ELA10 - Focused Literary Study (2 credit), CSS, Seipp

Here is a quick overview of the assignments for this unit.  However, be sure you read over the specific assignment instructions that follow for each one.  Review the marking rubrics for the assignments before you start.

ASSIGNMENT 1:  A Starting Point:  Self Reflection.

     What do you hope to achieve in this course?  What is your area of focus? Consider how you will assess your growth as a writer.  This is why we examine the starting point.

ASSIGNMENT 2:  Genres of Literature

Create an infographic that visually defines the following genres of literature.  Include a definition for each one and an image that best represents that genre.  If you use pictures from the internet, make sure you cite your source in MLA (Modern Language Association) format.  There is a handout in Class Handouts at the top of the course to show you how to format correctly. 

Genres of literature:  historical fiction, science fiction, non-fiction, folktale, biography, autobiography, fairy tale, drama, mystery, horror.

ASSIGNMENT 3:  Active Reading

    Put your active reading skills to work with a couple of strategies to help you better comprehend what you read.

ASSIGNMENT 4:  Theme

     Remember that theme, plot, and structure are inseparable, all helping to inform and to reflect back on each other. Also, be aware that a theme we determine from a story never completely explains the story. It is simply one of the elements that make up the whole.  Work on identifying and explaining the main idea.  There is a review of narrative literary terms to go over, as well.

ASSIGNMENT  5:  Elements of Style

    Style, in literature, refers to a method or manner of writing.  It is the distinctive way in which a speaker or writer says what "they" say.  Writers can use many different stylistic devices in their writing.  Read the following excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum".   Describe Poe's style of writing in a brief 200 word paragraph.  Think about how he develops tension in the passage.  Use text examples to support your analysis.

ASSIGNMENT  6:  Analyzing Poetry

     Poetry is a compact language that expresses complex feelings. To understand the multiple meanings of a poem, readers must examine its words and phrasing from the perspectives of rhythm, sound, images, obvious meaning, and implied meaning.   There are many ways to do this.  Here is just one strategy...called TPCASTT (it's an acronym).  There is a review of poetry literary terms to go over, as well.

ASSIGNMENT 7:  Response FORUM:  Literary Terms

     In the response forum, identify and explain your knowledge of 5 literary terms from the two lists:  narrative literary terms and poetry literary terms.  Then identify 5 you don't know and provide a definition for them.  Consider where you might apply them in day-to-day life.

ASSIGNMENT 8:  PROJECT:  Formal Literary Response

     Writers should read a lot.  Writers should also be able to discuss literary work in a formal manner.  Be sure to review formal literary paragraph writing and the ACE it writing strategy before completing this assignment in response to an author's writing.