• We finished watching Howl's Moving Castle, turned in the activity sheets, and discussed the movie a bit.

Homework:

• Work on papers (due Monday 5/7/12 from 1-3pm).
• Friday is an optional in-class workday for the papers.

• We continued watching Howl's Moving Castle.

Homework:

• Wednesday we'll finish watching the movie, turn in the activity sheets, and do class evaluations.
• Complete final paper (due Monday 5/7/12 from 1-3pm).

• We watched the first part of Howl's Moving Castle, and worked on the activity sheet.

Homework:

• Monday-Wednesday: We'll continue watching Howl's Moving Castle; the activity sheet will be due on Wednesday.
• Friday: optional work day; bring you laptops, papers, etc. and ask any questions and/or do a peer review.
• Monday (5/7/12): turn in final paper from 1-3pm in my office (STV 422J).

• Reminder: the final is in class this Wednesday (4/25/12).  Don't forget to bring a blue book!
• We talked about how to revise the critical argument paper, including adding secondary sources.
• We talked about the Naomi Wood article "Walk-in Closets and Blood-Red Buicks: Urban Space and Personal Development in Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush."

Homework:

• Study for the final!
• We'll be watching Howl's Moving Castle on Friday, so there is no reading homework.

• I passed back the last quiz; quiz averages are posted in Blackboard.
• The final papers will be due during the exam period posted in iCampus - Monday (5/7/12) from 1-3pm. Please turn your paper (both the original AND revised versions) in to my office (STV 422J) during this time; you can also submit your paper early.
• We continued talking about Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush.

Homework:

• For class Monday read Wood, "Walk In Closets" (article available in Blackboard).
• Last reading response due Monday (4/23/12).
• Study for the final (Wednesday 4/25/12).

• We took the last quiz! I will be posting your quiz averages on Blackboard soon.
• I passed back papers while we watched a commentary on the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games. We discussed the commentary a bit, and our impressions of Parable of the Sower vs. The Hunger Games.
• We started discussing Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush including definition of magical realism (see slideshow in Blackboard) and the lack of specific setting in the novel.

Homework:

• Finish reading Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush.
• Last reading response due Monday.
• Study for the final.

• My office hours for today are cancelled so I can attend a lecture; please email me if you have any questions.
• I passed out the final review sheet which will be available in Blackboard soon. We went over questions in class. Be sure to bring a blue book to class when we take the final (Wednesday 4/25/12).
• We watched a commentary on the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games.
• We discussed the first section of Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush.

Homework:

• Read chapters 7-12 of Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush.
• The last reading response (a summary of the class) is due Monday (4/23/12).
• Study for final exam.

• We took a quiz on Parable of the Sower.
• We talked about YA literature, finished discussing Annis Pratt's female archetype pattern, and how Parable of the Sower relates to a slave narrative.
• I passed back the Annotated Bibliographies.

Homework:

• Read chapters 1-6 of Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush.
• Reading response due Monday (4/16/12).
• In class Monday I'll pass out the review sheet for the final exam and answer any questions about the final.

• We turned in the Annotated Bibliographies.
• I passed back old quizzes and the discussion questions from Monday.
• We talked more about Parable of the Sower, including Annis Pratt's female archetype pattern (which we will finish on Friday).

Homework:

• Finish Parable of the Sower.
• Reading response due Monday (4/16/12).

• We came up with discussion questions about Parable of the Sower and talked about the answers to those questions.

Homework:

• Read chapters 8-16 of Parable of the Sower.
• Annotated Bibliographies due Wednesday (4/11/12).
• Next reading response is due Monday (4/14/12).

• We met at the library and talked about researching for the critical argument paper. A slideshow is available in Blackboard.
• NOTICE: I moved the due date for the Annotated Bibliography to Wednesday (4/11/12).

Homework:

• For Monday, read chapters 1-7 of Parable of the Sower.
• Reading response is due Monday.
• Annotated Bibliography is due Wednesday.

• I passed back quizzes.
• We went over the Annotated Bibliography due Monday, including the sample available in Blackboard.
• Friday we'll be meeting in the library, where we will talk about how to research secondary articles about adolescent literature and you'll have some time to work.
• We finished discussing Holes, including magical realism, layers of narration, holes as the past, and the irony of labor.

Homework:

• Be working on your Annotated Bibliographies.

