IB WORLD LITERATURE
 
   

Syllabus*

*For a more detailed and updated look at what we’re doing in class, please access the “Calendar of Assignments” on-line.
 
First Semester (subject to change)
 

Literature List (all bolded titles must be studied for your IB oral commentary)
          The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
          [Where ships of purple gently toss] by Emily Dickinson
          “An Army Corps on the March” by Herman Melville
          “The Night-March” by Walt Whitman
          “On Being Brought from Africa to America” by Phillis Wheatley
          Except from “The Angel in the House” by W. Patmore
          “Professions for Women” by Virginia Woolf
          “The Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf
          “Life Itself” by Virginia Woolf
          “Old Mrs. Grey” by Virginia Woolf
          “Flying over London” by Virginia Woolf
          3 more essays by Virginia Woolf (tba)
          Several poems, possibly by Emily Dickinson

           “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift
          The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
          “Linkage” by Nikki Giovanni
          “October 19th, 1983” by Dionne Brand
          “October 25th, 1983” by Dionne Brand
          “After…” by Dionne Brand
          “Old Pictures of the New World” by Dionne Brand
          “High to Low” by Langston Hughes
          “Return I” by Dionne Brand
          “Return II” by Dionne Brand
          “Blues Spiritual for Mammy Prater” by Dionne Brand
          “The Weary Blues” by Langston Hughes
          “Anti-Poetry” by Dionne Brand
          “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes
 

       Overview of Major Assignments and Activities

·        We will be reviewing and reworking our understanding of literature, how to read a text closely, and how to write literary analysis.

·        We will be completing practice multiple-choice sections of the AP Exam and doing impromptu essays based on IB and AP Exam questions.

·        We will be writing your second World Literature paper and two other major essays, as well as several short writing assignments.

·        We will be covering the literature listed above (subject to change due to time constraints and class’s need), and completing pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading activities.  The literature we’re covering reflect the four genres of literature IB expects you to know and understand: drama, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.  These four genres are also covered on the AP Exam.

·        We will be practicing oral commentaries in preparation for your formal IB commentary (which will happen during the first part of second semester).

·        Diploma candidates will be completing the IB Extended Essay before winter break.  All requirements for completing this paper will be embedded in your grade for this class.
 
 

Second Semester (subject to change)
 
Literature List (all bolded titles must be studied for your IB exam in May)
          Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
          King Lear by William Shakespeare
          Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
          “Master Harold”…and the boys by Athol Fugard
          Selected poetry by e. e. cummings
          Other selected poetry
          A novel (tba) to be read and studied after the exams in May

   

        Overview of Major Assignments and Activities

·        We will continue to expand our understanding of literature and how to write literary analysis.

·        We will complete the formal oral commentary for IB.

·        We will continue with practice multiple-choice sections of the AP Exam and doing impromptu essays based on IB and AP Exam questions.

·        We will be covering the literature listed above (subject to change due to time constraints and class’s need), and completing pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading activities.  We will be reading four required books for IB this semester.  The four books are all dramas.  (We’ll be reading other texts too.)*

·        We will be returning to studying poetry in April prior to the exams.

·        After the exams, we will be reading one more book and completing a large student-driven project.

 

Contact Information

Here is where/how you can find me.

            Free periods: 1, 3, 5, 7, and I will usually be around 9th period as well. 

          (I am not available Thursdays after school.)

            Location during free periods:  9 times out of 10, I’ll be in the English office or 262.

            English office phone: 773-535-2138

            Cell phone: 773-456-3318

            Website:  http://s.spachman.tripod.com/home.htm

            E-mail: sspach@hotmail.com

(Please put something in the subject to indicate it’s class related or I might think it’s just spam.)

            AIM and MSN messenger: sspach

            Yahoo:  s_spach