WCU - Spring 2006 LIT 165 Announcements and Assignments

DATE	ANNOUNCEMENT / ASSIGNMENT
FINAL EXAM TUES. 5/9 (sect. 11) THURS. 5/11 (sect. 10)	LIT 165-10 (T/R 11:00) which meets in GOSHEN 101A: Your final exam time is Thursday, May 11 at 10:30 am in our classroom. LIT 165-11 (T/R 12:30) which meets in TYSON 120A: Your final exam time is Tuesday, May 9, at 10:30 am in our classroom. Both sections: I will collect portfolios along with Paper #4 (Literary Synthesis Project) at the start of the final exam period.
Assigned April 18	For Thursday, 4/20 and Tuesday, 4/25: Class is cancelled in lieu of individual conferences to discuss the upcoming papers that will be due on 5/2 nd 5/9 (12:30 class) or 5/11 (11:00 class). Conferences will be held in Main 312. The assignment sheet for Paper #3: Drama was distributed in class today, as well as group discussion questions for studying Death of a Salesman. Students wrote individual answers to one of the questions on this handout to substitute for the informal writing assignment on the course syllabus. It was announced that there will be a writing workshop for Paper #3 in class on Thursday, 4/27. Bring a complete draft of Paper #3 to class that day to participate.
Assigned April 6	For Tuesday, 4/11 and Thursday, 4/13: Class will meet in FHG Library to view Death of a Salesman in the basement projection room (IMC area). In class today I distributed notes on "Drama and Tragedy" as well as study questions to guide your reading of "Death of a Salesman." Students completed an in-class writing exercise to reflect on the poetry journal project that was due today. They also completed a collaborative creative writing project to gain an understanding of the dramatist's craft in creating dialogue and action to reveal character. You can view the directions for both of those classwork assignments here.
Assigned Mar. 30	For Thursday, 4/6, Poetry Journal Project is due. There is no class on Tuesday 4/4. Optional conferences in my office (Main 312). In class today we discussed irony, ambiguity, symbol, and theme in several assigned poems. Additional poems were provided in the handout, "Symbol in Poetry."
Assigned Mar. 28	For Thursday, 3/30, Read "Richard Cory" (p. 688), "My Papa's Waltz" (p. 745) and "That Time of Year Thou Mayest In Me Behold" (p. 982). Continue working on your Poetry Journal Project, which will be due on Thursday, April 6.
Assigned Mar. 23	For Tuesday, 3/28, Read the poems in the catalogue of poems which were assigned in class. "Birches," "A Certain Lady," "Midterm Break" and "The Vacuum." Continue working on your Poetry Journal Project.
Assigned Mar. 21	For Thursday, 3/23, Read the poems in the catalogue of poems distributed today (or the poems distributed before the break) to try using one of the appproaches to reading poetry discussed in class today. This effort can be used to get you started on your poetry journal project. Today in class I distibuted notes titled "Reading Poetry," a second catalogue of poems, and an outline to help you organize your thinking about the poems we're studying. I also announced a change to our course syllabus. The Poetry Journal Project is now the major assessment tool for our poetry unit. There is no change to the assignment other than the new due date (April 6, unless I announce otherwise)--it is still intended to be an "informal writing" project; the only difference is that this project will be worth 15% of your course grade; the additional formal paper for the poetry unit has been removed from the syllabus. On Thursday we'll be discussing the "craft of poetry" using some of the poems in the handouts and the textbook.
Assigned Mar. 9	For Tuesday, 3/21, read pp. 563-584 in your textbook. We will discuss the special demands of reading poetry when we return from spring break. You may want to work on your Poetry Journal Project during the break, but it won't be due until the conclusion of our poetry unit in April (the exact date TBA). ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK!!!
Assigned Mar. 7	For Thursday, 3/9, Paper #1 is due and we'll begin our poetry unit. In class today, students completed a peer review workshop. A handout on writing effective introductions and conclusions was distributed along with the workshop review sheet. Additionally, the assignment sheets for the Independent Project - Literary Synthesis Essay due at the end of the semester and the Poetry Journal project due at the end of our poetry unit were distributed. We discussed the aims of each project.
