Weekly Agenda: October 26 – 30, 2009

Monday, October 26
In-class:
Short Story #1 DUE TODAY (assemble and turn in all parts, stapled)
Discuss “The Fall of the House of Usher” (handout) and homework responses
- outline plot and characters; identify key gothic horror conventions
Small group rotation story (use the conventions of gothic horror!)
HW: none

Wednesday, October 28
In-class:
Read “The Monkey’s Paw”
- identify gothic horror conventions at work
- answer post-reading questions
In-class Journal prompt:

1. Read aloud the excerpt from “Colour Out of Space” (handout)
2. Many horror stories are told by supposed witnesses of the story’s events who have themselves lived to tell the tale (like in “The Fall of the House of Usher” and the excerpt from Lovecraft’s “The Colour Out of Space”). For the rest of this period, write the tale you imagine Ammi to have told the narrator, explaining the devastated heath near Arkham and the eerie atmosphere that remains. Remember, whatever tale he told convinces the narrator that he must never return to that part of the world.
3. Think about characters, setting, plot, and sensory details while writing

HW: None, unless you still need to finish today’s in-class writing

Friday, October 30
In-class:
Share results of Wednesday’s in-class prompt
- trade with a partner
- volunteers share with the class
Writing dialogue
- lesson
- practice
- Journal prompt: A group of five friends have gathered with a medium to perform a séance. At least one of these friends has recently lost someone close to them. Unbeknownst to everyone, another friend is responsible for that person’s death. Write 2 pages of dialogue that provide characterization, advance the plot, and allow for description of setting and atmosphere.

HW: None, unless you need to complete the in-class writing