Today we met in class because Thursday is our normal Writing Lab day for the 9-10 a.m. class. Several students, and I am being generous, are behind. I have given students until Thursday, May 8 to get everything in. Beginning Monday, we will watch The Color Purple, Thursday students will write an essay in class comparing the film to the novel, or other essay choices. YOU WILL NOT GET THE ESSAY QUESTION IN ADVANCE, NOR WILL YOU BE ABLE TO MAKE UP THIS ESSAY IF YOU MISS CLASS.

This means students need to have completed the book by next Thursday, May 8. It's too bad we weren't able to complete it aloud, but such is life.

What else?

I will be writing a narrative for each student to let you know your writing strengths and weaknesses, and we will begin developing our final portfolios this month also, so they will be completed before final's week. I will include the portfolio check-list with the narrative evaluation.

We'll read Letters from Mississippi quickly then spend the last week developing the scene, rehearsing it for the day of finals performance. This is a group assignment and a group grade. If you don't participate or cannot participate, I will give you an essay assignment.

I'd like to read Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, aloud, just because Alice Walker loved her work so much and it would be nice to hear the language. We'll see how it goes.

Some of you are doing very well, others started out doing well and have gotten behind on the research essay and perhaps on other work too. Don't be discouraged. You are not out of the passing target range if you have completed the midterm, a few of the earlier essays on King and/or Walker cyber-essays, and turn in the research paper.