All homework assigned during the week will be posted on this page.  

LITERATURE AND WRITING

Welcome to the Literature and Writing class at Grace Academy! My name is Ms. Miller and I am excited to begin the school year at Grace Academy. I graduated from the University of New Mexico with a BA in Communication (emphasizing in interpersonal communication) and a minor in Psychology. Along with my education at UNM, I was given a full ride scholarship to compete for UNM's women's swim team. Being able to swim in college and be apart of a team was one of the best things that could have happened to me after high school. I had an incredible 5 years in Albuquerque, NM and I thank God for giving me such a wonderful college experience! I am truly grateful for the opportunity God has given me to teach at Grace Academy and to share my knowledge of literature and writing with the students this year.

Assignments will be put up at the beginning of each week on the web as well and put in family boxes by Tuesday!

There will be one on going reading/writing assignment throughout the school year. After every reading assignment students are to pose a question about the reading and answer/discuss the question in a one page journal entry. The journal entries will be collected each day. Students will be asked to share their question from their journal for the discussion at the beginning of the each class period. Each journal entry is worth 5 points and will be graded at the end of each quarter, so it is important to stay on top of this assignment!

Each homework assignment (reading and writing) will be posted next to the date  in which it is assigned and it should be done by the next class meeting. If there is a long term assignment, i.e. an essay, it will be in bold next to the date it was assigned as well as the date it is due!!! My homework policy is very simple: I do not accept late homework (unless there is a note from a parent). All homework assignments NEED to be typed, I do not accept written work unless otherwise specified and/or it is an in class assignment.

Participation is a key in this literature class! I am asking that each student participates at least 3 times per class. This will help our discussion flow and will also allow every student to share his or her ideas and understandings of the reading! Discussion time is not for giving answers necessarily but for understanding and asking questions about the literature. Participation is 10% of student's quarterly grades.

Reading and Writing Assignments:

8/29- To get this year started, students need to read chapter 1-4 in Mara, Daughter of the Nile. There will be a class activity on the first day that will tie into the reading assignment, so it will only benefit you to do this first homework assignment. 

9/5- Read chapters 5- 9 in Mara, Daughter of the Nile. Journal entry #1

9/7- Read chapters 10-16 in Mara, Daughter of the Nile.              Journal entry # 2

9/10- Read Chapters 17- 20 (Finishing Mara, Daughter of the Nile) Journal entry #3

9/12- No reading!!!Begin Essay #1 (rough draft due next class period)

9/14- Read pages 1-76 in Tales of Ancient Egypt. Journal entry #4

9/17- Read pages 77-146 in  Tales of Ancient Egypt. Journal entry # 5

9/19- Read pages 146-218 in Tales of Ancient Egypt. Journal entry # 6.    Poem #1 about your Egyptian god or goddess. 

9/21- Poem #2. Poem about your worst or best dream (minimum of 10 lines).

9/24- Essay #1 due!!! Read chapters 1-6 in Adam and His Kin.          Journal #7. Poem #3: Haiku. Poem #4: Metered poem to the chorus of your favorite song( please attach song lyrics to poem).

9/26- Read chapters 7-13 in Adam and His Kin. Journal #8. Poem #5 and #6: Limerick (choice of topics)

9/28- Read chapters 14-20 (finishing the book) Adam and His Kin.    Journal #9. Translate poem (on handout given in class) thinking about: theme/plot, the use (if any) of connotations, denotations, simile, metaphor, personification and anthropomorphism. Answer: What do you think the poet is writing about?

10/1- Write your rough draft of your Pet Peeve essay.  Write me a one paged letter on what you'd LOVE to write about for our upcoming assignments. Think of this as a mini essay and give me excellent examples why you should write about this topic. Convince me!!! Journal #10 on the Gilgamesh handout readings.

10/3- Journal #11 on Gilgamesh handout readings.                            Revise poems and create a portfolio. This portfolio can be colorful including pictures drawings, whatever you'd like to put on it! It represents you!!! It needs to include ALL your poems (final copies then the rough drafts).

10/5- Write your final copy of your Pet Peeve essay.                    Journal #12 on Gilgamesh handout readings.     

10/8- Pet Peeve essays due!!!