Syllabus

APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE
Spring 2013 Syllabus
Homeschool Out of the Box
Teacher: Lydia Netzer

Required reading: Lord of the Flies by William Golding, one chapter per week as noted. Each week there will be a brief quiz at the beginning of each class to test on the reading. Quiz points will be added to determine the number of Capitol Bucks each district can add to its total. If a student has already read the whole book, they may need to look back over the assigned chapter to review.

Optional reading/viewing: One book from “classic,” one book from “contemporary,” and one movie. You will use the form provided to show that you read the book, and have it signed by your parent. You can turn these in any time before the suggested due dates listed on the syllabus. You can turn in one per list, and each completed form gets you 20 Capitol Bucks.

CLASSIC: Alas Babylon, Z for Zachariah, On the Beach, Earth Abides, I am Legend, The Postman, A Canticle for Leibowitz, Lucifer’s Hammer, The Last Man (Mary Shelley), 1984, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Day of the Triffids, Pebble in the Sky, Gather Darkness, Childhood’s End, The Kraken Wakes.

CONTEMPORARY: The Stand, The Passage, Divergent, Wither, Pure, Age of Miracles, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Whole Wide World, Jennifer Government, Oryx and Crake, Robopocalypse.

FILMS: 12 Monkeys, Blade Runner, Children of Men, Brazil, Soylent Green, The Day After, The Day After Tomorrow, I am Legend, 9, On the Beach, Waterworld, Six Degrees Could Change the World (Nat. Geo.), Wall-E, Astro Boy, 2012, Knowing, Contagion, 28 Days Later

Note: There are children in this class ranging from 10-18. You are responsible for determining the appropriateness of a movie or book for your child. Do not assume that because a book is on this list that it’s safe for your student.

Optional Writing Project: Research Paper

Students will choose one possible cause of the end of the world (we’ll explore and discuss many in class). They will prove with sources that this is a real fear that people have (whether reasonable or unreasonable), research the phenomenon itself to determine its basis in reality, the likelihood of its actually happening, and then make a conclusion as to whether this fear is reasonable or not. Finally, they’ll recommend preparations that could be made for such a contingency. More details to follow, but the steps will be: define a topic, create an outline, make a list of sources, submit a draft, submit a revision. Each step is worth 20 Capitol Bucks when turned in on time. 

Capitol Bucks: Capitol Bucks can be used to sponsor tributes, to make improvements to your district, or to buy advantages in challenges, if you are a tribute yourself. For example, in the cake decorating challenge, you’ll be able to buy access to more colors and tools with Capitol Bucks. We’ll keep a running tally of everyone’s Capitol Bucks as they’re earned and spent each week.

Week 1: February 5
Hunger Games Activity: The Reaping
Discussion: Survival IQ
Assignment for next week: LOTF Chapter 1
Week 2: February 12: THE SOUND OF THE SHELL
Discussion: Possible Reasons for the End of the World
Hunger Games Activity: Styling the Tributes & Tribute Parade

Assignment: LOTF Chapter 2

Explore Research Topics

Week 3: February 19: FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
Due: Declare research topic. One paragraph, email or paper.
Discussion: Moral Ambiguity True or False
Hunger Games Activity: Interviews & Mentors Seek Sponsors
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 3
Tributes: Invent a muttation: Picture and paragraph
Write book review for classic novel from the list.
Week 4: February 26: HUTS ON THE BEACH
Due: Book review for classic apocalyptic novel.
Hunger Games Activity: CHALLENGE 1: Invent a muttation.
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 4
Week 5: March 5: PAINTED FACES AND LONG HAIR
Hunger Games Activity: CHALLENGE 2: Decorate a cake.

Assignment: LOTF Chapter 5

Tributes: Write a poem inspired by Hunger Games or LOTF

Write research paper outline.

Week 6: March 12: BEAST FROM WATER
Due: Research paper outline.
Hunger Games Activity: CHALLENGE 3: Write a poem.
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 6
Week 7: March 19: BEAST FROM AIR
Hunger Games Activity: Reaping
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 7
Write book review for contemporary novel from the list.
Week 8: March 26: SHADOWS AND TALL TREES
Due: Book review for contemporary apocalyptic novel.
Hunger Games Activity: Styling the Tributes & Tributes Parade
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 8
Compile list of sources for research paper.
Week 9: April 2: GIFT FOR THE DARKNESS
Due: List of sources for research paper.
Hunger Games Activity: Interviews & Mentors Seek Sponsors
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 9
Week 10: April 9: A VIEW TO A DEATH
Hunger Games Activity: CHALLENGE 1: Collecting Resources
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 10
Write research paper rough draft.
Week 11: April 16: THE SHELL AND THE GLASSES
Due: Research paper rough draft. 

Hunger Games Activity: CHALLENGE 2: Camouflage

Assignment: LOTF Chapter 11
Week 12: April 23: CASTLE ROCK
Due: Movie review for apocalyptic film.
Hunger Games Activity: CHALLENGE 3: Archery / Running
Assignment: LOTF Chapter 12
Week 13: April 30: CRY OF THE HUNTERS
90 Second Plot Casting / Scripting
Assignment: LOTF Facebook Status Updates
Revise research paper.
Week 14: May 7
Due: Final research paper.
90 Second Plot Practice
Parent Game Planning
Week 15: May 14
90 Second Plot Performances
Parent Games: Reaping, Styling, Challenges

All tributes will participate in all challenges, and stylists and mentors will collaborate where possible. The winner will be decided at the end of each “round” on points.