British Literature - English III

Track Honors - Period 7.

William J Kuhl

Monday, September 14, 2009.

Opening Day Liturgy for the entire school.

Distribution of SAT Princeton Review Book, Literature book, various papers, and a take home litertaure book. Homework - Due Wednesday, please go to my home page and click the British flag logo. Please read the assignment that deals with the celts, the role of the Romans in Britain, the Anglo-Saxons, from the Germanic areas of Europe and their impact on the area, the Celts dispersion into Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, and their rather gloomy outlook on life.

***** Check out homework assignments for the rest of the week.*****

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Tuesday, 9/15/09.

Back to School Night for parents.

We will watch a short excerpt from a movie concerning a very famous British poem and discuss how it related to you.

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Wednesday, 9/16/09.

No formal classes held. Teacher In Service Day.

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Thursday 9/17/09.

Short test on your reading assignment along with a discussion of same topic. Homework: please read the set of hand out notes entitled "Beowulf. If time permits, we will read these notes in class and discuss/analyze the following items: defitition of an Epic poem, the role of Christianity and paganism in the poem, revenge, wergild, wyrd, role of the Mead Hall/materialism, a person's retutation and his/her success as to how it was measured, how success was gained, loyalty, responsibilities of a warrior and those of a king. the symbolic meaning of the monster's lair (den), how Beoeulf symbolizes good and Grendel is evil, the important aspects of the Anglo-Saxon religion, its dark and fatalistic qualities, the meaning and importance of a Bard and a Scop, and the various literary devices used in Beowulf . If there is not enough time, read the hand out entitled "Beowulf and we will discuss these items on Friday.

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Friday, 9-18-09.

We will continue to work on the above mentioned items that were not discussed as of yet.

Please start reading the Epic poem "Beowulf" and complete the Chrono Log. You need to have this completed and handed in on Tuesday 9/22/09.

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Monday, September 21, 2009.

We will review and finish any of the items that appeared on Thursday's assignment (9-17-09). We will also review the role of the Norse gods in this Anglo-Saxon culture. Don't forget the Chrono-Log is due tomorrow.

Homework: please answer the following statements using the literary terms listed. Please write out your answers. Please note that there could be more than one answer. Please hand in this assignment tomorrow. Please download, rewrite, or copy to hand in entire assignment. Type or write out, your preference.

Allusion.....Alliteration.....Imagery.....Kenning.....Appositive.....Simile.....Wergild.....Wyrd

Foreshadowing.....Symbolism.....Metaphor.

1. ..... after the Creator had condemned him / as one of the seed of Cain. ( _____________________)

2. "The famous prince, best of all men, sat apart in mourning: ...................( _____________________)

3. There the water boiled because of the blood; the fearful swirling waves reader up, mingled with hot blood, battle gore; fated, Grendel hid himself. then joyless laid aside his life, his heathen spirit, in the fen lair; hell received him there........................................................................(_____________________)

4. The monster's flight, fastened those claws / In his fists they cracked, clutched Grendel closer./ The infamous killer fought for his freedom, wanting no flesh but retreat. .............(____________________)

5. While everyone was at the lake, the line reads, "Deep in murky darkness of the water, his miserable end, as Hell opened to receive Grendel.......................................................(____________________)

6. Then he (Beowulf) saw the mighty water witch, and swung his sword.......(____________________)

7. Beowuld, the son of Ecgtheor, replied: ....................................................(____________________)

8. By no means did the defender of Thanes allow the murderous caller to escape with his life...............................................................................................................(___________________)

9. Then the night prowler came shrithing throught the shadows.......................(___________________)

10. Beowulf is God's light. ............................................................................(___________________)

11. The Beowulf and Brecca episode makes the Beowulf and Grendel's mother episode believable..................................................................................................... (__________________)

12. "Do not grieve, Hrothgar, it is better that each man should avenge his friend than deeply mourn............................................................................................................(__________________)

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Tuesday, 9-22-09.

