A New Season is Upon Us--Welcome Back!

Welcome to American Lit/Sophomore English

Syllabus

In-class writing assignment:
What point is Walt Whitman making about the American Dream in his poem Song of the Open Road?

HOMEWORK:

1. Read syllabus, have parent or guardian read it, sign, and return Monday.
2. Learn all names by Thursday/Friday after next.
3. Learn 20 literary terms by next Thursday/40 (yes, 20, but you already know most)

• Literary terms--Quizlet

4. Finish Getting to Know You handout, including 1/2 page telling me about yourself. Make it interesting and revealing. I want to know the real you, not just typical biographical information--your passions, what makes you tick, things like that. Due Monday.
5. First three lines of Song of the Open Road by Whitman Monday.

I promise that I'll try my hardest to make the writing relevant so that you won't say, "Man, I'm never going to use any of this stuff I'm learning later in life."  You will be writing throughout your lives--writing resumes, letters to co-workers, love letters (heh, heh), and countless other things, so you'll have to know how to write, and what better time than now to start?  No one will ever know your great thoughts if you can't express them.  In this class you will learn to express them.

So, the year begins!

Class today:

1. The American Dream

• National Public Radio (NPR) video on the singer Bruce Springsteen and the American   Dream. Springsteen's American Dream--Beautiful and Bleak  
• Born to Run with lyrics (Bruce Springsteen)  Discuss meaning of the song.
• Compare and contrast the poems Song of the Open Road by Walt Whitman, and 
• A Dream Deferred, by Langston Hughes.
•  Both deal with the American dream. Which is more similar to Springsteen'sBorn to Run? Why do you think these poets and singers see the American dream differently?
• As a group, decide what the song Born to Run is saying.  Take notes.
• Homework: Write three paragraphs telling me what you think Springsteen is saying. Remember, good writing makes a specific point, supports that point with specific examples, and discusses those examples.

My hope is that you'll find the class both challenging and fun.

Homework (to be done tonight)

1. The first thing I'd like you to do is to go to  the "Resources" tab, open the syllabus, and print it.  Then read it, sign it, and have your parent or guardian sign it.  Detach the part at the bottom (keep the rest) and bring it to class by Friday.  Thanks!

2. Write three paragraphs telling me what you think Springsteen is saying. Remember, good writing makes a specific point, supports that point with specific examples, and discusses those examples.