Friday, May 30

Students took a quizlet over "Leaf by Niggle," we reread the last two pages together, and we began to discuss it.

Thursday, May 29

We continued to read Tolkien's "Leaf by Niggle."

HW due Friday: Finish the story and come to class prepared for a brief quiz.

Wednesday, May 28

Students worked on their Alternate Worlds final projects, and completed a form giving information about the form and content they intend those projects to have.

In the final few minutes of class we began reading the story "Leaf by Niggle" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Tuesday, May 27

We finished Willow before it finished us. Hallelujah!

Friday, May 23

Students signed up for the final project, indicating whether they plan to work alone or whom they plan to work with.

More of Willow. Yow!

Thursday, May 22

We watched Willow up to the point when the title character receives the baby from the Beauty-full Fairy Princess.

Tuesday, May 20

We established:

(1) Guidelines for the final project (handout)

and

(2) Two films to watch -- Willow (ugh) and The Fifth Element. Democracy in action.

Monday, May 19

Quiz over Lost Horizon.

Discussion of tolerance, moderation, pacifism, cosmopolitanism, ecumenism in Lost Horizon --and beyond.

Friday, May 16

We concluded our investigation of the Arthurian literature by watching the ending of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Quiz Monday over Lost Horizon.

Thursday, May 15

We read Chapter VII of Lost Horizon, then compared its presentation of Father Perrault's vision to its presentation in the 1936 film.

Wednesday, May 14

We finished reading Chapter 7 of Lost Horizon and then watched the scene from the 1936 film in which Conway meets with Father Perrault for the first time.

HW due Friday: finish reading the novel.

Tuesday, May 13

Review of Chapters 5 & 6.
We began reading Chapter 7.

Monday, May 12

Quiz over Chapters 1-4 of Lost Horizon (30 pts).

We began reading Chapter 5.

HW due Tuesday: Read Chapters 5 and 6.

Friday, May 9

We finished reading the Prologue of Lost Horizon.

HW due Monday:
Read Chapters 1-4.
Quiz

Thursday, May 8

We began Lost Horizon. Mr. Potratz read aloud from the Prologue and asked questions of the class.

Wednesday, May 7

Further discussion of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Tuesday, May 6

Anti-Communism vs. Anti-McCarthyism in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

We watched more of The Fifties, then talked about ant-Communism in America in the '50's.

Fire drill replaced the in-class essay.

Monday, May 5

Brief discussion of Communism, anti-Communism, and anti-anti-Communism in the 1950's.

We then watched part of the first installment of David Halberstam's documentary series The Fifties.

Friday, May 2

Wrap-up discussion of Slaughterhouse Five.

Students turned their copies in.

Thursday, May 1

We finished watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Students took and graded a short quiz on the Vonnegut handout.