AmStuds English, Ms. Monson
“Calendar” of Class Activities and Assignments
Jan. 5 to End of Semester
Mon. Jan. 5, 2015 – Happy New Year!!!
1. Journal #1: Tall Tales. Why do you think people like telling and listening to tall tales such as the
one told by Simon Wheeler?
2. Discuss Journal.
3. Mark Twain (1935-1910) Samuel Clemens
a. Mississippi River “two fathoms deep”
b. Hannibal, MO
c. 11 yrs. Father died. Left school. Printer’s apprentice.
d. 21 years, riverboat pilot
e. Civil War  to Nevada, journalist and lecturer
f. “Notorious” – a version of a tall tale in mining camp; earned international celebrity
g. 1869 Hartford, Conn.
h. Travel to Europe and around US
i. Wife and 3 of 4 children died – more pessimistic view of society and human nature.
Discuss Twain’s story, “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calavaras County”
4. What about “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calavaras County” did you like?
5. Discuss from assignment:
a. P. 530 Read and DO/WRITE “Literary Focus” #2 and #3
b. Answer: How (in what ways) is the amusing story “The Notorious Jumping Frog of
Calavaras County” an example of Realism?
6. Techniques of Humor:
a. Exaggeration, Embellishment, Serious Tone makes story seem more ridiculous, Regional
Dialect and Colloquial speech.
b. Examples of each from the story
7. Narrative Technique, from Opening Premise = main narrator removed from the story by
replacing him with a different / 2nd Narrator.
8. How does the con man get conned?
9. Eventually, tale about the wrong “Smiley” = Irony
10. Purpose
11. Audience
12. Tone
13. What experiences from Twain’s boyhood do you think may have influenced this story?
14. Assignment for next class: Jack London and “To Build a Fire” – Quiz tomorrow over the man’s
actions, the character of the dog, and Naturalism in the story.
a.
P. 554 Jack London and Background
b.
P. 555 Read all, especially Internal and External Conflict
c.
P. 556-565 “To Build a Fire”
d.
P. 565 Guide, Read and be able to answer
e.
P. 566, Read and be able to answer all, paying specific attention to
i. Critical Thinking: Interpret #2, #4
ii. Lit. Focus #1, 2, 3
f.
How is this story an example of Naturalism?
1
Tues. Jan. 6 – Collab/Advisory Schedule
1. Journal #2: Planning. If you were to live in Alaska in 1897, what 3 skills would you most need
and what 5 things would you most want with you? Prioritize your choices and explain.
2. Quiz over “To Build a Fire.”
3. Turn in Quiz.
4. Discuss the Quiz/Story
a. Map of Alaska. Artic – times no sun in winter and when sun doesn’t set in summer.
b. Conflict: Internal and External.
c. Main Conflict = limits of his own perceptions and the cold
d. P. 559 – Symbolism of man with no shadow.
e. Shift in man’s attitude  laughs at own foolishness  fearful of his predicament
f. P. 561 – man saves himself and builds a fire; what is his mistake at this point?
g. P. 564 – Disorientation and Stopping Shivering – result of sever hypothermia
h. At what point does the man accept the inevitable of his own death?
5. London’s Attitude toward animal instinct – high value.
6. Boundaries of Man’s relationship with the dog
a. Dog’s instincts characterize the dog as wise beyond man
b. Dog symbolizes that despite man’s follies, life goes on, instinctively.
7. Assignment for next class: Pp. 590 Kate Chopin, through P. 596 “The Story of an Hour”
Wed. Jan. 7
1. Journal #3: The Unexpected – an irony of shock and happiness.
2. Discuss Journal in relation to “The Story of an Hour”
3. Kate Chopin, “Story of an Hour” – Understanding Message and Meaning
4. Story Chart for Characterization
Thurs. Jan. 8
1. P. 440 Stephen Crane (1871-1920). Poetry from Am Lit Poetry anthology
2. Tone and Imagery
Fri. Jan. 9
Robert Frost Pp. 802-814, poetry and supplemental poetry
Journals (#1-4) due next class.
Mon. Jan. 12
1. Journal #4: How do we know the poet’s voice?
2. Discuss Journal.
3. Turn in Journals #1-4.
4. Continue Frost poetry
5. “The Mending Wall” and others http://town.hall.org/radio/HarperAudio/012294_harp_ITH.html
6. “The Road Not Taken” read by Robert Frost https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie2Mspukx14
7. The Academy of American Poets http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/road-not-taken
8. “The Gift Outright”
http://www.openculture.com/2013/01/listen_to_robert_frost_read_the_gift_outright_the_poem_h
e_recited_from_memory_at_jfks_inauguration_.html
9.
2
Tues. Jan. 13 – Collab./Advisory Schedule
Listening to Poetry – the music of the human voice
http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/listen-to-poetry
Wed. Jan. 14
Creating an Image from Literature
Thurs. Jan. 15
Literary Terms and Literary Movements - Study Tips for Final Exam
Fri. Jan. 16
Review for Final Exam
Mon. Jan. 19 – NO SCHOOL
Final Exam Week!!
Tues. Jan. 20 - Pds. 1, 2, 3
Wed. Jan. 21 – Pds. 4, 5, 6
Thurs. Jan. 22 - Pds. 7, 8, and Make Up
Begin 2nd Semester!! 
3