First Quarter Syllabus
AP Literature ad Composition
Dr. Jean Gaumer – Fall 2008
________________________________________________________________
Reading Assignments: various handouts, Theban Plays, King Lear, Genesis,
Dr. Faustus, Paradise lost (selections), East of Eden,
and Master and Margarita
Writing Assignments: several in-class essays, two major essays, one
research project
Oral Presentations:
various requests based on home work readings,
Literature Period Project, playwright project
________________________________________________________________
Week of August 27
Wednesday 27
Introductions to one another and to the course
Research Assignment: Survey of Lit Periods
Turn in Poetry Packet
Assignment: Gather college essay questions. Bring (2) hard
copies to class
(one for class use and one to turn in to the
instructor). Review notes for summer readings essay test.
Thursday 28
Discussion on College Essays
(AP test Day 1)
Assignment: First College Essay, due September 4
Review notes for summer readings essay test.
Friday 29
(AP test Day 2)
Discussion: Does Sophocles’ Oedipus fulfill Aristotle’s
definition of a tragic hero?
Assignment: Read Knox and Dodds essay on Oedipus.
Take a critical stance and highlight passages to support
position in a class discussion.
Week of September 1
Monday 1
NO SCHOOL
Tuesday 2
2 hour delay
Discussion on Oedipus as Tragic Hero (Knox and Dodds)
(AP test Day 3)
Assignment: Work on First College Essay
Wednesday 3
Examples of college essays. Work on Lit Projects
Assignment: Finish draft on First College Essay
Thursday 4
Draft of First College Essay DUE
In-class Peer Critique
Group Work on Lit Period Projects
Assignment: Second College Essay, Due September 8
Friday 5
Group Work on Lit Periods/ Presentation Schedule
Assignment: Finish draft on Second College Essay
Week of September 8
Monday 8
Draft on Second College Essay DUE
In-Class Peer Critique/ Group Work on Lit Period Project
Assignment: Work on Final Drafts of both College essays,
Due Monday, September 15
Tuesday 9
Group Work on Lit Period Project
Wednesday 10
Group Work on Lit Period Project
Thursday 11
Read and discuss King Lear in class
Assignment: Finish ACT 1. Scene 1.
Choose an essential passage that helps you make an
observation on Lear’s character and another on Cordelia’s
character.
Friday 12
Read and discuss King Lear in class
Assignment: Finish ACT 1. Scene 2.
How well does Shakespeare establish Lear and Gloucester
as foils?
Week of September 15
Monday 15
Final drafts on College Essays Due
Group work on Lit Period Bulletin Board
Presentation on the Classical Period
Tuesday 16
Presentation on Anglo Saxon Period
Read and discuss King Lear in class
Assignment: Finish ACT 1. Scenes 3, 4, 5
How does Nature reflect what is happening in the play?
Wednesday 17
College Counselors
Assignment: Read King Lear, ACT 2
Thursday 18
Discuss King Lear
Presentation on the Medieval Period
Assignment: Read King Lear, ACT 3
Friday 19
Read and Discuss King Lear
Assignment: Finish King Lear ACTS 4 and 5
Week of September 22
Monday 22
Discuss King Lear
Assignment: Comparative Essay Assignment (Theban Plays
and King Lear) Due Monday, September 29
Tuesday 23
Presentations on the Renaissance and the Enlightenment
Wednesday 24
Discuss Genesis
Thursday 25
Begin Paradise Lost
Assignment: Look up web sites:
www.pardiselost.org and www.paradiselost.org/novel.htm.
Friday 26
Paradise Lost
Week of September 27
Monday 29
Paradise Lost
Essay Due
Tuesday 30
NO SCHOOL
Wed-October 1
Paradise Lost
Thursday 2
Begin Dr. Faustus (handout)
Friday 3
Dr. Faustus
Week of October 6
Monday 6
Dr. Faustus
Tuesday 7
In-class essay on Genesis, Paradise Lost, Dr. Faustus
Wednesday 8
Playwright Assignment
Thursday 9
No School
Friday 10
No School
Week of October 13
Monday 13
No School
Tuesday 14
Begin East of Eden
Wednesday 15
East of Eden
Thursday 16
East of Eden
Friday 17
Presentation on Modern Period
East of Eden
Week of October 20
Monday 20
East of Eden
Tuesday 21
East of Eden
Wednesday 22
East of Eden
Thursday 23
East of Eden
Friday 24
East of Eden
Assignment: Analytical Essay on East of Eden
DUE: Friday. October 31
Week of October 27
Monday 27
Playwright Presentations
Assignment: Begin reading Pride and Prejudice
Tuesday 28
Playwright Presentations
Wednesday 29
Playwright Presentations
Thursday 30
Playwright Presentations
Assignment: 1st Quarter Self-Reflection Paper
Friday 31
Playwright Presentations
Paper: East of Eden paper Due
END OF 1ST QUARTER
Presentations of Romantic and Victorian Periods
(Preparation for discussions of Pride and Prejudice,
Jane Eyre and Tess D’Urbervilles
______________________________________________________________________
First Quarter Syllabus Updated
AP Literature ad Composition
Dr. Jean Gaumer – Fall 2008
Week of October 13
Monday 13
No School
Tuesday 14
Groups meet to finalize presentations
Wednesday 15
Chaucer Presentation
Thursday 16
Discussion of Wife of Bath
Friday 17
Discussion of Pardoner’s Tale
Week of October 20
Monday 20
Dante Presentation
Tuesday 21
Reading and Discussion of packet of Cantos from The Inferno
Wednesday 22
Continuation of The Inferno Cantos
Thursday 23
Milton Presentation
Friday 24
Discussion of Book I
Week of October 27
Monday 27
Continuation of Paradise Lost
Assignment: Begin reading Dr. Faustus
Tuesday 28
Discuss Dr. Faustus
Wednesday 29
Finish Dr. Faustus
Thursday 30
Pride and Prejudice discussion
Assignment: 1st Quarter Self-Reflection Paper
Friday 31
Romanticism Presentation
End of First Quarter
Note: We will try to fit in two in-class essays. One analytical essay on poetry
and one reflection essay on Genesis and related readings.