Class Syllabus

SCHULLANDHEIM

WILD LITERATURE 

2nd and 4th Wednesdays

Class begins: August 29th

Structure: Students will attend class the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month. (Some 5th Wednesdays will be included) On the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays students will be asked to complete reading assignments, participate in an online blog, and write essays and critiques. Class time will vary between an hour and a hour and a half. 

Objective: Students will be challenged in the areas of analysis, writing, reflection, discussion, as well as, literary analysis. Students will explore the author’s use of nature as a plot device and literary element. 

Blog: There will be an online blog for students to interact with the teacher and their classmates. 

Student Expectations

Students will be responsible for reading the required novels, short stories and literary essays.

Students will keep a weekly journal.

Students will be asked to write the following: 2 or 3 essays a semester, two critiques, a weekly journal, blog entries, 2 creative writing pieces, memorize 1-2 poems and complete a final project. 

Module 1: Ancients and Nature (Greek and Roman Myths, Native American Myths, African Folktales) Secret Garden

Module 2: Renaissance and Nature (King Arthur, Sir Gawain)

Module 3: Romantics, Transcendentalism and Nature (Thoreau, Emerson, Heart of Darkness, excerpts from Frankenstein)

Module 4: Poetry and Nature (Whitman, Frost, Tennyson, Wordsworth, Shelly, Keats and others)

Module 5: Realism and Nature (Call of the Wild, Lord of the Flies and Short Stories)

Module 6: Modernism and Nature (The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Pearl, The Secret Life of Bees, Wendell Berry)

Modules explained: 

Module 1: Students will be asked to research and read at least three different creation myths on the origin of honey bees from three unique continents.  They will be asked to read three different creation myth accounts on the creation of fire. Students will be asked to write their own creation myth and research the evidence of Greek myths in popular culture. 

In addition to Creation Myths, students will read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgen. Students will interact with the classroom blog for the Secret Garden. We will start to examine the use of nature as both theme and symbol. If your student has already read this novel- I encourage them to read it again with the module emphasis. 

Module 2: Students will read excerpts of KA and Sir Gawain.  We will look primarily at the use of nature as symbol and examine the author’s worldview regarding nature. Students will interact on the blog for discussion regarding these literature pieces. 

We will watch King Lear together and then discuss in class and on the blog. 

Module 3: Students will read excerpts of Thoreau and Emerson uncovering the worldview of transcendentalism. Students will be asked to participate in Journal Nature and close reading activities. We will also read Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. This novel will allow us to examine nature as plot and theme device. Students will be asked to write a reflection essay regarding the themes of HOD.

Module 4: Poetry Unit. Using interactive guided discussions and activities students will examine Nature through the poet's lens. We will focus on the Romantic poets but will venture into modern poets as well. Students will be asked to memorize two poems and write a poem. Students will have the option of submitting their poetry to a poetry contest. 

In addition, students will be asked to read Watership Down.  Blog entry discussions and close reading activities. 

Module 5: We will read Call of the Wild and two short stories, To Build a Fire and A White Heron. Through discussions in class and on the blog we will examine nature in the context of worldview and symbolism.

Module 6: Our last unit will allow us to examine a non-fiction book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and modern fiction book, The Secret life of Bees or Hannah Coulter.  During this module we will read a few essays from Wendell Berry. Students will work on an end of the year project that will include a persuasive essay and/or creative short story and visual display. 

Journal Entries:  Journal topics will be assigned each week.  Typical journal topics: Pick a day this week to sit outside and write. You can make a list of all that you see, hear, smell, taste, feel or write a short story where the weather or the setting plays a major role in plot.