American Literature

The American narrative is complex and comprised of many of voices, and I want to encourage my students to examine their own voices and their own narratives as a small component, or intersection, of the larger American narrative.  With this in mind, we start the year reading The Freedom Writers Diary.  I want my students to understand how meaning is made in a text, so I frequently send them back into the text to look at specific passages--to do a close reading--to see how meaning is made--and to see how the small parts contribute to the larger narrative--and specifically the concepts that help establish themes. 

"You can never have too much sky."  This assignment is designed for 2-4 students (though it talks about partners here - it can just as easily be done with larger groups).  Students are asked questions about Darius - and his declaration that a cloud looks like "God." and the girls finding the shoes that make them look like "Christmas."  

Students are introduced to Hawthorne as a contemporary of Poe, Emerson & Throeau. Using his background and obsession with guilt, he is grouped with Poe in the viewpoint battle.

Students read "Rappaccini's Daughter" independently (I usually give a weekend for this). As they read, they complete plot and analysis questions.

Upon returning to class, we review story, focusing on the poisonous things and behaviors. The class is then split into 7 groups for the carousel.