Siddhartha Reading Schedule 2013-2014

Siddhartha Reading Schedule 2013-2014

12/2 - Begin book in class. For every chapter, please write a very short reflection. These should be personal and reflective in nature, not summaries.

12/6 - All chapters through and including "Amongst the People" due.

12/12 - Honors meeting and essay #4 due. This is changed from the original date.

12/13 - Book and reflections due. Seminar on this date.

Tuesday, November 26

Freshmen: Today we talked about the concept of effective repetition in poetry; your homework is to revise your previous three poems, and if using effective repetition will benefit your poem, integrate that into your current poem(s); also, craft a new poem that adheres to the previous principles and intentionally uses repetition effectively. All four poems should be brought to class on Monday.

Sophomores: Today we had a seminar on The Alchemist. For homework, you probably ought to be working on your final semester project.

CNF: Today we finished the short film "Judas" and talked about the contents of Chapter 3 of Freakonomics.

CNF Extra Effort Opportunity

Because we're talking about life in the inner city, people trying to make it in life, and so on, if you listen to the following segments from This American Life and write a reflection, you can earn up to 50 points extra credit: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/487/harper-high-school-part-one and http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/488/harper-high-school-part-two. It's due after Thanksgiving.

Monday, November 25

Freshmen: Today we focused on the importance of cutting during the revision stage. You should revise your current three poems based on this principle. Read for 20 minutes tonight. Honors students, continue to work on the compare and contrast assignment with Lord of the Flies.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on the revision assignment you did and recurrent ideas, themes, images, and figures in The Tao te Ching.

CNF: Today we watched a Ted Talk about the info in Chapter 3 as well as a student-made documentary.

Friday, November 22

Freshmen: Today our focus was on poetic form - that is to say, using lines and stanzas to format a poem, as opposed to the standard sentence and paragraph format of prose. Read for 20 minutes this weekend, and revise your three poems so that they adhere to standard poetic form. Also, be sure you have made arrangements to conduct your Grandparent Project interview.

Sophomores: Today we worked on an in class essay in response to the Campbell-Moyers interview we saw. The Alchemist is due on Tuesday with a reflection; your revised film essay is due on Monday.

CNF: Today we continued to read Chapter 3; we will have a seminar on it on Tuesday; you should have a reflection for this.

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside until 5:30 today.

Thursday, November

Freshmen: Today we focused on how to conclude a free verse poem. Your task is to revise your two current poems for this principle, and then to craft a third free verse poem based on a first hand experience that adheres to all the principles we've studied thus far: use I and avoid participles, begin inside the experience, and conclude strongly. Read for 20 minutes tonight as well.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on concluding the Campbell interview and applying his concepts to things we've read in class. Remember to work on your end of the semester project, your essay revision (due Monday), and finishing The Alchemist for Tuesday.

CNF: Today we began Chapter 3, which we'll finish for a seminar on Tuesday.

Extra Effort Opportunity

For up to 25 points extra credit, you can do this:

http://stosselintheclassroom.org/essay_contest/?source=INB20

Sophomore Honors Essay and Meeting Schedule Adjustment

Hi. Because I moved one due date back a few weeks ago, I need to shift the others. I hope this doesn't cause any problems for anyone. Here is what I would like to do: 

Essay #4, about Foster's book and Siddhartha, will be due on 12/12. We will have our morning meeting at 7:30 on this date.  

Essay #5, about Foster's book and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, will be due on 1/8/14. We will have our morning meeting at 7:30 on this date.

Essay #6, on Foster's chapters 26 and 27, will be due on 1/13/14. We will not have a meeting on this date due to upcoming semester finals.

Thank you. I am sorry for adjusting the schedule. Let me know if you have any questions.

Tuesday, November 19 and Wednesday, November 20

Freshmen: Today we focused on the next principle of free verse poetry, beginning inside the experience. Revise your first poem based on this principle and write a second, original free verse poem that adheres to the principles we have covered so far; so, you will have two poems in class on Thursday. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday. Keep working on your Grandparent Project.

Sophomores: Today we introduced our final project of the semester. We also finished the essays about how one of the books we've read this semester is a parable. Honors students, remember we have a meeting on Wednesday morning; your revised, annotated essay is due on 11/25; finish The Alchemist for 11/26.

CNF: Today we finished So Much So Fast and had a seminar on information asymmetry.

