Monday, January 26th (F)
• Due: Excerpt from The Road with written response. I will accept detailed responses from anyone who has finished the novel for extra credit through the day after February break.
• Class: Respond to definitions of science fiction; science fiction as the “last literature of ideas”; discussion of The Road.
Tuesday, January 27th (S)
• Due: Read Ch. 1-6 in The War of the Worlds, taking notes on study questions.
• Class: Discussion of the reading. What might alien invasion look like?
Wednesday, January 28th (U)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Documentary on H.G. Wells and discussion of context.
Thursday, January 29th (M)
• Due: Read Ch. 7-12 in The War of the Worlds, taking notes on study questions.
• Class: Discussion of the reading.
Friday, January 30th (T)
• Due: Keep reading!
• Class: Radio panic and The War of the Worlds.
Monday, February 2nd (W)
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, February 3rd (H)
• Due: Read Ch. 13-17 in The War of the Worlds, taking notes on study questions.
• Class: Discussion of the reading.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Road: Oprah Edition
Click here for Oprah's Book Club page on The Road, including the famously weird first ever on-camera interview with Cormac McCarthy. You've got to see this!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
War of the Worlds Resources
Click here for the full text of The War of the Worlds. Click here for a different site.
Click here for the complete study guide to The War of the Worlds, by the brilliant and generous Paul Brians of Washington State University. And finally, click here to read about how to best use the study guide.
More content to come!
Click here for the complete study guide to The War of the Worlds, by the brilliant and generous Paul Brians of Washington State University. And finally, click here to read about how to best use the study guide.
More content to come!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Class Calendar: January 19th to January 26th
Monday, January 19th
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No school. Remember this week’s food drive!
Tuesday, January 20th (M)
• Due: Enjoy the long weekend.
• Class: Introduction to the course, review syllabus.
Wednesday, January 21st (T)
• Due: Get started on letter (due Friday) and have your parents sign the syllabus (due no later than Monday).
• Class: SADD Assembly. Meet here first.
Thursday, January 22nd (W)
• No class today. Talk about a short first week!
Friday, January 23rd (H)
• Due: Letter of introduction (typed, see assignment sheet). Bring the syllabus signature page back if you have it; if you need the weekend that’s fine too.
• Class: Defining science fiction and its place in literature.
Monday, January 26th (F)
• Due: Syllabus signature page. Read excerpt from Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and write a paragraph exploring what you think this book is (or will be) about, and whether you would consider it “science fiction.” If you have already read the novel, make it a full page and use specific examples from the text for extra credit.
• Class: Discuss The Road and our fascination with the end of the world (as we know it); introduction to The War of the Worlds.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No school. Remember this week’s food drive!
Tuesday, January 20th (M)
• Due: Enjoy the long weekend.
• Class: Introduction to the course, review syllabus.
Wednesday, January 21st (T)
• Due: Get started on letter (due Friday) and have your parents sign the syllabus (due no later than Monday).
• Class: SADD Assembly. Meet here first.
Thursday, January 22nd (W)
• No class today. Talk about a short first week!
Friday, January 23rd (H)
• Due: Letter of introduction (typed, see assignment sheet). Bring the syllabus signature page back if you have it; if you need the weekend that’s fine too.
• Class: Defining science fiction and its place in literature.
Monday, January 26th (F)
• Due: Syllabus signature page. Read excerpt from Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and write a paragraph exploring what you think this book is (or will be) about, and whether you would consider it “science fiction.” If you have already read the novel, make it a full page and use specific examples from the text for extra credit.
• Class: Discuss The Road and our fascination with the end of the world (as we know it); introduction to The War of the Worlds.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Class Calendar: January 12th to January 20th
Monday, January 12th (W)
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, January 13th (H)
• Due: Keep reading Dune; keep working on final projects.
• Class: Visualizing the world of Dune (drawings and film clips).
Wednesday, January 14th (F)
• Due: Finish reading Book III with sticky notes.
• Class: Discussion of Dune. I’m particularly interested in the hero’s journey and gender roles, but bring your own questions, too.
Thursday, January 15th (S)
• Due: Final projects (proposal and excerpt). Be prepared to pitch your idea to the class.
• Class: Sharing and voting on final projects; some housekeeping (collecting books, etc).
Friday, January 16th (U)
• Due: Bring anything you might still owe me.
• Class: Course evaluation and wrap up (sniffle).
Monday, January 19th
• No school today.
Tuesday, January 20th (M)
• That's all folks. Enjoy your second semester courses! I’ll miss you!
