Week 8 (9th Week fo Class)

Dear Class,

Welcome to a fresh week with no mistakes in it! (This statement is loosely derived from Annie's "Tomorrow" and Marilla Cuthbert's advice to Anne in the movie Anne of Avonlea.)

Reflecting on Week 7:

In addition to our heavy life-and-death reading last week, we got to examine our own conclusions about the characters in the three short stories: Did the characters act well? Did they get what they deserved? How might we have acted in similar circumstances? I hope you benefited from a lighter writing week and less homework. I graded all of your essays and offered feedback on all of them, so please review and apply that feedback. I'll grade the smaller Week 7 assignments within the next few days.

Looking Forward to Week 8:

• This week, we get to read more poetry and short stories.

• There are only two lessons this week; one of them asks you to participate in some small group work. You will automatically be taken to your small group when you click on the Lesson 21 discussion board, so don't feel like most of the class has blown off the assignment--they are participating elsewhere. Also, be sure to post in the various discussion boards at the start of the week so your peers have someone with whom they may learn.

• The Week 8 Assignment page reminds you that your final essay is due in Week 12 and your final exam (Test #2) is due during the Conclusion week. Review the Assignments page to help you begin preparing for these two major tasks.
• Lauren and Monique are leading our Questions for your Classmates Week 8 Discussion, and we will have our class meeting on Thursday night at 6:30 pm, MT, as well. I may not be able to come to our Thursday meeting because my baby is scheduled for induction on Wednesday. I'll keep you posted. I do look forward to our opportunities to connect about literature!
• Extra Credit Option #1: Examine your Essay #1 and my feedback on your work, and strengthen the essay. I will compare the original submission and the revision, and add a few extra points to your revised essay if you have made great improvements. Your revised essay is due in my email inbox by the end of this week, Week 8. 
• Extra Credit Option #2: After making revisions to Essay #1, I suggest submitting it to Outlet, the BYU-I Art and Literary Journal. Here is more information about the magazine. Let me know you submitted it and I will add 1 point to your Essay #1 score. Make sure to let me know if your work gets accepted for publication, and post that accomplishment on your resume!

I love reading literature and discussing it with you, my fellow saints and scholars. I'm linking a brief article here about maintaining present tense as we discuss literature. I've posted it for you before, but it is an excellent review. It not only demonstrates how to write in present tense, but it also shows how to write when we are referencing historical events in conjunction with literature. Happy reading!

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen