African American Literature
Tentative Course Schedule Spring 2020



WEEK 1        WEEK 2      WEEK 3     WEEK 4     WEEK 5        WEEK 6

WEEK 7       WEEK 8      WEEK 9     WEEK 10    WEEK  11


NOTE:  This schedule may change as needed.  Your presence in class ensures correct assignments



WEEK 1
T 3/10      Course Introduction; Finalize Text Choices; A Question of Representation; Blog Post: 
                  Image Response:  The Negro Page by Aelbert Cuyp; How Can We Address Centuries of 
                  Racism in Art?" by Titus Kaphar;                  

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 3/12):
  •        Complete Syllabus Quiz in Ulearn; See Quizzes link
  •         Set Up Blog; email the Web address to your page (http://wordpress)
                 to Professor Harmon:  kenny.harmon@jwu.edu by class time.
  •        Set up your Flipgrid account at www.flipgrid.com; use your JWU email address only!
  •        Post Video Response #1 on Flipgrid by 11:40 next class; post response to two other students by 11:40 on T 
                3/17; Flipgrid code= harmon9940

​R 3/12     Blog Post: Watch Twelve Years a Slave (134 minutes); Focus on Characterization (What 
                Characters Do, What Characters Say, & Objects Closely Associated)


                 HOMEWORK (DUE 3/17):                 
  •        Respond to the posts of two other students on Douglass Flipgrid; flipgrid code = harmon9940
                 14, & 16 ; be prepared for reading quiz   


WEEK 2

 T 3/17    Blog post (important quote from time article and connection to scenes); 
                 Scenes from The Birth of a Nation (Racial Representation and Narrative);
                 Discuss Jacobs


                 HOMEWORK (DUE 3/19): 
  •        Read Kindred, pp. 1-33
  •        Compelete Reading Quiz in Ulearn
  •        Reader Response 1:  Connection between Warren and Butler's novel; initial post due by  
                 class time on Thursday; Should we consider Butler's novel African American literature? Why or why not?  Use 
                 at least one quote from Warren in  your argument.

R 3/19    Discuss Butler

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 3/24):  
  •         Read Kindred, pp. 34-65
  •         Complete Reading Quiz in Ulearn
  •        Reader Response 2:  Identify an important symbol and discuss its connection to a theme; what does it reveal about
                that idea?



WEEK 3
T 3/24     Discuss Butler; Watch Other by Xavier Burgin

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 3/26): 
  •        Read Kindred, pp. 66-101
  •        Complete Reading Quiz in Ulearn
  •        Post Video Response #2 on Flipgrid by 11:40 next class; post response to two other students by 11:40 on R
                 3/26; Flipgrid code= harmon9940
  •        Respond to posts of two other students by class time on T 3/31; Flipgrid code= harmon9940


R 3/26     Watch Django Unchained (165 min.)

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 3/31):
  •        Read Kindred, pp. 102-131
  •        Complete Reading Quiz in Ulearn
  •        Do Reader Response 3:  Discuss some aspect of character conflict (i.e., what type of conlfict is it, which category? 
                How do you know this and what is your evidence? Why is that signficant to the novel as a whole?


WEEK 4
T 3/31      Connections Between Texts Thus Far; Discuss Midterm (due in one week)

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 4/2):
  •        Read Kindred, pp. 132-168
  •        Complete Reading Quiz in Ulearn



R 4/2       Discuss Butler; Discuss Midterm (due 4/14); Forming an Academic Argument


                HOMEWORK (DUE 4/7):  
  •       Read Kindred, pp. 169-201
  •       Complete Reading Quiz in Ulearn
  •       Do Reader Response 4: What do you see as an important quote thus far and how is it connected to an emerging 
               theme?  What does the quote reveal about this theme?


WEEK 5

T 4/7     Discuss Butler

               HOMEWORK (DUE 4/9):  
  •      Read Kindred, pp. 202-end of novel   
  •      Complete Reading Quiz in Ulearn
  •      Work on Midterm

     

R 4/9   Discuss Butler

              HOMEWORK (DUE 4/14):  
  •     Midterm Due (complete using Adobe Spark)


WEEK 6

T 4/14      Midterm Due (argument)
                 HOMEWORK (DUE 4/16):  
  •        Read Morrison, The Bluest Eye, pp. 1-58


R 4/16    Discuss Morrison

                HOMEWORK (DUE 4/21):  
  •       Read, The Bluest Eye, "Winter" (pages 61-93)


F 4/17     LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM AN ACADEMIC COURSE

WEEK 7
T 4/21    Blog Post:  Watch Hair by Matthew Cherry (7 min.); Discuss Morrison
                HOMEWORK (DUE 4/23):
  •       Morrison, The Bluest Eye, pp. 97-132


R 4/23     Discuss Morrison

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 4/28): 
  •        Read Morrison, The Bluest Eye, pp. 133-183



WEEK 8
 T 4/28    Blog:  Watch Black Panther (134 min.)

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 4/30): 
  •         Read Morrison, The Bluest Eye, pp. 187-216
  •         Do Video Response #3 on Flipgrid: Initial response of 3-5 min. posted by next class; responses to other 
                  students posts by class time on T 5/5


R 4/30     Discuss Morrison
                ​
                 HOMEWORK (DUE 5/5): 
  •        Read Topdog/Underdog:  pp. 1-110
  •        Complete Test Next Class (Counts as 3 reading quizzes)     
  •        Respond to two students on The Bluest Eye Flipgrid discussion by next class 


WEEK 
T 5/5      Test for Topdog; Workday for Topic Proposal for Group Project; Discuss Topdog/Underdog


                HOMEWORK (DUE 5/7):  
  •       Work on first draft of group project


R 5/7       Work on Group Project:  Drafting

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 5/12):  
  •        First complete draft of group project due; upload one copy to Ulearn for group
  •        As soon as 1st Draft is complete, Submit Group Project to Smarthinking Tutor (each member of your group)
  •        Upload Smarthinking report and revision plan before class time  
                 (note: 24 hours before Smarthinking report received): Each group member uploads report and individual revision
                 plan to Smarthinking
  •        Go to:  SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS <SMARTHINKING REPORTS &   REVISION            PLANS

WEEK 10
T 5/12      First Draft of Group Project/Research Assignment Due; Upload ONE copy for group to
                 Ulearn; Discuss Revision Plans; work on group project

                 HOMEWORK (DUE 5/14):
  •        Did you receive your SmartThinking report and create a revision plan?  Did you upload these to Ulearn?


R 5/14     Bring SmartThinking Reports to Class; Share with group; develop group revision strategy; 
                Begin work on Final Exam (presentation or paper)


                 HOMEWORK (DUE 5/19):
  •        Final Draft of Group Project Due with Reflection
  •        Make final corrections to group project; upload one copy of final draft for
                 group to Ulearn.  Each student completes their own individual reflection;
                 follow instructions given in class



WEEK 11

T 5/19      Reading Day (no class meeting); Final Draft of Group Project/Research Assignment Due 
                 w/Reflection; Submit your final draft to Blackboard; Submit only one copy of the essay for 
                 your group; everyone does their own individual reflection as explained in class (be sure you
                 include the grades for your group members); the reflection is submitted to Blackboard in 
                 the folder for the reflection only;

R 5/21     Final Exam Due (presentation or paper)