Rationale:
The State of California requires each junior student to read two million English words during the year and to study the social, political and literary history of the United States. Though there are other State requirements English Language AP fulfills, these two support the rationale of the junior project. Through the reading of eight chronologically arranged American novels, approximately 700,000 words, a great part of the requirements is satisfied. (We will read at least another 300,000 words in daily class assignments leaving only one half of the requirement to be met by other departments including the arts, physical education, math, science and social studies). Through the outside study of the American chronology, the in-class study, also in chronological order, and junior American government study, too, in chronological order, students will become well versed in the American story, in literature, in politics and in society. Further, the District and Departmental standards require juniors to produce research. The writing and research component of the junior project meet this requirement, and the students gain experience in creating a major research project similar to those asked for by college professors.
Overview:
Reading/ Reporting Component: Each student will read one of three collections during each of 8 reading periods which DO NOT usually coincide with marking periods but conclude on the final class day of each month EXCEPTING December, that is September, October, November, January, February, March, April and May. All work required must be finished and submitted on that day. No late work can be credited FOR ANY REASON whatsoever.
The collections are documented under the following links and MUST be read in order:
1. Romanticism
2. Realism
3. Naturalism
4. Pre-World War II
5. After World War II
6. American Drama 1911 - 1990
7. Post Modernism
8. Contemporary Writers
The reading will be done outside of class, but students may meet in
groups of three or four regularly, prior to the final due date, to discuss
aspects of the works they are reading. Each meeting outside of class will
concentrate on one or more of the following: a). character development b).
thematic development c). vocabulary in the text d). use of symbol by the author
e). characteristics of the period exemplified by the works f). rhetorical
strategy including purpose for the writing, g). defining the intended audience
h). social arguments that are made through the writing and i). other teacher-assigned
topics.
Writing and Research Component:
Each reading group - all students particpating in the reading of any book - will be expected to conduct a Socratic session lead by 4 or 5 members of the group. The session will be a questioning of the book's a). character development b). thematic development c). vocabulary in the text d). use of symbol by the author e). characteristics of the period exemplified by the works f). rhetorical strategy including purpose for the writing, g). defining the intended audience h). social arguments that are made through the writing and will be composed of questions that will be answered by participants and the panel. The session will be judged by its duration and the depth of inquiry. Non-readers will be graded on notes they take, again depth and amount (duration).
Time line:
September 5- Assignment given
September 8- 1st Reading Begins
September 30 - 1st Report due
October 31 - 2nd Report due
November 30 - 3rd Report due
January 17 Short form paper due
January 31 - 4th Report due
February 28 - 5th Report due
March 31- 6th Report due
April 28- 7th Report due
May 28 Long form paper due
May 31 - 8th Report due
Deadlines:
All materials must be submitted in proper form at the beginning of the class period when due. No late papers can be credited for any reason whatsoever, with or without parent letter or call.
