Week of January 27-31

Monday - Return exams.

Homework - Purchase your copy of The Great Gatsby ASAP.

Tuesday - Unit 3 intro.

Homework - Read Dan Rather's chapter "Audacity" from What Unites Us, complete the freewrite, and be ready to share in class tomorrow.

Wednesday - Unit 3 and intro to the Junior Theme research question.

Homework - None.

Thursday - Research question drafting day.

Homework - None.

Friday - Research questions continued and intro to The Great Gatsby.

Homework - To be announced.

Homework and Exam Preparation for Thursday, January 16

This quote from American philosopher Richard Rorty will -- in some fashion -- be integrated into our semester exam essay question.  In order to start preparing for the exam, do the following for homework tomorrow (Thursday):

1. Carefully read the quote multiple times.
2. Answer these questions in your notebook and bring them to class:

• How would you describe the tone of the quote?  What words come to mind?
• Do you mostly see words with a positive connotation in the quote?  Negative connotation?  Identify specific words and comment on them.
• What impact does it have that the author uses 2nd person ("you") in the quote?  What effect does this have on the reader?
• Paraphrase what argument the author is making in the quote.  What do you think he is saying about America?
• Finally, identify at least 2 texts from the semester that come to mind when you reflect on this quote.  Where do you see some kind of connection between these texts and the ideas in the quote?

3. Be ready to share your ideas in class discussion tomorrow.  The more participation, the better we all will be prepared for the exam!

Week of January 13

Monday - Discuss pages 74-108.

Homework - Read pages 108-132 in Between the World and Me for Wednesday and complete a journal entry.  Be ready to share in class.

Tuesday - Reading day.

Homework - Read pages 108-132 in Between the World and Me for Wednesday and complete a journal entry.  Be ready to share in class.

Wednesday - Discuss pages 108-132.

Homework - 1.) Finish Between the World and Me for tomorrow -- no journal entry due.  2.) Follow the instructions in my recent blog post to start preparing for the exam.

Thursday - Discuss the rest of Between the World and Me and exam preparation.

Homework - Prepare for the exam.

Friday - Exam preparation.

Homework - Prepare for the exam.

OUR SEMESTER EXAM WILL BE TUESDAY, 1/21, AT 2PM IN ROOOM W250 (J).

Week of January 6

Monday - Intro to Between the World and Me.

Homework - None.

Tuesday - Meet in the library.

Homework - Read pages 1-39 in Between the World and Me for tomorrow and complete a journal entry.  Be ready to share in class.

Wednesday - Discuss pages 1-39.

Homework - Read pages 39-71 in Between the World and Me for tomorrow and complete a journal entry.  Be ready to share in class.

Thursday - Discuss pages 39-71.

Homework - Read pages 74-108 in Between the World and Me for Monday and complete a journal entry.  Be ready to share in class.

Friday - Reading day.

Homework - Read pages 74-108 in Between the World and Me for Monday and complete a journal entry.  Be ready to share in class.

NO BLOGGING UNTIL 2ND SEMESTER.