1. Possible Test on Chrono-Log of Beowulf./ No cards please.The log will be checked for a homework grade.

1. Review of Chrono-log on Beowulf.

2. Please go to my homepage and click the British flag logo for a special assignment. Please download/copy the set of notes (reading # 2 A Tragic Hero).

Take home test to be done in MLA format In your reqading of a Tragic Hero there are eight items. In a few sentences, please explain how each item is exemplified in your epic poem "Beowulf." Please answer in your won words. After you answer each item in your own words, please list the line numbers from the poem that helped you answer each item. Please do so in this manner (lines 45 - 73).

The top of your assignment should follow the MLA format.

Student Name last name of student - 1.

Teacher's name

English III

Day, Month, Year

Title of Assignment centered

Alll assignments should be double space, in 12 font, Times-Roman style. Never use single space. Please type on white or cream colored paper and print in black. Since this assignment is to explain eight items, please do so in the following manner:

#1. Type each item's notes which are found on the reading entitled A Tragic Hero. Indent and then give your answer, followed by your line citation ( lines ### - ### ).

Assignment due date: Monday, September 28, 2009.

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009.

Tie up any loose ends concerning the Chrono-Log and then a movie on Beowulf.

Homework assignment: please go on your computer and google or whatever search engine you use and go to Spark notes. Go through it and find Beowulf. After finding it, download/ copy and read the section entitled Themes, Motifs, and Symbols. This is a special reading assignment, so do your thing. Make sure you know the defitiions of theme, motif, and symbol. Ask if necessary.

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Thursday, 9-24-09.

Finish up the movie of necessary.

Possible test on your reading assignment from Spark Notes.

Major test on Beowulf, Monday, September 28, 2009.

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Friday, 9-25-09.

Wrap up all material on Beowulf./ Movie Test on Beowulf --- Monday.

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Monday, 9-28-09.

1. Major test on Beowulf

2. Collection of assignment on "Tragic Hero."

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Tuesday, 9-29-09.

Introduction to creating a bibliography and an annotated bibliography. You must pick at least 6 categories from the ten different categories. The categories are: Baseball, William Shakespeare, Halloween, Ben Franklin, The Environment, Education, Immigration, Civil War, Education, Religion.

You will need to create a bibliography with 6 sources from the categories listed above. Three of the sources must come from real, honest to goodnees books and or magazines. The other three can come from the internet. Please make sure you bring to class the papers I gave you in the beginning of the year. I will also explain noit only how to do a bibliography, but I will also explain what consitutes good sources and what is not allowed in research.

You will also need to bring to class one of your summer reading books since you will use this as your source for an annotated bibliography.

This assignment must be typed, in 12 font, Times-Roman style, and in MLA format. The due date is Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

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Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Distribution of special paper entitled Tactics for Sentence Completion for the PSAT / SAT. We will review these tactics and the special words that you will need to know. Please bring your SAT book to class today.

1st. Homework..... Distribution of a sentence completion exercise to be completed for homework. We will review this homework on Friday.

2nd. Homework: from your SAT book please read pages 40 to 54. Do exercises on the following pages.

Page 48 --- do # 1-6-7. Page 49 --- do # 5.

Page 50 --- do # 6. Page 51 --- do #8.

Page 52 --- do # 5. Page 54 --- do # 2-5-6-7

Circle all answers right in your SAT book.

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Thursday, October 1, 2009.

No formal classes since it is the Feast of Saint Therese of the Little Flower.

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Friday, October 2, 2009.

We will review your homework assignments # 1 and # 2.

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Monday, October 5, 2009.

Special assignment - SAT sentence completions. Please complete for homework. We will review your answers tomorrow.

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Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

Review answers on SAT sentence completion test. - Reading assignment in class. We will read an article on the Venerable Bede and his importance to British Literature and history. This particular reading can be found on my web page. Click the British Flag logo. It is marked Reading # 3.

Collection of your bibliography (6 entrees).

Collection of your annotated bibliography (1 entry).

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

1. We will review your reading of the Venerable Bede (reading # 3).

2. We will review a classic elegiac poem "The Wanderer." The poem appears in your Green text book on pages 46-47. Please make a copy of the poem. Perhaps you can print it out by finding the poem on-line.

