The Van Geons Experience
Van Geons Classroom
Misenheimer, NC
Tara_Van
Literary Expressions
Literary Expressions
Letter to Parents and Guardians
Honors Literary Expressions -Full Year Course - This course is constructed to allow students the opportunity to express themselves after significant research into the following literary genres: fiction, non-fiction, monologues, poetry, and works of the dramatic arts. Students will read works of literature, discuss major themes, and develop original works. Works may be presented, displayed or performed.
THESE ASSIGNMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. I WILL UPDATE EACH WEEK REGULARLY, BUT DO NOT JUMP AHEAD . YOU MUST BE PRESENT IN CLASS TO GET THESE UPDATES.
Unit One- Nonfiction
- Controversy in Memoir- A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
- ** Memoir and Narrative Writing
- Six Word Memoirs selected readings
- Outside Reading Project of Memoir narrative
- Activities- writing workshops, “This I Believe” statement, writing, and movie maker project
August
18 | 19 | 20 Syllabus Intro to class | 21 Who am I? | 22 Definition of Memoir “The Biography” assignment
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25
Share Biographies HW- Read at least three memoir pieces | 26 Definition of Memoir Give memoir project Six Word Memoirs HW- collage assignment | 27 Journal writing Six Word Memoirs
| 28 Journal writing Six Word Memoirs
| 29 Journal writing Collage assignment due- share in class Read excerpt from Walden Write a dialectical journal in response |
September
1 Journal writing Eminem-“Lose Yourself”, Bruce Springstein- “Born in the USA”, Frank Sinatra- “When I was Seventeen” “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath- Memoir in various forms- Begin learning outcomes of Self and Society (Personal Awareness), Communicate Ideas and Information (Knowledge of Language), Communicate Ideas and Information (Presenting and Valuing) | 2
Journal Writing
Begin “A Million Little Pieces”
| 3
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 4
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 5
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion |
8 Journal Writing “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 9 Journal Writing “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 10 Journal Writing “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 11 Journal Writing “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 12
Journal Writing “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion |
15
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 16
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 17
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 18
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion | 19
Journal Writing
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey
Dialectical Journals and Socratic discussion
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22
Journal Writing
“This I Believe”
| 23
Journal Writing
“This I Believe” | 24 Journal Writing “This I Believe” | 25 Journal Writing “This I Believe” | 26 Journal Writing “This I Believe” project and assignment |
29 Journal Writing
“This I Believe” project and assignment | 30 Journal Writing
“This I Believe” project and assignment |
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October
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| 1 Journal Writing-"This I Believe” project and assignment | 2 Journal Writing-"This I Believe” project and assignment | 3 Journal Writing “This I Believe” project and assignment due |
6
Journal writing Film Festival | 7
Journal writing Film Festival Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/Elder Project
| 8 Journal writing What is Oral History? Living History? Living Memoir? Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/Elder Project
| 9 Journal writing What is Oral History? Living History? Living Memoir? Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/Elder Project
| 10 Journal writing What is Oral History? Living History? Living Memoir? Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/ Elder Project
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13 No School | 14 Journal writing-What is Oral -istory? Living History? Living Memoir? Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/Elder Project
| 15 Journal writing Living history project Film vs. Movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” | 16 Journal writing Living history project-Film vs. Movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” | 17 Journal writing Living history project- Film vs. Movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” |
20 Journal writing - Living history project Film vs. Movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” | 21 Journal writing - Living history project Film vs. Movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” | 22 Journal writing - Living history project Film vs. Movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” | 23 Journal writing - Living history project Film vs. Movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” | 24 Teacher workday |
27 Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/Elder Project Film Festival | 28 Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/Elder Project Film Festival | 29 Learning Twentieth Century History: The Grandparent/Elder Project Film Festival | 30 Journal writing Outside memoir reading project Intro to Film Studies | 31 Journal writing Outside memoir reading project Intro to Film Studies Film Clips (The Graduate, A Trip to the Moon) |
Unit Two- Books Vs. Film
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote and film by Blake Edwards (students will need a copy of the novella)
- Activities- writing workshops, book/film reviews, create a trailer for either film, relating characters to archetypes/character/people we know in life today, how are these books/films reflections of society at large? What are the deeper meanings?
