Unit One: Cry the Beloved Country

Teacher: Jaimie Crawford

Syllabus KEY:  Here is your syllabus for the first book and unit. This schedule is subject to change (as Robert Burns says, “The best laid plans of mice and men oft gang a'glay...), but we will do our best to follow it.  We will be reading a book or play every six weeks, and I will ask you to read about 40 pages per week. The best way to avoid book quizzes is to keep journaling about your given character and show me that you are up to date in class by participating and adding thoughtful responses about assigned reading.

The majority of your grade for the six weeks will come from four assignments, each worth 100 pts:
your journal and "hot seat" presentations, your local issue paper, your group audio/visual presentations, and your final book test.

You will keep a journal for each book (100 pts)—you should have three entries per week written from the point of view of your assigned character (each entry should cover about 15 pages of text). Journals will be checked periodically and a few students will be put on the “hot seat” each week and asked to describe, defend, and analyze their characters using their journals. For your journal you will need to refer to both primary (your characters’ words, actions, and thoughts) and secondary sources (what other characters say about and do around your character and real historical parallels from a time and place similar to the one in which your character is immersed).  List the entries as follows:

My name:
My book and character:
Pages covered:
My character’s point of view on anything of importance that happened during these pages (primary):
Other characters’ descriptions of my character:
Historical parallels (explain who today or in history is similar to your character and why--you should research on the internet for this part):

You should have ONE notebook or spiral for your journals for all six books throughout the year. Journals can be typed on computer or hand-written; each book section can be decorated to reflect that book; you may add appropriate pictures or graphics of characters, settings, and plot.

WEEK ONE (8/16-18): Introductions, 30 Days introduction, Give out character assignments for Cry the Beloved Country.

HW: Read to pg.53; complete at least one journal entry

WEEK TWO (8/21-25):   Amy Biehl story. Work on Local Issue Paper: You will be writing an MLA style 3 page research paper on a LOCAL issue.  Included in this paper should be at least 2 personal interviews and 2 other valid sources. Cry the Beloved Country (read until pg.60) I will check journals by the end of week two.

HW: Read to page 80; you should have a total of three journal entries by the end of the week--you may choose to be Stephen Kumalo, Gertrude, or John Kumalo.

WEEK THREE (8/28-9/1): SAT practice, Equal Rights Timelines; Local Issue Paper Topic and 10 questions for each personal interview (you will need to include an MLA work cited page listing your 2 interview sources and your 2 other sources, your topic, its two sides, and at least three arguments for each side), Split into groups for audio/visual presentations, Cry the Beloved Country (read until pg.130) Journal 6 entries total.

HW:    A Day 9/1    B Day 8/31: Turn in your topic for local issue paper and 10 questions for each personal interview along with your proposed date of interview and the name of the person
            A Day 9/6     B Day 9/5:  Local Issue Paper Work Cited and Outlines due (follow sample). Read to pg. 130; you should have a total of six journals.  Turn in your AV proposals stating your chosen theme, group members, and visual component.

WEEK FOUR(9/4-8): In Class AV Projects presented, 30 Days (Immigration), Cry the Beloved Country (read until pg.180) Journal 9 entries total.

Audio/visual presentation (100 pts)—In class presentation of equal rights timelines (S. Africa/ America) and Quotes and theme. Your projects should revolve around a theme from the novel and include 5 specific quotes related to that theme as well as at least one example of the same theme from real life.  THEMES: Father/Son relationships; racial inequality; relationships between land and people; forgiveness; fear and violence; family reunion; urban vs. rural

HW:   A Day  9/12  B Day 9/11: Turn in your local issue papers and work cited for a final grade
           A Day  9/14  B Day 9/15:  Read to pg. 180; you should have a total of 9 journal entries

WEEK FIVE (9/11-15):  Cry the Beloved Country (read until pg.230)

HW: A Day 9/22   B Day 9/21:  Read to pg. 230.  Turn in your 12 journal entries for a grade; Study for the test on Cry the Beloved Country. TURN IN YOUR ENTIRE JOURNAL FOR up to 100 pts.
        A Day 9/22    B Day 9/21:  Book Test on Cry the Beloved Country
REVIEW WORDS FOR CTBC TEST: Margaret, Arthur, Apartheid, Afrikaners, Tixo, Gold, Lincoln, Reformatory, Servant, Umfundisi, Johannesburg, Agitator, Ezenzeleni

WEEK SIX (9/18-22): Finish Cry the Beloved Country(short essay); see the film