Friday, November 15

Freshmen: Today we focused on using "I" in free verse poetry. You are to finish and type up the poem you began in class and bring with you on Monday. Read for 20 minutes, and remember, I postponed the vocab quiz until Tuesday.

Sophomores: Today we took a vocab exam. Remember the honors meeting is on Wednesday, and you should be done with the chapters from Foster's book and have your essay then. Due 11/25 is a revised, annotated copy of your essay and on 11/26 what is due is The Alchemist and a seminar prep.

CNF: Today we continued our focus on information asymmetry.

Thursday, November 14

Freshmen: Today we began a study of free verse poetry. Remember that Chapter 5 vocab is due tomorrow; you need to work on your Grandparent Project; you should also read for 20 minutes tonight.

Sophomores: Today we had a seminar on the first half of The Alchemist. I also gave you a sample essay of a successful essay from our last assignment. Your task is to go home and read the sample essay, read the essay you turned in to turnitin.com, and then reread the sample essay. Then, revise your essay based on the comments I have left you and using the model essay as your guide. Print your revision out, annotate the changes, and hand it in by 11/25. Due 11/15 is Chapter 5 vocabulary. Due 11/26 is the rest of The Alchemist and a reflection for that day's seminar.

CNF: Today we concluded Sicko and will continue to study the concept of information asymmetry.

Extra Credit Opportunity

Don't forget, if you attend How to Succeed in Business here at school and write a review, you can earn extra credit for that, too.

Tuesday, November 12 and Wednesday, November 13

Freshmen: Today we began The Grandparent Project. You have a handout that details all the important elements and you can see examples on this blog. Read for 20 minutes tonight and tomorrow; due Thursday is the list of questions you're going to use in your interview; due Thursday for honors students is a letter to the editor; due Friday for everyone is Chapter 5 vocabulary.

Sophomores: Today we studied Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers's The First Storytellers and applied it to what we're reading. Due Thursday is the first half of The Alchemist along with a reflection. Due Friday is Chapter 5 vocabulary.

CNF: Today we continued studying information asymmetry. If you want extra credit attend http://www.judgememorial.com/content/2013/11/nov-20-free-screening-sugar-babies and write a short reaction.

Monday, November 11

Freshmen: Today we focused on more examples of compare and contrast; your homework tonight is to write a post on the blog in response to the following prompt: Using compare and contrast well, write about a topic in an interesting way. You can use the piece we started in class today if you wish, revising as you go.

You also have 20 minutes of reading, and honors students should remember Tuesday's meeting and Thursday's deadline for the letter to the editor; also due Friday is vocabulary Chapter 5.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on making predictions as readers. As you wrap up the first half of The Alchemist, try to predict what will happen next, based on what you know about the plot, characters, and theme of the story and touch on those in the reflection that is due for Thursday's seminar; also due Friday is vocabulary Chapter 5.

CNF: Today we looked at a film that is a great example of information asymmetry and will continue it this week.

Thursday, November 7

Okay, I am nervous to say it, but I have to take a shot: Utah 31, ASU 27.

Freshmen: Today we had an interesting seminar on Speak. Your homework is to read the interview with the author at the back.

Sophomores: Today we focused on the concept of irony. Be on the look out for verbal, situational, and dramatic irony in The Alchemist, and if possible, address it in your reflection.

CNF: Today we began Chapter 2 in Freakonomics. This, along with a 1 page reflection, is due for Monday's class.

Tuesday, November 5 and Wednesday, November 6

Freshmen: Today we looked at a ton of essays that use compare and contrast as their primary mode. Remember, Speak is due on Thursday with your seminar prep.

Sophomores: Today we began The Alchemist. See the reading schedule posted yesterday.

CNF: Today we concluded our study of cheating.

The Alchemist Reading Schedule 2013

Hi. Here's our schedule for The Alchemist: 

Tuesday, 11/5 or Wednesday, 11/6 - Begin book in class.

Thursday, 11/14 - Be to page 83. Reflection due this date.

Tuesday, 11/26 - Final seminar. Reflection due this date.

Monday, November 4

Freshmen: Today we introduced the idea of compare and contrast; we'll continue to focus on this idea over the next little while. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes as you prepare to finish Speak for class on Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we had our final seminar on The Power of One. If you have a copy of our next book, The Alchemist, bring it tomorrow.

CNF: We continued our film on cheating and will conclude it Wednesday.