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Thursday, October 8, 2009.

Please make sure you have a copy of the poem for class. We will discuss its importance. Note that the poem is called The Wanderer because the warrior wanders aimlessly about because he has lost his most important treasures, namely: his lord/master, his castle, his horse, and or his mead hall.

Test on The Bede and The Wanderer tomorrow. Concentrate on LINES 80 to 103.

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Friday, October 9, 2009.

Test on The Venerable Bede and The Wanderer.

Homework: due Monday - In your big text book Elements of Literature. Page 90 The sections marked Make the Connection, Elements of Literature, Background, please read and take appropriate notes. Page 96. The section entitled Elements of Literature: Ballads , Popular poetry take notes on the various terms.

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Monday October 12, 2009.

Possible test on reading assignment .....on ballads. (see homework assignment dated October 9. More notes and explanations will be forthcoming.

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009.

You are required to bring to class your big literature book in order to analyze a very special ballad. The class will be conducted in a little different manner because it will help us truly appreciate what ballads were all about. There will be a homework assignment regarding ballads. This assignment will be due on Thursday. I need to check whcih of your two books had the ballads I want to review. Details will be here by Monday morning.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009.

No formal classes since the PSAT test will be administered.

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Thursday, October 15, 2009.

We will review a few old Englsih, Irish, and Scottish ballads that you had for homework.

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Friday, October 16, 2009.

We will tie up any loose ends concerning ballads. If all is completed before today, we will have a test on ballads. If we still need to go over some material, the test will be on Monday.

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Monday, October 19, 2009.

Test on Ballads.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009.

Distribution of Geoffrey Chaucer material and his prologue to Canterbury Tales. We will explain the different sets of notes and what is required. All week we will be working on his prologue to Canterbury Tales and the worksheets. Please read the entire prologue and answer all questions in the worksheet.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

Many of you will be on the field trip to the Renaissance Fair. Weather looks good for our trip. I am sure we all will have a great time. Don't forget to introduce yourself to the Queen. If you do, make sure you do it in the proper manner. I can assure you that Queen Elizabeth I perfers people who follow proper protocol and manners.

Those not attending will work on their worksheets concerning Canterbury Tales.

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Thursday, October 22, 2009.

Analysis of prologue to Canterbury Tales. ARe you reading the prologue and filling in your answers to the worksheets.

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Friday, October 23, 2009.

Review "Pilgrims, Saints, and Miracles."

Continuation of our analysis of the characters in Canterbury Tales.

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Monday, October 26, 2009.

Review all notes on "Pilgrims, Saints, and Miracles." A few special notes of interest will be added while reviewing in class.

Short test on these 4 pages of notes tomorrow (Tuesday)

Are you working on the questions concerning the characters of Canterbury Tales? Due Thursday.

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009.

Short test on the 4 pages of notes entitled "Pilgrims, Saints, and Miracles."

If time permits:

Start analysis of characters, use questions, material will be done in a rather quick pace. Remember: all questions to be completed by Thursday. There are 79 questions.

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009.

No formal classes. Teacher In-Service day.

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Thursday, October 29, 2009.

Check on worksheet of questions relating to the characters in Canterbury tales. We will review all of the questions relating to the characters.

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Friday, October 30th, 2009.

We will work on the questions concerning the characters in Canterbury Tales.

In the mean time, in your text book, starting on page 138, please read and be prepared to analyze The Wife of Bath's Tale. The problem with the prologue of this tale in your text book is that it is incomplete. Additionally, it is a little difficult to read. Still, I suggest you read it and then I might suggest that you google and check into both Spark notes and Cliff notes for their summaries and analysis. Google Spark Notes and Cliff Notes and then check into Literature. Both are well done. While in Cliff Notes, check out 1. Summary and analysis : Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale.

