course schedule: fall
August 13 – Introduction to class, distribution of journals and books.
August 15 – Distribution of packets; reading. | O. Wilde and A. Behn.
August 17 – Full on time to read and write. | O. Wilde and A. Behn.
August 21 – Distribution of syllabus; reading. | Plato and Aristotle.
August 23 – Recapitulation of course specifics; reading. | Plato and Aristotle.
August 27 – Full-on time to read and write. | Plato and Aristotle; review.
August 29 – Vocabulary Quiz 1 followed by time to read and write. | S. Beckett.
August 31 – Time to read and write; create test questions. | Pass back quizzes.
September 5 – Full-on time to read, write, and study. | P. Sidney and Longinus.
September 7 – Essay Test 1 in computer lab; book 1 must be completed.
September 11 – Workshop: argument, quotation, connection.
September 14 – Workshop: argument, quotation, connection.
September 18 – Full-on time to read and write. | P. Sidney and Longinus.
September 20 – Full-on time to read and write. | P. Sidney and Longinus; review.
September 24 – Vocabulary Quiz 2 followed by time to read, write. | S. Beckett and The Simpsons.
September 26 – Full-on time to read and write. | Pass back quizzes, M. Wollstonecraft.
September 28 – Time to read and write; create test questions. | F. Schiller and P. Shelley.
October 2 – Full-on time to read, write, and study. | F. Schiller and P. Shelley.
October 4 – Essay Test 2 in computer lab; book 2 must be completed.
October 8 – Workshop: argument, quotation, connection.
October 11 – Workshop: argument, quotation, connection.
October 15 – Full-on time to read and write. | F. Schiller and P. Shelley.
October 17 – Full-on time to read and write. | M. Arnold and E. Poe; review.
October 19 – Vocabulary Quiz 3 followed by time to read and write. | E. Poe.
October 23 – Full-on time to read and write. | Pass back quizzes, M. Arnold and E. Poe.
October 25 – Time to read and write; create test questions. | M. Arnold and E. Poe.
October 29 – Full-on time to read, write, and study. | E. Poe.
October 31 – Essay Test 3 in computer lab; book 3 must be completed.
November 2 – Workshop: ethos, pathos, logos.
November 6 – Workshop: ethos, pathos, logos.
November 8 – Time to read; introduce essay. | W. DuBois, K. Marx, and O. Wilde.
November 12 – Full-on time to read and write. | W. DuBois, K. Marx, and O. Wilde.
November 14 – Full-on time to read and write. | W. DuBois, K. Marx, O. Wilde; review.
November 16 – Vocabulary Quiz 4 followed by time to read and write. | K. Marx.
November 20 – Time to read, write; create test questions. | S. Freud; pass back quizzes.
November 27 – Full-on time to read, write, and study; discuss essay. | S. Freud.
November 29 – Essay Test 4 in computer lab; book 4 must be completed.
December 3 – Workshop: ethos, pathos, logos.
December 5 – Workshop: ethos, pathos, logos.
December 7 – Finalize papers.
December 11 – Finalize papers.
December 13 – Presentations.
December 17 – Presentations.
December 19 – Presentations.
Lesson 2.3
Teacher: Acosta-Fox / Subject: College Lit / Literary Elements: Critical Thinking / Topic: Vocabulary Quiz and
Art Evaluation / Date: Sept. 24, 2012 / Objective: The student will recapitulate her learning over the last two weeks
of the school year in regards to the vocabulary and theories we have studied.
Questions: Is Beckett’s play art? Is The Simpsons? Do they teach anything, and if so what? Are they entertaining?
What would any of the theorists we’ve studied so far say?
Syllabus Entry: September 24 – Vocabulary Quiz 2 followed by time to read, write. | M. Wollstonecraft.
Materials: Journals, copies of quizzes.
1. [Refer to alphabetical seating chart, making sure students remain in same seats.]
2. Begin class with brief introductory Prezi before distributing vocabulary quizzes. During
the vocabulary quiz, post a 15-minute timer on the overhead projector. In Prezi, go over:
quiz format, overall course grades, and the like. (Bell Work / Independent Practice.)
3. Lecture and notes: using Prezi, review some key background facts regarding Samuel
Beckett: biography, style, placement in literary history. Show Beckett’s short piece
Breath twice. Then, show the episode of The Simpsons “And Maggie Makes Three.”
Pose questions: Is Beckett’s play art? Is The Simpsons? Do they teach anything, and if
so what? Are they entertaining? What would any of the theorists we’ve studied so far
say? (Modeling / Direct Instruction / Guided Practice.)
