Upcoming--
Quiz over the General Prologue--Tuesday, Dec. 9

• Will cover the "nuts and bolts" of the beginning and end of the Prologue (details about the pilgrimage itself and the contest established at the end of the selection)
• Will cover the pilgrims, asking students to match a particular pilgrim with a brief descriptive phrase, either an exact quotation from the text or a close paraphrase summary of something stated in the description for that pilgrim

TODAY IN CLASS

We briefly discussed the Cook--the shortest description among the 5 pilgrims assigned for today.  

Students identified the specific pilgrim they focussed on last night, and then wrote brief summaries that varied, depending on the pilgrim.

• For the Skipper and the Doctor, the individual brief written discussion was to summarize the professional or technical STRENGTHS/SKILLS of the person but then also to state his moral or ethical shortcomings.
• For the Franklin and the five guildsmen, the individual written summaries were more general:  summarize what the student thought stood out as a "good thing" about the person, but also to note anything that could be criticized, even mildly so.  

After getting this start, students were put into small groups for their character and asked to discuss all the features we've been routinely assessing for the pilgrims, and to expect reporting back to the class. This was not by means of a formal group presentation; instead all students stood and fielded quick questions about the character and were allowed to be seated after successful responses. 

We didn't finish. . . 

Skipper and Doctor will be tomorrow; in 5th we even have to complete the Guildsmen.  So review your notes/skim over the character again before class if your group did not "present" today.

FOR TOMORROW

Read three more pilgrims--with equal care and attention.  Everyone is equally responsible for all three of these (pp. 156-158):

• the Wife of Bath ("a worthy woman from beside Bath city)
• the Parson
• the Plowman (brother of the Parson)