2. Character List: Wife of Bath.

3. Character Analysis: Wife of Bath.

Now, while in Spark Notes, check out:

1. Analysis of Major Characters, Wife of Bath.

2. Wife of Bath Prologue.

3. Wife of Bath Prologue (Continued).

4. Wife of Bath Tale: Analysis.

Read, Take notes on index cards, print out pages, whatever helps you. When taking a test on this character and her Tale, etc, you may use your index card notes. There are many different interpretations of this character. Be prepared to argue one of the inerpretations. I'll eventually gi ve you the different interpretations as to what some think she is. By the way, does anyone know her name?

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Monday. November 2, 2009.

1. Go over your Wife of Bath assignment that is listed above ( see Friday Oct. 30).

2. Make sure you are reading Book one of The Once and Future King

3. Review and analyze characters from Canterbury Tales ( worksheets). Test on Thursday.

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Tuesday. November 3, 2009.

1. Review and analyze characters from Canterbury Tales.

2. Are you reading your Once and Future King material?

3. Test on Characters and interpretation of lines on Canterbury Tales this Thursday.

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Wednesday. November 4, 2009.

1. Review and analyze characters and lines from Canterbury Tales.

2. Are you reading your material for The Once and Future King?

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Thursday. November 5, 2009.

Test on Canterbury Tales.

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Friday. November 6, 2009.

Review and analyze the Wife of Bath: historical perspective, her character/personality, her tale, its significance. etc.

Are you reading book 1 of The Once and Future King?

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Monday. November 9, 2009.

1. Information regarding the purchase of The Twelfth Night by Shakespeare.

2. Questions regarding your reading of the first book of The Once and Future King will be distributed

3. We will review the different interpretations of the Wife of Bath.

4. Essay topic will be presented to class concerning Canterbury Tales.

5. Arthur/Medieval Romance material distributed.

Make sure you bring to class the papers concerning The 25 Commandments of Writing.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009.

Class time will be devoted to setting up the essay using the commandments of writing. Need to establish an introduction and the thesis , etc. We will use the simple outline method to set up your essay.

Essay is due Tuesday, Nov.ember 17, 2009. Complete MLA style.

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Wednesday November 11, 2009.

Are you almost finished reading your assignment The Once and Future King by T.H. White?

How about those questions concerning the first book of The Once and Future King?

We will work on various writing skills for your Canterbury Tales essay/letter

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Thursday, November 12, 2009.

Hopefully we will finish up on setting up your Canterbury Tales essay. Due Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17th.

Review the 25 Commandments of writing. Make sure you bring these papers to class. They are the papers you got in the beginning of the year.

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Friday, November 13, 2009.

Introduction to Arthurian Literature and Medieval Romances.

You will need to take some notes on this material.

The First book of The Once and Future King is due Wednesday. I will collect the 60 questions and answers to this book.

There will be a test on these queestions. When? Wednesday. November 18, 2009.

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Monday, November 16, 2009.

1.Canterbury Tales letter is due tomorrow ---two copies please.

2. Reading of Book #1. of The Once and Future King is due Wednesday along with the questions that pertain to the book. Short quiz on book # 1 Wednesday.

3. For today. We will review the set of notes that were distributed to you. They are entitled Arthur. What is not finished, you are expected to read and study on your own.

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Tuesday. November 17, 2009. Don't forget your money for The Twelfth Night book.

1. Collection of Canterbury Tales essay/letter. (Two copies please - one in 2x)

2. Start on the Family Tree of Arthur. This will probably take two days.

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009.

1. Short quiz on your reading of the first book of The Once and Future King. Collection of questions

2. Finish up on the Family tree of Arthur.

3. Homework: please read the short story Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady. It was given to you with the other set of notes concerning Arthur. Make sure you know the words: abbess,scabbard,cantering,bellow,distress,steward,melancholy,grotesque,scarlet, chamber,quest.

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Thursday, November 19, 2009.

No formal classes. 8th Grade Visitation and registration Day/Night at Little Flower.

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Friday, November 20, 2009.

If necessary, finish up the family tree of Arthur. View a short video clip of his birth. It's a romantic version of this event

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Monday, November 23, 2009. Do you need to order the Shakespeare book? Have the money in today. I plan to place the order after school on Monday.