4. Allow students 10 minutes to write in journal over the questions frontloaded in step 3.
Walk around to check on students’ progress. (Independent Practice / Check for
Understanding.)
5. Circle up and share—everyone must read either their favorite sentence, or entire thing.
(Guided Practice / Check for Understanding / Exit Pass.)
Lesson 2.4
Teacher: Acosta-Fox / Subject: College Lit / Literary Elements: Critical Thinking / Topic: Mary Wollstonecraft
and a Review of the Quizzes / Date: Sept. 26, 2012 / Objective: The student will read, annotate, and discuss the
work of Mary Wollstonecraft.
Questions: Why does Wollstonecraft compare females to male soldiers? If art can teach, why are/were women
taught differently from men, according to Wollstonecraft? Is there a modern difference between the way boys and
girls are treated in schools?
Syllabus Entry: September 26 – Full-on time to read and write. | Pass back quizzes, M. Wollstonecraft.
Materials: Journals, Mary Wollstonecraft worksheets.
1. [Refer to alphabetical seating chart, making sure students remain in same seats.]
2. Begin class by covering the following in Prezi: upcoming dates, the next graded items,
ongoing reading packets, and the like. Mention the graded quizzes that will be passed
back shortly. Then, transition into a discussion about gender equality and your stance;
also, discuss the rights of women circa 1792. Introduce Wollstonecraft and the reading to
segue into the next step. (Bell Work / Direct Instruction.)
3. Allow students 10-15 minutes to read and annotate the Mary Wollstonecraft passage.
(Independent Practice.)
4. Distribute quizzes as a way to return to Prezi and remind students that the quizzes can be
corrected for credit. Then, take answers for the definitions from the worksheet before
posting them on Prezi; these are the only notes for the day. (Direct Instruction / Guided
Practice.)
5. Allow students 10 minutes to write in journal over the following questions: Why does
Wollstonecraft compare females to male soldiers? If art can teach, why are/were women
taught differently from men, according to Wollstonecraft? Is there a modern difference
between the way boys and girls are treated in schools? Walk around to check on
students’ progress and quiz them on the vocabulary words that should be in their notes.
(Independent Practice / Check for Understanding.)
6. Circle up and share—everyone must read either their favorite sentence, or entire thing.
(Guided Practice / Check for Understanding.)
7. Finish class with a 3-2-1 opinion piece: 3 ways men and women are equal, 2 ways they
are treated differently, and 1 solution. (Exit Pass.)
Lesson 2.5
Teacher: Acosta-Fox / Subject: College Lit / Literary Elements: Critical Thinking / Topic: Schiller on art / Date:
Sept. 28, 2012 / Objective: The student will read, annotate, and discuss the work of Friedrich Schiller. The student
will also think metacognitively about the book she is reading outside of class.
Questions: Schiller privileges art over nature and reality. Do you agree? Does art make the world better than it
actually is—and if so, how is this possible? What exactly is the artist creating?
Syllabus Entry: September 28 – Time to read and write; create test questions. | F. Schiller and P. Shelley.
Materials: Journals, Schiller and Shelley worksheets.
1. [Refer to alphabetical seating chart, making sure students remain in same seats.]
2. Begin class by covering the following in Prezi: the vocabulary wall, with the addition of
the word ‘arbitrary’ for today. Then, allow students 20 minutes to read, write, and begin
creating a test question for the upcoming book test. Go around the room and
check/record students’ questions. (Direct Instruction / Independent Practice / Check for
Understanding.)
3. Return to Prezi and start with a discussion of knowledge and how it is produced—where
does it come from? Where does art come from? Where does beauty come from? If it
existed in the minds of the artists, how did it get into those minds? Segue into the nature
of creation before giving brief background on Schiller. (Bell Work / Direct Instruction.)
4. Lecture and notes: draw a human head and brain on the whiteboard, but make them
empty. Engage students in a discussion over where knowledge comes from: interior, or
exterior. Ask students what values are present in the brain: appreciation of beauty?
Truth? What tastes? Language? (Direct Instruction / Guided Practice.)
5. Allow students 10-15 minutes to read and annotate the Schiller passage. (Independent
Practice.)
6. Circle up and share—everyone must read either their favorite sentence, or entire thing.
(Guided Practice / Check for Understanding.)
7. Every student must have a test question recorded by the teacher before the end of class.
(Exit Pass / Check for Understanding.)