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ENGLISH 3583:  LITERATURE FOR ADOLESCENTS        Fall 2008 ASU

Dr. Robert Lamm

Class meetings:  MWF 1:00-1:50, Wilson 316B

Office:  Wilson 308               

Office Hours:  MWF 1:50-4:00, and by appointment

Phone:  972-2176       Fax:  972-3045

Web URL:      www.clt.astate.edu/rlamm      email:  rlamm@astate.edu    

Required Texts:  Photocopies (TBA) and the following books:

            Cisneros, House on Mango Street

            Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun

            Hinton, The Outsiders

            Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

            Miller, The Crucible

            Peck, A Day No Pigs Would Die

            Reed, Reaching Adolescents

            Wiesel, Night

Recommended text:   Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (any copy will do).

Packet materials:  I will give you photocopies and email attachments.  You probably will want to save some attachments on a jump drive or disk.

Course Description:  A seminar focusing on novels, poetry, short stories, and drama suitable for young adult (YA) students in the upper elementary grades, middle school, and high school.

Goals and Objectives: 

   Goals:  To acquaint college students with literature suitable for young adults. To explore theories of and various approaches to teaching YA literature.

   Objectives:  Reading and discussion of required selections. Microteaching a literary work that is appropriate for young adults. Researching and developing lesson plans and teaching strategies.

Requirements:  One microteaching lesson, one lesson portfolio, reading quizzes, one literary terms exam, one Sparks literary review, and one final exam.

1.      Microteaching lesson or book talk:  You are responsible for presenting an 8-minute lesson to your classmates.  You may (1) teach a focused lesson on a literary work or concept or (2) conduct a book talk or “alternative book report” designed to interest potential readers in a particular work.

a.       Microteaching Lesson:  a short complete lesson or excerpt of a longer lesson

                                                               i.      Choose a work of literature from your own source.

                                                             ii.      Prepare a short lesson teaching your classmates some aspect of a work of literature in a manner that leads to interpretation.  You may choose to employ a "questioning" scheme as you develop your lesson.  Even though your classmates are college students, you should role-play them to be any secondary or middle-level grade.  If you wish, you may use supplemental materials (e.g., visual aids, audio- visual recordings, other printed materials), but these must be appropriate for adolescent education.  The presentation may include a brief report on resources relevant to the lesson.

                                                            iii.      At least one class period before the presentation, announce the literary work as homework for the class (unless your lesson depends upon them not previously reading the work). Provide copies for the class, as needed.  You may wish to base your lesson on the novel being studied in class that week.

                                                           iv.      In advance, present to the teacher a lesson plan.  Provide copies of the lesson plan for students.  Include the following:  your name, the date, the name of the literary work and the author, the intended grade level for your lesson, the goals and objectives of your lesson, and the questions or activities you have prepared in advance.

b.      Book Talk or Alternative:  Read a young adult ("adolescent") novel that isn’t already being studied in class. Prepare a book talk that is either a report or an “alternative”:

                                                               i.      Prepare a short oral report, including these features: (1) summarize, (2) discuss a significant character and/or key quotation, (3) discuss/quote/summarize at least one review of the book (from the ALA Book Bulletin, English Journal, or other reputable sources; include a brief report on internet sources), and (4) make recommendations (e.g., Appropriate for which grades?  Objectionable content?  Are resources--films, guides--available to enhance the teaching?)

                                                             ii.      Include supplemental materials or activities, such as costumed role playing or creating visuals such as a diorama, collage, book cover, or other artistic presentation.

                                                            iii.      In advance, present to the teacher a lesson plan for your book talk.  This print version should be copied for distribution to your classmates, facilitating their note taking.  (See packet for samples of lesson plans.)

2.      Quizzes.  Over literary works and textbook chapters.  Chapter quizzes will be on a “variable interval schedule” (occasional; usually on Fridays) and will be based on the “Focus Questions” that appear on the first page of each chapter of our textbook Reaching Adolescents.  Most quizzes over literary works will be on Mondays.

3.      Mid-term exam.  Prepared collaboratively by instructor and class; based on the textbook, novels, and packet materials.

4.      Literary terms quiz.  Based on literary terms studied in the course.

5.      Sparks review.  You will check out a YA novel through your course instructor and the ASU library.  After reading it, you will write a short review to be published in Sparks, ASU’s online literary review journal.  More information about Sparks is available in the course packet and its own page at ASU’s website:  http://www.clt.astate.edu/sparks/

6.      Term Project:  either a lesson-plan portfolio or a research paper

a.       Lesson plan portfolio.  Create your own lesson plans for the novels you read for this course.  For each novel, develop a plan to cover one 50-minute class period.  The plans should be detailed, including a variety of activities that fulfill your objectives and how much time you devote to each part of the plan.  Include also the lesson plan for your microteaching and one for your Sparks book.  Sample lesson plans are in the course packet.  Your plans and supplemental materials (e.g., anything you develop) should comprise at least 20 pages; materials from other sources (e.g., websites for teachers) can be added as appendices.  The portfolio should be bound and should include a one-page introduction (rationale for the portfolio and contextual information about you and the course), table of contents, and works cited page (references, bibliography).            Works cited should include a variety of sources, such as print, electronic, audio, and visual.                                    Submission of portfolio:  BSE students will submit the portfolio through College LiveText as a “project” and as a hard copy.  Non-BSE students will submit it electronically as an email attachment.

b.      Research paper on YA literature:  This 8-10 page essay can focus on a particular work, a YA author of several works, or a YA theme shared by several works.  Follow MLA style and include at least eight documented sources.

