| Date | Reading Assignments | Writing/Exam Deadlines |
| W 1/7 | Introduction to Course; Introductions | |
| F 1/9 | “Introduction” (1-9) Activity: Reading a Poem (Handout) Discuss Diagnostic Letter Requirements | IW 1: Diagnostic Letter |
| M 1/12 | Unit 1: Poetry Chapter 10, “Whose Voice do We Hear” (455-461) | |
| W 1/14 | Chapter 12, “Theme and Tone” (495-501) Discuss IW 2 | |
| F 1/16 | Chapter 13, “Language: Word Choice and Order (508-515—stop after Blake poem) | IW 2: Poetry Analysis (w in-text citations) |
| M 1/19 | No Class: MLK Day | |
| W 1/21 | “Key Figures of Speech” (154), Chapter 14, “Visual Imagery and Figures of Speech” (521-534), and Elaine Magarrell, “The Joy of Cooking” (in Poetry Module) Discuss IW 4 | |
| F 1/23 | Chapter 16, “The Sounds of Poetry” (552-555 & 558-559) In-Class Activity: Practice Scansion | IW 3: Poetry Argument w/ Work Cited entry |
| M 1/26 | Chapter 22, “The Literature Essay” (1078-90) Discuss Essay 1 Requirements | |
| W 1/28 | Chapter 18, “External Form” (587-90 + 596-98) | |
| F 1/30 | The Sonnet: An Album (Poems TBA) + Exam Prep | |
| M 2/2 | Exam 1: Sonnet Analysis | |
| W 2/4 | “Free Verse or Open Form Poetry” (handout and poem packet in Poetry Module) | |
| F 2/6 | In-Class Activity: Choose poem for Essay, Identity Focus (the Idea or Theme you will write about), and Develop Tentative Thesis | |
| M 2/9 | Unit 2: Fiction “Questions about Elements of Fiction” (19), “Key Concepts” (25-27), and Isabelle Allende, “And of Clay We Are Created” (28-35) | |
| W 2/11 | Chapter 2, “Plot” (46-53), and Ralph Ellison, “King of the Bingo Game” (54-61) | |
| F 2/13 | Chapter 3, “Narration and Point of View” (71-74, and the short stories by George Saunders (pp. 82-88) and Jamil Jan Kochai (89-95) | Essay 1 Draft |
| M 2/16 | No Class: President’s Day | |
| W 2/18 | Chapter 4, “Character” (96-103) and Junot Diaz, “Wildwood” (113-128) | |
| F 2/20 | Essay 1 Draft Debrief: If you have individual questions about my feedback on your draft, please make an appointment with me ASAP! | IW 4: Fiction Analysis |
| M 2/23 | Chapter 5, “Setting” (130-33), Zadie Smith, “meet the President!” (141-50) | |
| W 2/25 | Chapter 7, “Theme” (200-202), and Sandra Cisneros, “Mericans” (209-212) | |
| F 2/27 | No Class: Work on Essay 1 I will be in my office during our class period if you have questions. | Essay 1 Due |
| M 3/2 | Read Jesmyn Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing (Chapters 1-2) Discuss Essay 2 Requirements | |
| W 3/4 | Sing, Unburied, Sing (Chapters 3-4) | |
| F 3/6 | Sing, Unburied, Sing (Chapters 5-8) | |
| M 3/16 | Sing, Unburied, Sing (Chapter 9-12) | |
| W 3/18 | Sing, Unburied, Sing (Chapters 13-15); Discuss Essay 2 Research Guide | |
| F 3/20 | Read Dr. Nicole Dibb’s scholarly essay, “Haunted Roadscapes in Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Unburied, Sing” | IW 5: Fiction Argument |
| M 3/23 | Unit 3: Drama Chapter 19, “Reading Drama” (684-98) and Chapter 20, Elements of Drama (711-721) | |
| W 3/25 | August Wilson, Fences, Act 1 (722-752) | |
| M 3/27 | Fences, Act 2 (752-774) | IW 6: Drama Argument |
| M 3/30 | In-Class Activity: Choose text for Essay 2, Identify Focus (the Idea or Theme you will write about), and Develop Tentative Thesis | |
| W 4/1 | Revisit Essay 2 Research Guide before you come to class today: we’ll locate suitable sources and discuss the | |
| F 4/3 | No Class: Work on IW 8 | Introduction and Topic Sentence Outline |
| M 4/6 | In-Class Activity: Have located, evaluated, and read your scholarly essay—and be prepared to do further analytical work on the essay in class | |
| W 4/8 | In-Class Activity: Work on Essay 2 and incorporating secondary sources | |
| F 4/10 | In-Class Activity: Peer Review Essay 2. | |
| M 4/13 | Discuss Exam 2 Requirements & Part 2 Prompts Chapter 22, “The Literature Essay” (pp. 1090-97), which covers comparative essays and essays tests—and will prepare you for Part 2 of your Exam 2 | |
| W 4/15 | Final Exam Review (for Part 1) | |
| F 4/17 | Last Day of Class! | Essay 2 Due |
| W 4/22 | Exam 2: I regret we are scheduled at such an early hour; however, I will bring some breakfast drinks and snacks so all you really need to do is show up with your textbook! | |