- Adaptation film by Spike Jonze
Unit Three- Film Studies
- “Nosferatu”
- “Psycho” by Alfred Hitchcock
- “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” starring Betty Davis and Joan
- "Rosemary's Baby" by Roman Polanski
- "The Pianist" by Roman Polanski
- “Edward Scissorhands” a film by Tim Burton
- “Raging Bull” a film by Michael Chapman
- “The Shawshank Redemption” a film by Roger Deakins
- Writing for a short film (creating your masterpiece)
- Screenwriting workshops- students will write their own script, create a story board, film/edit/ “release” their films to an audience- possible Film Festival?
November
3 Journal writing Intro to Horror and silent film “Nosferatu”
| 4 Journal writing
“Psycho” by Alfred Hitchcock
| 5 Journal writing
“Psycho” by Alfred Hitchcock
| 6 Journal writing
“What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” starring Betty Davis and Joan Crawford | 7 Journal writing
“What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” starring Betty Davis and Joan Crawford |
10 Journal writing
Socratic discussion | 11 No School | 12 Journal writing
“Edward Scissorhands” a film by Tim Burton
| 13 Journal writing
“Edward Scissorhands” a film by Tim Burton
| 14 Journal writing
Socratic discussion |
17 Journal writing
Raging Bull” a film by Michael Chapman | 18 Journal writing Excerpts from “Rocky”
Raging Bull” a film by Michael Chapman | 19 Journal Writing ** “The Shawshank Redemption” a film by Roger Deakins
| 20 Journal Writing ** “The Shawshank Redemption” a film by Roger Deakins
| 21 Journal Writing ** “The Shawshank Redemption” a film by Roger Deakins
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24 Journal writing Screenwriting workshop | 25 Journal writing Screenwriting workshop | 26 No School | 27 No School | 28 No School |
Unit Four- Humor and Satire
- Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris excerpts
- ** The Simpsons vs. Family Guy
- ** Stupid News/ News of the Weird
- **Shrek
- ** Tyler Perry
- ** Politically Incorrect Fairy Tales
- -Students will study humor and satire in pop culture resulting in an in-depth study / research paper on a satire as an ideology in today’s culture
- - Students will create a culturally relevant “tabloid” newspaper, which satirizes appropriate topics in pop culture
December
1 Journal writing-screenwriting workshop | 2 Journal writing-Screenwriting workshop | 3 Journal writing-Screenwriting workshop | 4 Journal writing-Screenwriting workshop | 5 Journal writing-Screenwriting workshop |
8 Journal writing-give screenwriting/ filming assignment-discuss/watch “Adaptation” read portions of the script | 9 Journal writing-Give screenwriting/ filming assignment-Discuss/watch “Adaptation” read portions of the script | 10 Journal writing-give screenwriting/ filming assignment
| 11 Journal writing-Give screenwriting/ filming assignment
| 12 Journal writing-give screenwriting/ filming assignment
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15 Journal writing Intro to humor and satire Excerpts from “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and “Family Guy” | 16 Journal writing Intro to humor and satire Excerpts from “Me Talk Pretty One Day” | 17 Exams | 18 Exams | 19 Exams
Student films are due after Christmas break |
22 No school | 23 No school | 24 No school | 25 No school | 26 No school |
29 No school | 30 No school | 31 No school |
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Unit Five- Short Story / Fiction Writing
- Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules foreword by David Sedaris, short stories by various authors including Tobias Wolfe
- "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
- "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Gilman Perkins
- -Students will study elements of short stories, fiction writing, and will write several short pieces in the “style” of authors read in class
Unit Six- Drama and Playwriting
- “A Street Car Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams
- “Proof” by David Auburn
- "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett
- Students will write, direct, and “star” in their own one act plays
- Students will participate in several “reads” of their work to get input from the class (critique)
Unit Seven- Poetry and Poetry Slam
- Excerpts from The Best American Poetry series, Daddy by Sylvia Plath, Sometime the Cow Kick Your Head by Bits, etc., Poetry of Saul Williams, William Shakespeare, Emily Dickenson, various classical poets, Selected poems by Walt Whitman, Various contemporary world poetry
- Students will write in various genres of poetry and will participate in several “reads” of their work to get input from the class (critique). Students will participate in a “Poetry Café” – sharing their works with an audience (maybe with the musicians?). Students will participate in a field trip to a Poetry Slam in Charlotte, NC
Van Geons Classroom
Misenheimer, NC
Tara_Van