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, January 13th (H)
• Due: Keep reading Dune; keep working on final projects.
• Class: Visualizing the world of Dune (drawings and film clips).
Wednesday, January 14th (F)
• Due: Finish reading Book III with sticky notes.
• Class: Discussion of Dune. I’m particularly interested in the hero’s journey and gender roles, but bring your own questions, too.
Thursday, January 15th (S)
• Due: Final projects (proposal and excerpt). Be prepared to pitch your idea to the class.
• Class: Sharing and voting on final projects; some housekeeping (collecting books, etc).
Friday, January 16th (U)
• Due: Bring anything you might still owe me.
• Class: Course evaluation and wrap up (sniffle).
Monday, January 19th
• No school today.
Tuesday, January 20th (M)
• That's all folks. Enjoy your second semester courses! I’ll miss you!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Writing Exercises and Jeffrey Carver Homework
Reminder: Your homework for Wednesday is to check out one or more stories by local science fiction guru Jeffrey Carver. Click here to visit his downloads page.
Directions: Today's class is devoted to your final projects (this might facilitate some people working together who otherwise would have a hard time meeting up*). I'd like you to explore Jeffrey Carver's "Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy" site, trying a few exercises.
*You can also get creative about tools that allow for asynchronous collaboration, like wikis or Google docs, just so long as you're really collaborating, not just dividing the work in half.
Directions: Today's class is devoted to your final projects (this might facilitate some people working together who otherwise would have a hard time meeting up*). I'd like you to explore Jeffrey Carver's "Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy" site, trying a few exercises.
- Go to the main site: http://www.writesf.com/
- Start with the "World Building" section and complete two of the exercises on the "Approaches" page when you get there (read what he has to say, first!)
- Continue reading and playing around with your own ideas ... as long as you're on task, I'm happy (just don't tell me you're "done" before the end of the period as there is WAY more than an hour of good content here!)
*You can also get creative about tools that allow for asynchronous collaboration, like wikis or Google docs, just so long as you're really collaborating, not just dividing the work in half.
Class Calendar: January 5th to January 13th
Monday, January 5th (F)
• Due: Read Dune to p. 277 with sticky note annotations: 5-6 per 100 pages of reading, spread throughout. See criteria and suggestions I gave you before vacation.
• Class: Discuss reading; the Hero’s Journey; introduce final writing assignment.
Tuesday, January 6th (S)
• Due: Keep reading Dune; begin work on final projects.
• Class: Wrap up yesterday’s discussion; workshop on final projects.
Wednesday, January 7th (U)
• Due: Check out Jeffrey Carver’s website: http://www.starrigger.net. In preparation for his visit, read at least one work of short fiction. Use the class blog for quick links. Come to class with a question to ask.
• Class: Local science fiction writer Jeffrey Carver is our guest speaker today!
Thursday, January 8th (M)
• Due: Finish reading Book II in Dune (p. 362) with sticky note annotations.
• Class: Discussion of the reading: identifying themes.
Friday, January 9th (T)
• Due: Continue reading and working on final projects.
• Class: Continue discussion of Dune; stations activity.
Monday, January 12th (W)
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, January 13th (H)
• Due: Keep reading Dune (we’ll finish the novel for Wednesday!) and working on final projects (for Thursday!). Can you believe the term is ending so soon?
• Class: Film excerpts and discussion.
• Due: Read Dune to p. 277 with sticky note annotations: 5-6 per 100 pages of reading, spread throughout. See criteria and suggestions I gave you before vacation.
• Class: Discuss reading; the Hero’s Journey; introduce final writing assignment.
Tuesday, January 6th (S)
• Due: Keep reading Dune; begin work on final projects.
• Class: Wrap up yesterday’s discussion; workshop on final projects.
Wednesday, January 7th (U)
• Due: Check out Jeffrey Carver’s website: http://www.starrigger.net. In preparation for his visit, read at least one work of short fiction. Use the class blog for quick links. Come to class with a question to ask.
• Class: Local science fiction writer Jeffrey Carver is our guest speaker today!
Thursday, January 8th (M)
• Due: Finish reading Book II in Dune (p. 362) with sticky note annotations.
• Class: Discussion of the reading: identifying themes.
Friday, January 9th (T)
• Due: Continue reading and working on final projects.
• Class: Continue discussion of Dune; stations activity.
Monday, January 12th (W)
• Class does not meet.
Tuesday, January 13th (H)
• Due: Keep reading Dune (we’ll finish the novel for Wednesday!) and working on final projects (for Thursday!). Can you believe the term is ending so soon?
• Class: Film excerpts and discussion.
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