• We are going to library on Friday to work on research for the Annotated Bibliography.
• We took a quiz on Holes.
• We talked about Holes and watching the very beginning of the movie.
• I passed back the critical argument papers and past quizzes.

Homework:

• Finish reading Holes.
• Next reading response due Wednesday (4/11/12).

• We finished talking about Elske, including Beriel and Elske as female protagonists and their associated spaces.
• We also did a short review of the texts and spaces we've read so far this semester and discussed the trajectory of the stories/characters. Side note: we've only got 3 more books to read!

Homework:

• Read Part 1 (chapters 1-28) of Holes.
• Reading response due Monday (4/2/12).

• I collected the extra credit assignment from Monday night.
• We took a quiz on Elske.
• We talked about Elske, the violence in the book, domestic labor, and abjection. If you were not in class it is CRITICAL that you get the notes from a classmate; the concepts we discussed today will be relevant for the rest of the semester.

Homework:

• Finish Elske.
• Reading response due Monday (4/2/12).

• I passed back quizzes.
• Reminder: tonight is the Lois Lensky lecture. See the flyer in Blackboard for more details.
• We talked about The Hunger Games movie.
• We started talking about Elske, including the very violent beginning and some of the covers.

Homework:

• Next reading response due Monday (4/2/12).
• Read chapters 9-14 of Elske.

Edited to add: this is the article I mentioned in class today (and passed out several weeks ago). I think it has a lot in common with the issues presented in Elske.

• We took a quiz on The Hunger Games.
• We discussed the ending of The Hunger Games, Katniss as a protagonist, and lots of other issues in the book.

Homework:

• Reading response due Monday (3/26/12).
• Read chapters 1-8 of Elske. WARNING: the beginning of this book is VERY graphic and may be a trigger for some readers. We'll talk more in class, but the first few pages of the book are very intense.

• Reminder: this is a reading response due today (you have until midnight to get at least a 70). I'll add a link soon for the next post due Monday (3/26).
• Reminder: the extra credit opportunity (to replace your second lowest quiz grades) will be Monday, March 26 at 7pm. Dr. Philip Nel will be talking about "Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss: How an unlikely couple found love, dodged the FBI, and transformed Children's Literature" in Schroeder Hall 138. Attended the lecture, write up a 200 word summary, and submit it to me in class on Wednesday to receive extra credit.
• We continued discussing The Hunger Games, including watching the trailer and defining panopticon (see slideshow in Blackboard).

Homework:

• Finish reading The Hunger Games.
• Next reading response due Monday (3/26).
• Don't forget to upload the electronic version of your paper to Blackboard; if you have trouble attaching the document (do not copy/paste), then just email it to me.

• I collected the papers.
• We talked about Part 1 of The Hunger Games.

Homework:

• Reading response due Wednesday (3/21/12).
• Read Part 2 of The Hunger Games.

• We watched some movie clips and discussed the different interpretations of each, including Little Women, Harriet the Spy, and several versions of The Secret Garden.

Homework:

• Have a great Spring Break!
• Paper is due Monday (3/19/12) - remember, a paper copy MUST be submitted.
• Read Part 1 of The Hunger Games for class Monday (3/19/12).

• We talked about the papers due after Spring Break, including the structure and rubric.
• We did an in-class activity with Ender's Game and talked about the power structures in the novel.

Homework:

• Work on paper due after Spring Break.

• We discussed the ending(s) of Ender's Game, including how the novel fits into the hero quest pattern, the multiple twist endings, and the movie adaptation.
• Bring your copy of Ender's Game to class on Wednesday because we'll continue to talk about the book and complete an activity with specific quotations. We'll also talk more about paper stuff.

Homework:

• Work on your paper (due Monday after Spring Break).
• Next reading response is due the Wednesday after Spring Break.

• We talked about Ender's Game, including the novel as a hero quest, the gravity motif throughout the text, and the gender and language issues we've seen so far.

Homework:

• Finish reading Ender's Game.
• Reading response due Monday.
• Work on paper (due Monday after Spring Break).

• We took a quiz on Ender's Game.
• We talked about Ender's Game, including some different genre definitions (especially science fiction and dystopian fiction) and the historical background of the novel.

Homework:

• Read Ender's Game chapters 10-12.
• Reading response due Monday (3/5/12).
• Be working on your papers (due after Spring Break).

