British Literature Class Notes -- March 27

Greetings!

I didn't get an e-mail out last week, so I'll combine information from both weeks this week.

Last week we discussed the final exams for Great Expectations.  I had given them a list of questions and allowed them to choose 4 from the list to answer in an essay form.  I was delighted by their responses.  They wrote clearly, and many of the answers were fresh and insightful.  I learned a lot just reading their essays.  I gave a base grade for each question and added points for extra information that the students included.  I'm hoping that by studying one book carefully students will have the tools to be careful readers with other books.

Last week we also read through the packet of Victorian poetry.  We read aloud poetry by Gerard Manly Hopkins, Lewis Carroll, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Robert Browning.  We read the entire text of "The Lady of Shalott" by Tennyson.  We found that the poetry of this period is less nature-centric and has a more of a story-telling characteristic.  As a note of trivia, Agatha Christie has 2 books in which she refers to this poem:  A Mirror Cracked and Dead Man's Mirror. 

This week, we discussed the independent reading projects.  Each of the students has selected his/her book to read.  Between the 7 students, we have Jane Eyre, Emma, Macbeth, Sense and Sensibility, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Agnes Grey, and The Moonstone.  Each of these pieces of literature is considered a classic.

We discussed "how to read a book" and what I want from them as far as presentations about their reading.  They can give either an oral presentation or write a paper that they can share with the rest of the class.  I gave them some handouts that will be helpful.  If they give an oral presentation, they also need to have a written outline.

I've adjusted the syllabus because we took an extra week with Great Expectations and did the poetry before the independent reading.  Here's an outline for the final weeks of class:

Week 11 (4/10)	Independent Reading Presentations
Week 12 (4/17)	Independent Reading Presentations; Introduce Pygmalion
Week 13 (4/24)	Discuss Pygmalion
Week 14 (5/1)	Discuss Pygmalion
Week 15 (5/8)	Final Discussions & Review

We'll take 2 weeks for our presentations, but the students need to be ready on April 10.

Enjoy your Spring Break!
Mrs. Prichard