Video clip of how gets Excalibur. The education of Arthur by Merlin. In class you will need to take a few notes and you will need the papers that have the answers to your 60 questions.

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

Parent/Teacher conference tonight.

Finish the education of Arthur.

Arthur as a little fish ----- Might is right is wrong

Arthur as a Merlin ( a pigeon hawk) ----- learn to think before you act, talk, listen to what is being said, listen to what is not being said, consider all possibilities for your actions, consider various outcomes before you act.

Arthur as an Ant. ----- Life in a Totalitarian society, people (ants) have no rights, no freedom. Opinions of others do not count. Ants/People go to war over silly things. Ants do not communicate well. All is this a lesson, people need to communicate, maybe this will avoid silly wars.

Arthur as an Owl ----- Do not kill for pleasure.

Arhur as a Goose -----Do not fight each other, do not fight over boundaries. Flying geese see no borders, when looking down they just see people, no rich/poor, no males/ females, etc. they just see pole all equal. All different types of Geese are together on one island, yet they all accept each other. According to Lyo Lyok, "What creature could be so low as to go about in bands to murder others of its own blood?"

Arthur as a Barger ----- Man is undeveloped potential. Man is suppossed to be the dominant animal, yet he/she sometimes does not think. Many times man is foolish, belligerent. Man uses war too easily to solve problems. Man has a mind and yet he does so many things that are foolish.

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Wednesday, November 25th 2009 --- Spirit Day.

Thursday, November 26th 2009 ---Thanksgiving Day Big game at LaSalle University Time 9:30 am

Last Thanksgiving football game between North and Frankford.

Friday, November 27th, 2009. --- School Holiday.

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Monday. November 30th, 2009.

The following work should be completed when you come to class today.

On the first page of notes entitled Arthur there is an explanation of the Legend of Arthur, Arthur in History and Arthur the Mystery. Underneath all of this is a set of notes that you completed that refers to the different characteristics of a Medieval Romance. Get these notes ready. Now, please read the story "Sir Gawain and the Loathy Lady"and highlight the lines that pertain to the notes that you completed. For example, the first item is that Medieval Romances had certain people involved in them. Well, highlight the lines in the story that exemplfy your answer. Please do this for every item of notes that you filled in.

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Tuesday, December 1st. 2009.

Distribution of new novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. You only get one week to read this very shprt but dramatic novel. By the way, it is not a Christmas story in the usual sense. It is actually a social commentary to English society by Charles Dickens. Further details are forthcoming.

On the last page og the story is a diagram of how the story could be plotted. We will review this diagram and you will explain where each item is in the story. Please note the end of the diagram had multiple endings. Each will be explained qand which pertain to the story.

Homework: please read the short story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. You can write on these papers any thing you wish to help you understand it. Perhaps you might check out any of the words that you do not know. This story is another example of a Medieval Romance, but it is a little more sophisticated than the other one that you read.

Make sure you bring this story to class. Be ready to analyze it in detail because you will have a test tomorrow in which you will analyze the story Sir Gawain and the green Knight.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

Test on Sir Gawain and the Knight. Are you reading your Christmas Carol? Make sure you actually read it since you will be expected to produce a short term paper on it. The topic will revolve around its social criticism of English society.

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Thursday, December 3, 2009. Are you reading A Christmas Carol.

The death of Arthur. There are two interpretations as to how he dies and what happened to his body. Material will be distributed to you concerning one of the interpretations. The other is in your text book. One interpretation is from T.H White, while the other is from SirThomas Mallory.

We will read and discuss T.H. White's version in class. You will be responsible for reading Sir Thomas Mallory"s version.

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Friday, December 4, 2009.

Tie up any loose ends con cerning White's version. A video clip will be presented concern ing the death of Arthur. The movie version has some of White's ideas and some of Mallory's ideas in it.

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                        Now please go to the logo that reads Projects/Reading Assignments and scroll down until you reach A Christmas Carol. Now that you have reached this, please read the special assignment.

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