuss meaning of the song. And a link to the lyrics: Born to Run
- Compare and contrast the poems Song of the Open Road by Walt Whitman, and
- I am Waiting, by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Both deal with the American dream. Which is more similar to Springsteen's Born to Run? Why do you think these poets and singers see the American dream differently?
- As a group, decide what the song Born to Run is saying. Take notes.
- Homework: Write three paragraphs telling me what you think Springsteen is saying. Remember, good writing makes a specific point, supports that point with specific examples, and discusses those examples.
- Another Whitman poem: I Hear America Singing
- Literary terms--Quizlet
My hope is that you'll find the class both challenging and fun.
Homework (to be done tonight)
1. The first thing I'd like you to do is to have your parent or guardian read the syllabus.
2. Start memorizing the first 10 words from the Scarlet Letter vocabulary list, which are found on this Quizlet list of 25 Scarlet Letter words. You will be tested on these first 10 words Thursday or Friday and all 25 next Thur/Friday. We learn 10 words per week and have a vocabulary quiz every Friday (some of the blog entries you will read have been recycled from the things last year. Anytime you read "due Friday" that means due the last day of the week for your class). It is not my responsibility to remind you that you will be quizzed. NOTE: Many "B" students drop from the "A" because they don't ace all of the vocab quizzes.
4. Begin memorizing the names of all students in class. Quiz next Friday. Yes, it's true, I make you memorize everyone's name because we have lots of class discussions and I want you to be able to refer to one another by name. "Yes, I agree with what Jimmy is saying," "You know, Gladys, I have to respectfully disagree with you on this point."
5. Do mental calisthenics to make the transition from "kicked back summer mode" to "hardworking, conscientious student and seeker of truth."
6. Memorize the first three lines of Walt Whitman's poem "The Open Road" for this Friday (see link above)
