week+of+oct+20+and+22+(for+lit+class)

October 20 We read Chapter 4 in //Strategic Reading,// and we are turning in our final study guides for the language of literature and literary analysis. Today, we are going to be thinking more precisely about literary analysis, the skills students might need to know in order to do analysis well, and we will try to model one way we might integrate all three. Today's progression and lesson is inspired and developed by Laurie Roberts, a teacher a Timberline High School and a teacher consultant for the Boise State Writing Project.

Looking at the literary analysis study guides. 1. Read and respond to the poem "Penelope" by Dorothy Parker

2. Read and respond to the poem "Death of a Toad" by Richard Wilbur (Note: this poem appeared on the AP exam) Step One: Talk through the literal. 4 sentences in the poem. What is the action in the poem? Step Two: Mini Analysis sample. Looking at a model response. What do you think are the requirements?

Sample analysis: (by Laurie Roberts) The toad heroically drags himself to the "garden verge" where he is "sanctuaried" under "ashen heartshaped leaves." Sanctuary connotes not just safety, but a place of spiritual refuge, and the "heartshaped" foliage does not simply protect him from the sun but lovingly encompasses him with an ornamental covering.

Describe the analysis above in terms of both content and form. Content - Form -

In other words, if the above example illustrates the kind of analysis I would like you to write, then what do you think it needs to do? (notice, name, apply).

Read the poem again and draft an analysis based on the rules we come up with.

3. by Langston Hughes
 * A Dream Deferred**

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

In what ways is this lesson reflective of the front loading that Wilhelm writes about in his chapter? What is the goal of frontloading?

For Thursday we are discussing //A Raisin in the Sun//

October 22 A Raisin in the Sun

Groups of 4. Creating Tableaux (see Downey for ideas). 3 or 4 "snapshots" that represent key moments in the play.

What is happening here? What has this group highlighted? Who might this character be? What might this character be feeling?

Connecting snapshots to a Dream Deferred.