30/31 October "The Pardoner's Tale"

1. Turn in Outside Reading if you chose to use this due date.
2. "The Pardoner's Tale"

"The Pardoner's Tale"

• Define vocab (in packet)
• Define exemplum
  Read the intro and prologue (handout 1)
• Read the tale in book page 159
• Read the epilogue (handout 2)
• Tan packet worksheets: understanding the anecdote & making inferences (on board with magnets)
• Be prepared for a quiz on Monday.

Words to know for intro/prologue/epilogue:

• ribald - coarse
• bulls - official documents, especially from the pope
• cuckhold - a man whose wife has committed adultery
• cupidity & avarice - greed
• lecherous - lustful

1st: 28/29 October

Journal: You are being confined to a place where there is nothing to do. You have been instructed to bring the following.
1 CD
1 movie
1 book
Which CD, movie, and book do you bring? Give 2 reasons for each (You HAVE to bring one of all 3.)

"The Prologue"
Finish reading
Finish data chart
Answer packet questions

For the rest of class…
Work on projects
Papers that need revising – get to me by Friday, please!

1st/4th 24/27 October - Begin Canterbury Tales

Journal: "Road Trip" Explain in detail your ideal road trip.

The Canterbury Tales notes

• Frame Story:
  A main story is composed for the purpose of organizing a set of shorter stories. Each of the “tales” is a story within a story.
  The main story = people are traveling from London to Canterbury
  Shorter stories = each person will tell 2 stories on the way to Canterbury and 2 more on the way back.
• Written by Geoffrey Chaucer: Born around 1340; died 1400
  Wrote in the vernacular = major influence on literature and language
  Father of English literature
  The first to be buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey
• All of society is represented in The Canterbury Tales.
  1. Clergy
  2. Nobility
  3. Commoners
• Vocabulary (in tan packet): (testable)
  Garnished – decorated, trimmed
  Screeds – long, tiresome pieces of writing
  Whelks – pimples
  Prevarication – an evasion of truth
  Avouches – asserts positively; affirms
  Solicitous – showing care or concern
  Preferment – an advancement in rank
  Sanguine – of cheerful temperament
• Social Commentary:
  Can you identify social commentary in The Canterbury Tales? What is Chaucer saying about each pilgrim? What does this say about society?
  Know what he’s saying about your pilgrim. What might it mean if he doesn’t really say anything?
  When you read your individual prologue and tale, you should look for the social commentary, too.

Begin Reading

• "The Prologue" in Middle English:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE0MtENfOMU
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc8XPv_qstA
• We read through the Yeoman's description in the prologue and filled in the data chart for the first 3 pilgrims.
• Students then got into their groups and read their pilgrim's description.
• They then shared this information with the class.
• We continued reading about pilgrims no groups have. We entered this info on the data chart.
• We will continue with the prologue next class.

Turn in: "Symbols of Humankind" and "The Rhyme Renaissance" questions.

1st/4th: 22/23 October

1. Turn in Beowulf projects.
2. Journal
3. article: "Symbols of Humankind" and questions
4. "The Rhyme Renaissance" and questions
5. Canterbury Tales Project - choose groups and tale

Journal: “Communication” – Write about the importance of communication, written and spoken, and the various ways you communicate throughout the day. (100 word minimum)

"Symbols of Humankind" Read the article. Answer questions on the back of the 2nd page.
As you read, draft (make notes, make a flow chart, etc.) the stages or processes you read about. (20 minutes to read and start on the questions.)

"The Rhyme Renaissance"

• Author: Baba Brinkman from Vancouver
• has a Master of Arts in Medieval and Renaissance English Literature
• thesis drew parallels between the worlds of rap music and literary poetry
• transformed Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales into a collection of rap poetry

Read it, watch it, listen to it. Then answer questions. Again, as you read, make notes on the stages or processes you read about.

Students chose groups for the Canterbury Tales art project, or they chose to work individually. They are responsible for getting a copy of the tale they will read. If they bring it to me, I will make copies for the rest of the group.

HOMEWORK: "Symbols of Humankind" and "The Rhyme Renaissance" questions due next class.

1st/4th October 20/21

1. Students turned in Beowulf writing assignment.
2. Students had time to use their book to find answers to "The Medieval Period" handout. This should be finished before next class.
3. Students had time to work on their Beowulf project due next class.
4. Some students took this opportunity to look at the Canterbury Tales Art Project that will be assigned next class.

1st & 4th: October 16 & 17

Cummulative Beowulf test.

Next class:

• Beowulf writing assignment is due
• present boasts for extra credit
• begin "The Medieval Period" - take a few notes
• work on Beowulf project due the following class.

1st & 4th: October 14 & 15

We met in the library. Students had the opportunity to work on their Beowulf writing assignment and project, and find a novel for the outside reading assignment.