English 12 Course Plan
Detailed Syllabus (subject to change)
Week 1/2 (Jan. 4, 9 & 11): Identity & Roots
Readings: Fiction: “Blue Against White” (Jeanette Armstrong)
Nonfiction: “Riding the Hyphen” (Anurita Bains)
Poems: “History Lesson” (Jeanette Armstrong) &
“Post-Oka Kinda Woman” (Beth Cuthand); Nereo II
Journal #1: Respond to one of the "Suggestions for Short Writing" at the end of "Riding the Hyphen."
Week 3 (Jan. 16 & 18): Aboriginal Literature
*Paper #1 due on Jan. 18: Personal Memoir (10 points)
Readings: Creative Nonfiction: “Goodbye Snauq” (Lee Maracle)
Fiction: “The Shawl” (Louise Erdrich)
Journal #2: Compare/contrast "Goodbye Snauq" with the poem "History Lesson."
Journal #3: Respond to the Journal questions for "The Shawl."
Week 4 (Jan. 23 & 25): Storytelling & Reconciliation
Readings: Lecture: "The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative" (Thomas King)
Nonfiction: MMIW
Poems on "Reconciliation"
Journal #4: Discuss what the two poems say about reconciliation. What do you think is necessary for reconciliation, and what will you do about it?
Week 5 (Jan. 30 & Feb. 1): Literature of Social Protest
Readings: Fiction: Of Mice and Men & “The Chrysanthemums” (John Steinbeck)
Journal #5: Write out ONE quotation from the novel (2-3 sentences) and respond (discuss elements of fiction, theme, and personal connections).
Week 6 (Feb. 6 & 8): Deconstructing Gender
Readings: Fiction: “The Chrysanthemums” (John Steinbeck)
Poetry: “Barbie Doll” (Marge Piercy) & “The Mutes” (Denise Levertov)
Journal #6: Compare and contrast Elisa Allen in "The Chrysanthemums" with Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men.
Week 7 (Feb. 15): Editorial (Re-)Presentations No class on Feb. 13!
*Presentation #1 on Feb. 15: Editorial (10 points)
*Paper #2 due on Feb. 15: Issue Analysis & Letter to the Editor (15 points)
Week 8 (Feb. 20 & 22): Dystopian Fiction
Exam Practice: "The Dumka" (Paragraph Response)
Readings: Documentary Film: The Mask You Live In
Fiction: “There is No Time in Waterloo” (Sheila Heti)
Journal #7: Discuss the protagonist’s conflict with technology as well as your personal response.
Week 9 (Feb. 27 & Mar. 1): Environmental Readings
Readings: Nonfiction: “Touching the Earth” (bell hooks) & “How to be Hopeful” (Barbara Kingsolver)
Poetry: "Where I'm From" (George Ella Lyon)
Journal #8: "I am from..." (poem)
Week 10 (Mar. 6 & 8): Women's Issues?
*Paper #3 due on Mar. 8: Poetry Analysis (10 points)
Readings: TED Talk: Violence Against Women
Poetry: "Spring and all" (W. C. Williams)
Journal #9: Poetry Response
Week 11 (Mar. 27 & 29): Novel (Re-)Presentations
*Presentation #2 on Mar. 29: Independent Novel Study (10 points)
Exam Practice: "Release 2009/2010" (Synthesis Essay Response)
Journal #10: What is fiction good for? What do you like/dislike about novels? What makes them worth reading?
Week 12 (Apr. 3 & 5): Making it New
Readings: Nonfiction: "Why was Kinder Morgan afraid of a poem?" & Video
Poem: "70 Theses Against Tar Sands Pipelines"
Journal #11: What problems do you see in the world? Where do you find hope for "making it new"? What are you going to do about it? (Check out the Links for more info...)
Week 13 (Apr. 10 & 12): Poetry (Re-)Presentations
*Presentation #3 on _____: Poetry Analysis (10 points)
*Paper #4 due on Apr. 12: Literary Synthesis Essay (15 points)
Readings: Film: American Dream poems
Poetry: Sonnets by Shakespeare
Journal #11: Spring/Easter Memory (poem)
Week 14/15 (Apr. 19, 24 & 26): Poetry Cafe & Practice Exam No class on Apr. 17!
Cutoff date for final reports: Apr. 19
Readings: Sound/Concrete Poetry: Bill Bissett & bpNichol
Slam Poetry: Marshall Soulful Jones
Journal #12: How does slowing down change things? What is poetry good for? What do you like/dislike about poetry?
