Course Syllabus - Morgan Park High School



English II: World Literature – Course Syllabus/Parent Letter

Morgan Park High School Instructor: Mrs. Doris Hinton

1744 W. Pryor Ave. Email: dhinton3@cps.edu

Chicago, IL 60643

Dear parents,

I am looking forward to teaching your child this year. At this time I would like to share some important information regarding the course that your son/daughter is enrolled in this year. The following describes the course, what is taught, what a student is expected to learn, classroom rules, and an explanation of the grading standards.

VITA OF TEACHER/CREDENTIALS: 09 Secondary Teaching/75 Administrative

B. S. Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University

M. ED. DePaul University

TEXTS:

SpringBoard: English Textual Power, Level V, 2009

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

All students will be issued copies of these required texts; if, however, any of these texts is lost, the student must buy a new one. Selected texts for independent assignments will also be required. Students will be responsible for obtaining these texts on their own.

DESCRIPTION:

English II: World Literature is the second of four required courses in the English sequence. In this one credit course, students will analyze increasingly challenging texts and use elements of the writer’s craft to refine written, oral, and visual representations in response to world literature. The units of study focus on world literature in order to broaden the literary landscape of high school students. We begin with an inquiry of culture, working towards a definition and an understanding of the commonalities and differences among human cultures as represented in literature, media, and non-fiction from around the world. Students will read widely and deeply, and will be asked to write about and research ways cultures communicate and the conflicts that sometimes arise between cultures. Building on their understanding of literature and its genres from English I, students will delve more deeply into literature and their understanding of language and the writing process.

ACADEMIC GOALS

Students will learn to:

• use reading strategies to improve reading comprehension and to develop a critical engagement with reading materials

• build vocabulary through the study of word parts and the use of context clues

• develop powers of expression by practicing and developing the skills involved in writing in a variety of styles and situations

• learn to revise written work and incorporate newly acquired skills

• study a range of literary works of different periods, genres, styles and contexts

• develop an appreciation of literature and acquire an understanding of the literary features of works, as well as an appreciation of the techniques involved in film.

• demonstrate understanding of the research process by using and evaluating information from different sources.

• acquire and express an academic register, including literary terms.

ILLINOIS STATE STANDARDS

• Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency

• Goal 2: Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras and ideas.

• Goal 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.

• Goal 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.

• Goal 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess, and communicate information.

COURSE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

|Weeks 1-9/Quarter 1 |Weeks 10-18/Quarter 2 |

|Unit 1: Voices of Modern Culture |Unit 2 (cont’d): Cultural Conversations |

|Independent Assignment 1: Reading |Independent Assignment 2: Viewing |

|When I Was Puerto Rican (memoir) |Brick Lane (film) |

|by Esmeralda Santiago |The Kite Runner (film) |

|Always Running (memoir) | |

|by Luis Rodriguez |Unit 3: Community |

| |Things Fall Apart (novel) by Chinua Achebe |

|Unit 2: Cultural Conversations | |

|Bend It Like Beckham (film) | |

|Weeks 19-27/Quarter 3 |Weeks 28-36/Quarter 4 |

|Unit 3 (cont’d): Community |Unit 5: Building Cultural Bridges |

| |An Inconvenient Truth (documentary) |

|Unit 4: Justice |Research Project and Presentation |

|Antigone (drama) by Sophocles | |

|Independent Assignment 3: Reading | |

Quarter and semester assessments will be administered during Weeks 9, 18, 27 and 36

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

• 1” three-ring binder

• subject dividers (3),

• pens, loose leaf paper, highlighter,

• pack of index cards (3x 5 or 4x 6),

• school planner (provided) or assignment notebook.

CLASS EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Ccome to class each day, on time and prepared.

• Wear ID daily in class.

• Use class time to work and learn.

• Complete homework when assigned.

• Bring the course binder/folder, text(s) and required materials to class daily.

• Take the initiative: make-up all work/assignments, or get any notes due to an excused absence verified by the attendance office. In the event of an expected absence (personal or school function), the student is responsible for getting any assignments in advance.

No make up work will be given for unexcused absences/cutting.

• Complete and submit work on time. In the case of major assessments, one letter grade will be deducted for each day the work is late. Each student is to be responsible for the integrity of all your work. Any work that is copied or contains plagiarized material is entirely unacceptable and will earn no credit.

• Treat others with kindness and respect and expect others to treat you accordingly.

• Classwork is completed during the class period.

REMEDIATION/ASSISTANCE POLICIES

It is the responsible of the student to contact me to formulate a remediation plan.

HOMEWORK POLICY

Complete homework when assigned and hand in at the beginning of class.

Late work may not be accepted (unless there is an excused absence). If absent on the date a homework assignment is due, the assignment is to be handed in upon the date of return to school.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students are the attend class daily on time. The tardy student is to enter the classroom quiet and orderly and sign the tardy log with the time of arrival, the date, and the reason for the tardy. Three (3) unexcused absences (cuts) or 5 tardies will receive a call home. Refer to the student handbook for school attendance policy.

GRADE SCALE AND ORGANIZATION

Students should expect to work hard. In addition to the assignments in the SpringBoard textbook, there will be regular vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and writing assignments, as well special projects and tests to measure mastery of what is taught in class.

A: 90-100% Classwork: 25%

B: 80-89% Quizzes: 15%

C: 70-79% Tests: 15%

D: 60-69% Mid-Term/Semester Finals: 15%

F: 0-59% Projects/Special Assignments: 15%

Homework: 10%

Binder/Notebook: 5%

I look forward to working with your child, and I hope to meet you at our Parent Night or at Report Card Pick-Up. If you wish to contact me, please email me at dhinton3@cps.edu. You can view all homework assignments by going to the Morgan Park web site at and clicking on the link to your student’s class. Please keep up to date with your student’s grade by logging on to the IMPACT parent portal found here: . I am also available to meet with you by appointment. Please stay in contact—our partnership is important to your child’s success.

Sincerely,

Doris Hinton

Please sign and return this confirmation of having received the English II Course Syllabus.

I have read the English II Course Syllabus and am aware of the objectives, assessments, grading and expectations for the course. (9/09)

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Student’s Name (Print) Class Period Parent’s Signature

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Student’s Signature Parent’s cell # and/or email

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