Assigned Mar. 2	On Thursday, 3/2 class was cancelled due to the predicted ice storm. The writing workshop is RESHEDULED for 3/7 and the due date for the paper is changed to 3/9. (Hopefully, you received my email with that announcement yesterday.) For Tuesday 3/7, bring a complete, typed draft of your paper to class for peer review and we will conduct our writing workshop so that you can receive feedback on your work before submitting it for a grade.
Assigned Feb. 28	On Thursday, 3/2 there will be a writing workshop in class. Bring a complete, typed draft of your paper to class for peer review. This is an excellent time to receive feedback on your work so that you can revise effectively.
Assigned Feb. 21	On Thursday, 2/23 and Tuesday, 2/28 there will be no class. Individual conferences are scheduled instead to discuss your progress on the first formal paper (workshop draft due 3/2; final draft due 3/7). The conferences will be held in my office in Main Hall 312. You can bring your ideas, an outline, or a draft of the paper.
Assigned Feb. 16	For Tuesday, 2/21: Complete the informal writing assignment on the course syllabus (chronological outline). Think about your topic for Paper #1. On Tuesday 2/21 you will sign up for an individual conference to discuss your topic ideas. Today in class I distributed a hand out with questions about "Miss Brill" (p. 252) and asked students to discuss #1-9 in small groups and then write individual answers to #10 (1-2 paragraphs). Here are the questions you brainstormed in class on Thursday 2/16: "Short Fiction: Ambiguity"
Assigned Feb. 14	For Thursday, 2/16: Read "Miss Brill" (252) and "Young Man on Sixth Avenue" (available online).
Assigned Feb. 9	For Tuesday, 2/14: Read "How to Tell a True War Story" (473) and "A Solderiers Home" (154). Then revisit the handout I distributed a few weeks ago and which we looked at in class today ("APPROACHING THE ART OF SHORT FICTION") to observe more closely what the other writers have to say about the art of the short story. Then write 1-2 paragraphs (informal writing, but please type) connecting what one of these authors have to say with one of the stories assigned for class on Tuesday 2/14.
Assigned Feb. 7	For Thursday, 2/9: Write one paragraph (please type) which analyzes/synthesizes at least two of the stories we've read so far--some suggestions for comparing/contrasting were given in class (you can see them here). Additionally, write three questions about any of the stories I've assigned so far. These questions can be on the same page with your paragraph. Although any kind of question is acceptable, see if you can write at least one or more analytical questions that encourage a deep reading of the story or stories. There is no new reading assignment this week; I've cancelled the two stories that are on the outline for Thursday. We may return to them later. Use the time this week to read back over some of the more challenging stories you've already read so far and to reflect on how these stories relate to our rites of passage course theme.
Assigned Feb. 2	Due Tuesday, 2/7: Read the next three stories on the course outline: “Girl” (517) “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been” (handout/online) and “Lust” (282). In class today (Thurs., 2/2, students completed an in-class small group discussion and writing exercise. If you missed class, you can make up the work if you email it to me before class on 2/7). Also, I explained in class today that any works listed as available on "e-reserves" in the course outline will instead be availalbe on this course website. That includes "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates due this week.
Assigned Jan. 26	Due Thursday, 2/2: Read "Araby" and "Love in L.A." ("Araby" is not available on e-reserve, but you can print out a copy or read the story online. Here's a link to a few analytical essays about "Araby."
Assigned Jan. 24	Due Thursday, 1/26: Read "A & P" and "Eveline" in your textbook. We'll continue to discuss the art of fiction. Keep "The Story of an Hour" and "A Sorrowful Woman" in mind; re-read if necessary.
Assigned Jan. 19	Due Tuesday, 1/24: Complete the INFORMAL WRITING ASSIGNMENT in your course outline listed in Week 1 and read two short stories: "The Story of an Hour" (p. 15) and "The Sorrowful Woman" (p. 38).
Assigned Jan. 17	Due Thursday, 1/19: Write about your response to the story you chose in your textbook.

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