12th Grade English Syllabus - Guilford County Schools



Honors English IV Syllabus

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“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.”

Vincent T. Lombardi

Welcome to Honors English IV. I will be your guide as we take a journey through some fantastic literature, poetry, short stories, film, articles, and, a little bit of mystery. The theme of this semester has to do with people who are expected to lose; things that were never expected to work out, and a lone man covered in saw dust.

What do these three have in common? They exemplify the underdog, sometimes considered the weakest link, the victim, the fool, the loser, the unrecognized, and the brave. Often people use the term underdog to describe an athlete or a sports team. When the underdog wins, it’s called an “upset.” This was not the origin of the term, however. It refers to naval shipbuilders who worked with planks of wood called "dogs." The senior builder stood on top of the planks, sawing, as the junior sawsman stood in the pit doing the same, finding himself quickly engulfed in sawdust; he was the literal underdog who created the metaphorical title.

People love to root for the underdog. Why is it? Do we all feel like an underdog inside? Why do we have underdogs and top dogs to begin with? In what ways does our culture privilege some people, organizations, philosophical beliefs and traditions over others? What does it take an underdog to do to rise to the top, and does this success depend on somebody else’s failure?

Course Objectives

o Apply the principles of critical reasoning to the reading and writing of complex material.

o Develop and demonstrate orally and in writing strong, focused, persuasive arguments on contemporary and academic topics, addressing competing viewpoints.

o Demonstrate in writing a sophisticated integration of a variety of research sources with appropriate documentation.

o  Analyze literature and stylistic devices (tone, imagery, characterization, setting, plot, etc.)

o Create original work that showcases deep thinking and synthesis.

o Synthesize, question and integrate ideas across genres and disciplines.

Expectations

I have high hopes for you. Seeing that you are 12th graders in an honors class, I do not deem it necessary to write a long list of rules and regulations. I simply want to tell you that we are here together to learn and to evolve as human beings. Time is precious and we cannot afford to miss a second of it. There will be very little tolerance for behaviors that impede the learning experience (arriving late, cutting class, submitting late assignments, plagiarizing, etc). To put it short, I expect you to make a sincere effort to be the best student you can be. Everyone can participate in the creation of an environment where students and teachers treat each other with respect and acceptance, both expressing maturity and responsibility in their actions and words.

**** BTW, leave your electronic devices behind when you step in the classroom. I will take them (and you know the rest…) if I see them out in class. Also, please do what you have to do so that when you get here you are ready to learn.

Course Texts:

Elements of Literature 6th edition

***Selected novels

***Selected documents, essays & poems

Materials/Resources recommended for each student:

**3 ring binder ** Index Cards/Note Cards

**College-ruled loose leaf paper **USB Flash Drive

**Pencils, Pen (blue or black) ** Pocket Dictionary/Thesaurus

** Agenda/Planner

Honors Expectation

This is an honors class; therefore, the material and student work are much more extensive. Our honor courses require a great deal of work and critical thinking. This class is designed for students capable of working above grade level. The work ethic for an honors class requires that students think outside of the box when given assignments and projects. Although students are given guidelines for assignments and projects, the idea is to give the students guidance as they are finishing the assignment and/or project. It will be expected that students stretch their minds to create more critical and diversity in the assignments and/or projects. I expect every student to challenge himself/herself to fulfill their purpose: “working rigorously to reach their full potential.”

Late Work Policy

I really cannot stand it! I am just being honest with you from the get go. Accepting late work creates hassles for me, and it makes me feel that I am not preparing you for the real world where there are bosses, deadlines, and survival at stake. With that being said, I also recognize that you are teenagers and you have stuff going on in your lives, sometimes, that makes it hard. Therefore, here is the policy:

✓ If absent you only have one day to complete the assignment from the day you arrive back at school.

✓ Late assignments such as classwork/homework will not be accepted.

✓ Each day an essay, research paper, or project is late 10 points are deducted up to 50 points.

✓ You must print your work before coming to class and turn it in immediately upon arrival.

✓ You are responsible for finding out what you missed when you were absent and getting it done. Get a few digits, and call a peer.

Grading Scale

Guilford County Grading Scale

Grading:

Tests = 40%

Quizzes = 30%

Journals/Project = 20%

Homework/Classwork = 10%

Total = 100%

Final Exam Policy:

Please review the Guilford County Student Handbook

English IV Units of Study:

Unit 1 –The Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066) Beowulf; Grendel; Anglo-Saxon riddles

–The Middle Ages (1066-1485) The Canterbury Tales, “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”

Unit 2 - The Renaissance (1485-1660) “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” sonnets, Biblical literature

“Hamlet,” A Modest Proposal

Unit 3 –The Romantic/Victorian Period (1700-1800) –Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights

Unit 4 –The Modern/Postmodern Era (1900-present) –1984, The Bluest Eye, Brave New World

Senior Project Research Paper Due: TBA

SEMESTER OUTLINE:

Unit #1 Underdogs in Anglo-Saxon/Old English/ Medieval/Middle Ages/Middle English/Short Stories

Essential Question: How does one define an underdog? In what ways does our culture privilege some people, organizations, philosophical beliefs and traditions over others?

Unit #2 Renaissance/Neo-Classical/New Media Makers give voice to the Underdog

Expository Articles: Individualized

Novel: TBA

Essential Question: How can thorough research help the media maker present her topic to an audience with precision?

Unit #3 Romantic and Victorian Text Top Dog vs. Underdog, the Hero’s Journey

Essential Question: What does it take for an underdog to rise to the top, and does this success depend on somebody else’s failure?

Skill: Reading Literature through the psychoanalytical lens

Unit #4 Modern and Postmodern

Essential Questions: How was modern art influenced by new philosophical ideas of the 20th Century?

Modern art, literature, and music reflect and/or react against the arts of past cultures in what ways? Why?

Skill: Understanding the influence and diversity of the various “-isms” of the 20th Century. Understanding how modern art reacts to or against the art of past cultures.

Honors Agreement:

Students who wish to take this class for honors credit are encouraged and welcomed. Honor students are required to go beyond the minimum requirements of regular class assignments. For example, honor students’ must

• Write essays as well as the Senior Research Paper,

• Read one additional novel,

• Read extensively out of class,

• Complete various mini-projects, and

• Be prepared to take leadership roles in class.

I ____________________________ want to take 12th Grade English for Honors credit. I understand the expectations and will work hard to meet or surpass them.

________________________________________ Student Signature

_________________________________________ Parent Signature

_________________________________________ Parent Email Address

_________________________________________ Parent Phone Number

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It’s a Brain Storm!

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