1. Journals

2. August 25, 2011 What is your relationship with reading and writing like? Include your favorite and least favorite novels and short stories, favorite and least favorite literary characters, and your feelings about writing in general. 3/4s a page

3. August 26, 2011 On page two of your journals, create a KWL chart regarding what you know and want to know about British history and literature. Talk to your friends about this if you would like. You should have ten sentences.

4. August 29, 2011 Are good deeds done out of selflessness more righteous than those done out of selfishness? In other words, if we have selfish reasons for doing a good deed, is it still a good deed? Think about Beowulf’s motives for going to Herot to defeat Grendel. Page 3. 12-15 sentences

5. August 30, 2011 Beowulf is the archetypal dragon slayer character type. He was Superman to the Anglo-Saxons. Who are our “dragon slayers” today? Choose actual people or fictional characters. What are the commonalities and differences between Beowulf and our “dragon-slayers” today? 15 sentences Page 4

6. August 31, 2011 Get a DiYanni book (white) Read the short poem below entitled “Lightning Bugs.” In my backyard, They burn peepholes in the night And take snapshots of my house. Freewrite as to what you think this poem is trying to communicate. Two paragraphs will suffice for this (Page 5). Then answer the following questions and write your own poem on Page 6: 1. Why is the title essential to this poem? 2. What makes this poem effective? 3. Write a three line poem in the style that Slyman has done with “Lightning Bugs.”

7. September 1, 2011 Study your vocabulary..

8. September 7, 2011 Go back to your KWL chart from August 26. Fill in the “L” category with 10 things you’ve learned. These do not have to be complete sentences. This should be completely independent.

9. September 8, 2011 Get a purple vocabulary book from the counter. Share nicely. Do exercise 1 #s 1-3 on page 29. This should go directly underneath your definitions for list two.

10. September 12, 2011 After reading “The Prologue,” who do you think are the most noble and the least noble characters? This should be at least 10 sentences; it goes on page seven.

11. September 13, 2011 Page 8 in comp. book The Canterbury pilgrims were on their way to the shrine of Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Think of a modern day “pilgrimage” that people make to pay their respects. This modern pilgrimage does not need a religious affiliation. Ten sentences

12. September 14, 2011 Page 9 in comp. book Do you find the idea of chivalric love (love from afar) to be romantic, or do you find it to be patronizing and condescending to women? In other words, was it yet another way for men to objectify women—to see them as a prize to be won? Get something down on paper and we will discuss this later.

13. September 15, 2011 Get started on your group The Canterbury Tales assignment. This needs to be finished quickly.

14. September 21, 2011 Chaucer is a master at using physical details—eyes, hair, complexion, body type, clothing—to reveal character. Describe at least three pilgrims whose inner natures are revealed by their appearance. Use at least one quote per pilgrim. 9-10 sentences

15. September 22, 2011 STUDY VOCABULARY!!!

16. October 3-4, 2011 Page 11 in composition book. What promises do people make in order to seduce others into romantic relationships? What makes people fall for false promises? 8-10 sentences.

17. Page 12 in composition book What does it mean to “seize the day?” How can we be sure to seize every day that we have? What are some ways that we fail to seize our days?