*Provincial Exam: Thursday, May 11, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Week 1/2 (Jan. 4, 9 & 11): Identity & Roots
Readings: Fiction: “Blue Against White” (Jeanette Armstrong)
Nonfiction: “Riding the Hyphen” (Anurita Bains)
Poems: “History Lesson” (Jeanette Armstrong) &
“Post-Oka Kinda Woman” (Beth Cuthand); Nereo II
Journal #1: Respond to one of the "Suggestions for Short Writing" at the end of "Riding the Hyphen."
Week 3 (Jan. 16 & 18): Aboriginal Literature
*Paper #1 due on Jan. 18: Personal Memoir (10 points)
Readings: Creative Nonfiction: “Goodbye Snauq” (Lee Maracle)
Fiction: “The Shawl” (Louise Erdrich)
Journal #2: Compare/contrast "Goodbye Snauq" with the poem "History Lesson."
Journal #3: Respond to the Journal questions for "The Shawl."
Week 4 (Jan. 23 & 25): Storytelling & Reconciliation
Readings: Lecture: "The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative" (Thomas King)
Nonfiction: MMIW
Poems on "Reconciliation"
Journal #4: Discuss what the two poems say about reconciliation. What do you think is necessary for reconciliation, and what will you do about it?
Week 5 (Jan. 30 & Feb. 1): Literature of Social Protest
Readings: Fiction: Of Mice and Men & “The Chrysanthemums” (John Steinbeck)
Journal #5: Write out ONE quotation from the novel (2-3 sentences) and respond (discuss elements of fiction, theme, and personal connections).
Week 6 (Feb. 6 & 8): Deconstructing Gender
Readings: Fiction: “The Chrysanthemums” (John Steinbeck)
Poetry: “Barbie Doll” (Marge Piercy) & “The Mutes” (Denise Levertov)
Journal #6: Compare and contrast Elisa Allen in "The Chrysanthemums" with Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men.
Week 7 (Feb. 15): Editorial (Re-)Presentations No class on Feb. 13!
*Presentation #1 on Feb. 15: Editorial (10 points)
*Paper #2 due on Feb. 15: Issue Analysis & Letter to the Editor (15 points)
Week 8 (Feb. 20 & 22): Dystopian Fiction
Exam Practice: "The Dumka" (Paragraph Response)
Readings: Documentary Film: The Mask You Live In
Fiction: “There is No Time in Waterloo” (Sheila Heti)
Journal #7: Discuss the protagonist’s conflict with technology as well as your personal response.
Week 9 (Feb. 27 & Mar. 1): Environmental Readings
Readings: Nonfiction: “Touching the Earth” (bell hooks) & “How to be Hopeful” (Barbara Kingsolver)
Poetry: "Where I'm From" (George Ella Lyon)
Journal #8: "I am from..." (poem)
Week 10 (Mar. 6 & 8): Women's Issues?
*Paper #3 due on Mar. 8: Poetry Analysis (10 points)
Readings: TED Talk: Violence Against Women
Poetry: "Spring and all" (W. C. Williams)
Journal #9: Poetry Response
Week 11 (Mar. 27 & 29): Novel (Re-)Presentations
*Presentation #2 on Mar. 29: Independent Novel Study (10 points)
Exam Practice: "Release 2009/2010" (Synthesis Essay Response)
Journal #10: What is fiction good for? What do you like/dislike about novels? What makes them worth reading?
Week 12 (Apr. 3 & 5): Making it New
Readings: Nonfiction: "Why was Kinder Morgan afraid of a poem?" & Video
Poem: "70 Theses Against Tar Sands Pipelines"
Journal #11: What problems do you see in the world? Where do you find hope for "making it new"? What are you going to do about it? (Check out the Links for more info...)
Week 13 (Apr. 10 & 12): Poetry (Re-)Presentations
*Presentation #3 on _____: Poetry Analysis (10 points)
*Paper #4 due on Apr. 12: Literary Synthesis Essay (15 points)
Readings: Film: American Dream poems
Poetry: Sonnets by Shakespeare
Journal #11: Spring/Easter Memory (poem)
Week 14/15 (Apr. 19, 24 & 26): Poetry Cafe & Practice Exam No class on Apr. 17!
Cutoff date for final reports: Apr. 19
Readings: Sound/Concrete Poetry: Bill Bissett & bpNichol
Slam Poetry: Marshall Soulful Jones
Journal #12: How does slowing down change things? What is poetry good for? What do you like/dislike about poetry?
*Provincial Exam: Thursday, May 11, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.