READING

For each class up to Thanksgiving break, there is an assignment ranging in length from 35-100 lines. These are graduated over the semester so that we start out with the preparation of 35 lines for the first class, go on to 50-line passages for the next six classes, then to 75-line passages for the next five classes, and finally settle into a 100-line per class schedule after the first six weeks. (See the Syllabus for details.)

Note also on the Syllabus that, whenever one of the three take-home quizzes is due in class, the reading for that day is correspondingly reduced. (For example, on October 11, when the first quiz is due, the reading assignment for that day is 50 rather than 75 lines.)

Being prepared means that you should come to class ready to translate the passage assigned for the day with minimal aid from notes and vocabulary. Thus, you will need to review the assignment several times and to memorize vocabulary before class.

This will make classes more enjoyable for everyone, since we'll spend less time sitting in silence while one of us is puzzling out the meaning or trying to remember vocabulary. And it will also mean that you'll be much better prepared for the quizzes and more likely to do well on them.

If you do it right, this shouldn't be as hard as it might sound. Follow this link to Dr. Froggy's prescription for healthy class preparation.

On eight Mondays throughout the course, one or more essays on background and interpretation is assigned. The articles are distributed throughout the semester so that they are due on days when a take-home quiz is not.

These writings

On each day when such readings are assigned, one or more students will be given responsibility for introducing class discussion on the major issues raised in the reading.

Other students should be prepared to respond and to comment intelligently on questions raised by the discussion leader(s).

 Image Credits: Sandra Loosemore's The Froggy Page and Dorota's Frogland