• We looked at an example paper from Blackboard. This paper was submitted by a former student and while not perfect is a great example of what I'm looking for. We talked a bit about the Works Cited page, citation style, and quotations.
• We started discussing ways in which Ender's Game is different from the other books we've read so far and looked at the different covers (and thus marketing audiences) of the book.
• I passed back the paper proposals with comments and suggestions. PLEASE come talk to me if you have an questions, concerns, or just want a little guidance.

Homework:

• Read Ender's Game chapters 7-9.
• Reading response due Monday (3/5/12).
• Work on paper (due Monday after Spring Break).

• I collected the paper proposals. I will be giving these back as soon as possible with feedback.
• We discussed the Lissa Paul article "The Feminist Writer" and wrapped up our discussion of Harriet the Spy.
• We continued talking about the second and third waves of feminism (see Blackboard for slideshow).
• I previewed some important things for reading Ender's Game next week.

Homework:

• Read chapters 1-6 of Ender's Game.
• Fifth reading response due Monday by 9am.
• Work on the critical argument paper (due 3/19/12).

• We took a quiz over Harriet the Spy.
• The article assignment for Friday is available in Blackboard (Paul, "The Feminist Writer"). Please download the article asap and let me know if you have trouble accessing it.
• We discussed the end of Harriet the Spy.
• At the end of class I passed back the first papers. Your grade should appear in Blackboard soon.

Homework:

• Read Lissa Paul's "The Feminist Writer" for Friday.
• Paper proposals are due Friday.
• Fifth reading response is due Monday.

• I passed back the quizzes from Friday.
• We did a bit of writing about whether Harriet is rude or honest in her notebook.
• We went over a few term definitions (available in Blackboard), mapped out Harriet's spy route, and talked more about the novel.

Homework:

• Finish reading Harriet the Spy (part 3).
• Paper proposals are due Friday.
• Fifth reading response is due Monday (2/27/12).

• We took a quiz on Harriet the Spy.
• I passed back the Iron Jawed Angels activity and we talked for a bit about the movie. I also passed out an article (available here) which connects some of the issues we have discussed with today's events. We'll keep talking about the second and third waves of feminism after reading Harriet the Spy.
• We talked about thesis sentences in preparation for the paper proposal due next week. The handout is available in Blackboard (look in the MLA & Paper Tips folder).
• We talked briefly about Harriet the Spy.

Homework:

• Read Harriet the Spy chapters 7-14.
• Fourth reading response due Monday.
• Be thinking about your paper proposal (due next Friday).

• We finished watching Iron Jawed Angels and turned in the movie activity sheet.

Homework:

• Read Part 1 (chapters 1-6) of Harriet the Spy.
• Fourth reading response due Monday (2/20/12).
• Be thinking about your paper proposal.

• Don't forget to submit the electronic version of your space paper.
• I handed out information about the second paper. The handout is also available in Blackboard.
• We continued watched Ironed Jawed Angels.

Homework:

• Fourth response journal is due Monday (2/20/12).
• Be thinking about your paper proposal.

• We turned in the first paper. Don't forget to upload the electronic version to Blackboard sometime soon.
• We started watching Ironed Jawed Angels. The activity sheet I passed out is available on Blackboard if needed.

Homework:

• Third reading response due Monday (2/13/12).

• We talked about the article assigned from What Katy Read.
• We went over lots of background information, available in slideshow in Blackboard. Look for the slideshows called What Katy Did (information about separate spheres and the "angel in the house"), space theories (two of main space theorists), and history of feminism (we talked about the first wave only to prepare for the movie Friday).

Homework:

• The paper copy of the first paper is due in class Friday (2/10/12). Submit the electronic version when you can.
• Third reading response due Monday.

• I passed back the quizzes.
• We talked about how to electronically submit the first paper. The paper copy is what is due on class (and will be graded) on Friday.
• The article to read for Wednesday is available in Blackboard (Simmons and Foster What Katy Read). If you have trouble downloading the article, please let me know.
• We discussed the second half of What Katy Did, and continued looking at the slideshow (available in Blackboard).

Homework:

• Read Simmons and Foster What Katy Read article for Wednesday.
• First paper is due Friday (2/10/12).