7.      Final.  Prepared collaboratively by instructor and class, based on the textbook, novels and packet materials.

Evaluation and due dates:          

1.      Microteaching lesson                      15%     individually scheduled

2.      Chapter quizzes                              15%     usually Mondays (novels) & Fridays (textbook)

3.      Mid-term exam                               15%     October 6

4.      Literary terms quiz                          10%     October 13

5.      Sparks review                                10%     November 3

6.      Semester Project                            20%     December 5

7.      Final                                               15%.    December 10

Attendance:  Each absence in excess of three class periods may reduce your grade 3%.

Disability policy:  ASU is committed to providing equal opportunities for all students.  Students with disabilities who require special accommodations should contact Disability Services (Chickasaw Building 410; 972-3964) and discuss their needs (including emergency medical conditions) with their instructor early in the semester.

Late Work:  Quizzes cannot be made up, but each student's lowest quiz score will be dropped.  A missed presentation is a serious problem because it can put the class behind schedule:  if you cannot present on your scheduled day, you must either (1) arrange on your own for another student to take your time slot, or (2) write a four-page essay.

Plagiarism:  Follow MLA guidelines for giving credit to your sources.  Plagiarism could result in a failing grade for an assignment or the course, depending upon 

ACTELA and Arkansas Conference on Teaching:  Students are encouraged to attend ACT. ACTELA (Arkansas Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts) will sponsor workshops, speakers, a luncheon, and other events.  ACT/ACTELA holds its conference at the same time and location as the AEA Convention.  Information:  http://www.actela.org/

CLASS SCHEDULE     ENG 3583     Fall 2008     Dr. Lamm

AUGUST

Monday      25    Introduction.

Wednesday   27    Poetry.  Reaching Adolescents Chapter 1.

Friday      29    Poetry. RA chapter 2

SEPTEMBER

Monday      1    Labor Day.  (No class session.)

Wednesday   3    The Outsiders.

Friday      5    The Outsiders. RA chapter 3.

Monday       8    The Outsiders.

Wednesday   10    The Outsiders.

Friday      12    The Outsiders. RA chapter 4.

Monday      15    To Kill A Mockingbird

Wednesday   17    To Kill A Mockingbird.

Friday      19    To Kill A Mockingbird.  RA chapter 5.

Monday      22    To Kill A Mockingbird.

Wednesday   24    To Kill A Mockingbird.

Friday      26    To Kill A Mockingbird. RA chapter 6

Monday      29    Teaching drama:  Romeo and Juliet.

OCTOBER

Wednesday   1    Teaching drama:  A Raisin in the Sun.

Friday      3    A Raisin in the Sun. RA chapter 7.

Monday      6    A Raisin in the Sun. Mid-term exam.

Wednesday   8    A Raisin in the Sun.

Friday      10    A Raisin in the Sun. RA chapter 8.

Monday      13    Night. Literary terms quiz.

Wednesday   15    Night.

Friday      17    Night. RA chapter 9.

Monday      20    Night.

Wednesday   22    Short stories.

Friday      24    Short stories.  RA Chapter 10.

Monday      27    A Day No Pigs Would Die.

Wednesday   30    A Day No Pigs Would Die.

Friday      31    A Day No Pigs Would Die.  RA Chapter 11.

NOVEMBER

Monday      3    House on Mango Street.  Due:  Sparks Review.

Wednesday   5    House on Mango Street.

Friday      7    House on Mango Street. RA chapter 12.

Monday      10    House on Mango Street.

Wednesday   12    Teaching Shakespeare: focus on Romeo and Juliet.

                  RA chapter 13.

Friday      14    AES/ACC/ACTELA NOV. 13 & 14: no class

Monday      17    The Crucible.

Wednesday   19    The Crucible.

Friday      21    The Crucible. RA Chapter 14. NCTE Nov. 20-23, San Ant.

Monday      24    No class.

Wednesday   26    Fall Break/Thanksgiving Holiday.

Friday      28    Fall Break/Thanksgiving Holiday.   

DECEMBER

Monday      1    The Crucible.

Wednesday   3    The Crucible.

Friday       5    RA chapter 15. Due: Term Project. 

                  Last day of class. Review for final.

Wednesday   10    Final exam, 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Website updated January 6, 2009