Unit 1: The Nature of Writing (& writing about nature)
Tuesday, September 1st
Introduction to each other and course
Free write practice: biography
Read: Syllabus, “What is Creative Nonfiction?” by Lee Gutkind & excerpt from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, come with an example of creative nonfiction for discussion
Thursday, September 3rd
Continue introductions, class schedule
Reader response & discussion practice: defining creative nonfiction & the nature of writing (& broccoli)
Read: “Going to the Woods: A Few Words about Nature Writing” by Amber Lee & “A Brief Guide to Writing the Nature Essay” by Dinty Moore, “Yosemite Glaciers” by John Muir, & Braiding Sweetgrass, “Skywoman Falling” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Tuesday, September 8th
Reader response & discussion #1: Nature writing, description & sensory details
Introduction to Nature writing assignment
Read: “When I am among the trees” by Mary Oliver, Treeline by Jordan Manley, Hermann Hesse on “What Trees Teach us about Being Human” by Maria Popova, & “The Tree Beyond Imagining” by Reg Saner
Thursday, September 10th
Scavenger hunt/writing outside
Free write #1: Plants
Share descriptive paragraphs
Read: “The Pond in Winter” by Henry David Thoreau, “Winter” by Larry Sill, “Snow” by John Haines, “Good Use for Bad Weather” by Donald Hall, & “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
Tuesday, September 15th
Reader response & discussion #2: Sensory details & seasons
Descriptive words from images/videos
Read: “January” by Verlyn Klinkenborg
Thursday, September 17th
Free write #2: Seasons
Share descriptive paragraphs
“The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver (reading(s) from documentary)
Team odes to a season
Sign up for conferences for next week!
Read: “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver (bonus video from her documentary), “Living like Weasels” by Annie Dillard, “Mute Dancers: How to Watch a Hummingbird” by Diane Ackerman. Bring an animal poem to class Tuesday
Full Documentary: Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
Tuesday, September 22nd
Reader response & discussion #3: creatures and presence
Share poems, creature drawings
Read: “A Family History Told in Horses” by Rachael King, bring a photo of an animal to class Thursday
Thursday, September 24th
Individual conferences this week!
Free write #3: Creatures
Drafting & the process of revision
Rough draft for Tuesday
Read: “Feminism (n.)” by Roxanne Gay, “In Praise of the Humble Comma” by Pico Iyer, “Enough Jam for a Lifetime” by Maxine Kumin
Tuesday, September 29th
Workshop nature essays/revisions
Essays due Thursday!
Read: “Odd Objects: In Praise of the Wunderkammer” by Karen Babine, “Afternoon Tea” by Emily Hiestand, “Spoon” & “Collar” by Dinah Lenney
Unit 2: Nouns: people, places, and things (we hold dear)
Thursday, October 1st
Nature essay due!
Introduction to noun exploration assignment
Reader response & discussion #4: our connection to things
Free write #4: Objects
Read: “My Mother in Two Photographs…” by Aleida RodrÍguez & “My Father, Out to Sea” Jaed Coffin, “Becoming You” by Joshua Rothman (library), “Someone I Love” by Naomi Shihab Nye, Humans of NY TBA
Tuesday, October 6th
Reader response & discussion #5: Profiles & characterization
Brainstorming noun essays
Read: Humans of NY TBA & “The Art of an Effective Interview” with Brandon Stanton (HoNY)
Thursday, October 8th
Free write #5: People
Interviews
Playing with perspective
Read: “Writing about Place in Personal Nonfiction” by Georgia Kreiger, “The Ashes of August” by Kim Barnes & “Writing the Travel Essay” & “History” by Dinty Moore, & “The Shock of Teapots” by Cynthia Ozick
Tuesday, October 13th
No class. Classes follow a Wednesday schedule!
Thursday, October 15th
Reader response & discussion #6: Place & travel
Free write #6: Place
Drafting & revision
Individual conferences this week!
Work on noun essays
Read: “Taroko Gorge” by Nick Montfort
Tuesday, October 20th
Workshop noun essays/revision
Read: “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton & “Vincent” by Don McLean, excerpts from Leap by Terry Tempest Williams and Still Life with Oysters and Lemon by Mark Doty, “Dead Christ” by Brian Bouldrey, “Ekphrasis” and one ekphrastic poem from poets.org (bring with you Thursday)
Unit 3: Ekphrastic writing (Writing about art, music, & ….)
Thursday, October 22nd
Noun essay due!
Art Department Visit!
Reader response & discussion #7: art & ekphrastic writing
Free write #7: art
Introduction to ekphrastic essay
Read: “Ekphrasis: Writing about Music” by N.L. Holmes, “Being James Brown” Jonthan Lethem (library), “Taylor Swift does not Exist” by Sam Kriss, & “Some Notes on Attunement” by Zadie Smith (“Sing it Loud” by Jenny O’Connell?)
Tuesday, October 27th
Reader response & discussion #8: our connection to music
Bring a song for Thursday
Read: “Suspended” by Joy Harjo & “Music is My Bag” by Meghan Daum
Thursday, October 29th
Free write #8: music
class playlist
Read/watch: “Pearl Harbor” by Anthony Lane, “Seeing Hamilton” by Tim Sniffen, “Oscar Rant part II: Barbie” by Leah Williams
Tuesday, November 3rd
Reader response & discussion #9: performances that move us
Read/watch: “A Critical Essay on the Art of Performance as Guided by Work on Improvisation” by Gunnar de Jong & performances/performance readings TBA
Thursday, November 5th
Individual conferences this week!
Free write #9: performance
Drafting & revision
Ekphrastic essays in process check-in, preparing for workshop
Rough draft for Tuesday
Tuesday, November 10th
Workshop ekphrastic drafts/revision
Bring a printed copy of one of your essays for Thursday’s class
Read: “The Medium is the Message” by Marshall McLuhan, (“Understanding Marshall McLuhan’s Concept” video), & “Introduction: The Double Logic of Remediation” by Jay David Bolter
Unit 4: Final revision/remediation/reflection (Listen to your (multimodal) broccoli)
Thursday, November 12th
Ekphrastic essays due!
Collage/remediation
“The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe, Clueless, 10 Things I Hate about You
Introduction to Final Revision/Remediation & multimodal examples/technology
Read: multimodal/remediation examples: “RedRidinghood” by Donna Leishman, “You’re so Brave for Wearing Clothes & Not Hating Yourself” by Lindy West & Pool party scene from Shrill, “My Body, A Wunderkammer” by Shelley Jackson & “All Girls Must be Everything” by Tina Fey & scene from Mean Girls
Tuesday, November 17th
Reader response & discussion #10: media & remediation
Proposals submitted for revision/remediation
Media/platform options/brainstorming topics
Topic proposals due (via email)
Thursday, November 19th
Free write #10: Brainstorming/planning for projects
Twine/ThingLink/MyMaps tutorial
In-class work on projects
Tuesday, November 24th
Reflective memos
Work on projects
Sign up for workshop & conferences
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, December 1st
Individual conferences this week!
Work on projects/ posting drafts
Thursday, December 3rd
Workshop revision/remediations
Tuesday, December 8th
Final revision/remediation essay presentations!
Presentations & discussion/workshop
Thursday, December 10th
Last day of class!
Presentations & discussion/workshop
Final project revisions & reflections due by Friday, December 11th!