• We took the second quiz.
• I went over how to format a paper in the MLA style, including the proper heading. If you need further resources, check out the OWL Purdue website or come by to see me during office hours.
• Everyone should be able to see my comments to your first reading response in Blackboard. Don't forget the second response is due Monday by 9am.
• We discussed the first half of What Katy Did, including the spaces in the text so far. I started looking at the slideshow with some historical background, so we'll continue that on Monday. The slideshow is available in Blackboard.

Homework:

• Finish What Katy Did.
• Second reading response due Monday.
• Work on first paper, due next Friday (2/10/12).

• We talked about Lissa Paul's article "Enigma Variations" and I pointed out a few key passages.
• I (REALLY) briefly talked about the history of literary criticism, including feminist and children's criticism. A slideshow summary is available in Blackboard.

Homework:

• Read the first half (chapters 1-7) of What Katy Did for Friday. Don't worry about keeping the siblings straight, I can't remember all of them either.

• My office hours Wed (2/1) and next Monday (2/6) will be cancelled to meet with the new children's literature candidates.
• Thanks everyone for turning in the first reading response. The second response is now available in Blackboard and is due next Monday (2/6) by 9am. I'll be responding to your posts over the week.
• Note: I accidentally included a mid-term in the course calendar. We are NOT having a mid-term, but we will have class that day.
• We discussed the articles assigned from the Norton Critical edition of The Secret Garden and the handout in groups.

Homework:

• Read Lissa Paul's "Enigma Variations."

• I passed back the first quizzes.
• I assigned everyone an article to read from the Norton Critical version of The Secret Garden. If you did not receive an article assignment in class, please email me and I will let you know which article to read. I also passed out a handout to go along with the article - you only need to fill out the front side of the handout, the rest we will do in class Monday. An electronic version of this handout is available in Blackboard, as is the list of possible articles.
• We discussed the end of The Secret Garden, including who the main character is, different definition of Magic, the spaces in the text, and focalizers.

Homework:

• First reading response due Monday by 9am.
• Read the article assigned from the Norton Critical version of The Secret Garden.
• Fill out the front of the handout.

• We had our first quiz.
• We continued discussing The Secret Garden, including our leftover discussion questions from Monday, a few term definitions, and some of the motifs in the novel. A slideshow summary is available in Blackboard.

Homework:

• Finish reading The Secret Garden. In class on Friday I will give the article assignment for Monday's reading.
• First reading response due Monday (1/30/12) by 9am.

• Melanie came to administer the IRB paperwork.
• We went over the first paper assignment (which is also available electronically in Blackboard). The paper is due February 10, 2012.
• We discussed our reactions to the first part of The Secret Garden with a partner then came up with a discussion question for the class.
• After some discussion, I went over some background for Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden, and the relationship between India and England in the novel.

Homework:

• Read The Secret Garden chapters 10 - 18.
• First reading response due next Monday (1/30) at 9am.

• We talked a bit more about the structure of the class and the reading response guidelines. An electronic version of the reading response guidelines is available in Blackboard.
• Everyone should be added to Blackboard now; if you are not, please let me know.
• Extra credit opportunity: Lois Lensky lecture series, feature Dr. Philip Nel on March 26th and 7pm. Dr. Nel will present a lecture about his upcoming book The Purple Crayon and a Hole to Dig: The Lives of Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss.
• We talked a lot about what children's literature is, and what we should be looking for while reading. We discussed the Nodelman and Reimer chapter, especially the concepts of "implied reader" and "dual audience."

Homework:

• Monday: read chapters 1-9 of The Secret Garden.

First Day

• We went over the class syllabus (an electronic copy is available in Blackboard) and some of the goals of the class. Note: I will be adding everyone to Blackboard this afternoon.
• We also talked about the book selection for the semester, and why I choose the books we are reading.
• We talked about our names.

Homework:

• For Friday: Read the Nodelman article I passed out. If you missed the paper copy, an electronic copy is available in Blackboard.
• Monday: Read the first 9 chapters of The Secret Garden.

Welcome

Hello everyone, and welcome to the official blog for Ms. Pearce's ENG 125. I'll be using this blog to keep track of our activities during class and reminders about homework/upcoming assignments. If you have to miss a class, need a review of the material covered, or are confused about something, come to this blog. After the first day of class I will update the blog with more information.

I have also set up a Blackboard website for the class. The Blackboard site is password protected, so that is where you can download documents (all of the readings will be available in electronic form), check your grades, and submit your assignments.

My contact information is available in the right-hand column if you have any questions or concerns.