English 12A - Loudoun County Public Schools



Syllabus English 11H—2013-14

American Literature, Mr. Faul

Course Overview

English 11H is a rigorous course designed to make you a better writer, reader, analyst, and thinker. The course devotes time to Oral Language, Reading Analysis, Writing, Research, and Vocabulary. Students survey American literature, studying major literary periods and authors. Students also learn to apply literary analysis through application of literary terms and comparisons of authors’ styles, topics, and themes. Furthermore, students improve their vocabulary by studying SAT tailored vocabulary lists and words found in our readings. Public speaking skills are practiced through various group and individual assignments with an emphasis on persuasive presentations. Students will be provided with SAT and SOL practice work. This course is designed to challenge students to respond in a fluent, effective, and analytical manner. Students are expected to master grammar and usage skills. Frequent writing assignments, which include persuasive and analytical essays as well as a research essay, emphasize preparation for Advanced Placement English (Literature or Language).

The Big Question, Honors Portfolios, Honors Course Assessments

This year we are going to examine texts in terms of “Big Questions” that teachers and students will generate. This process will include collecting artifacts concerning your individual question. (Due dates for these are indicated in the chart below.) These large thematic questions are central to the American experiences and its literature, both fiction and non-fiction. You will research and explore a Big Question that you identify as well as questions that we will explore as a class. You will keep a portfolio of your writing and track your progress in improving your writing over the course of the year. Part of the Honors Course assessment at the end of the year will be your own detailed assessment of the contents of your portfolio. (There will be more to come concerning this process and the Honors Assessment Exam at year’s end.)

Course Objectives

Students will demonstrate the following:

1. The ability to write for a variety of audiences with targeted objectives. Writing functional notes in an organized fashion is part of this process. (Independent note taking will be emphasized as the year passes.)

2. Mastery in drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessing/publishing.

3. An awareness of his or her own writing process.

4. The ability to organize writing into coherent unified forms.

5. The ability to write a properly documented research-based composition, adhering to copyright and plagiarism guidelines.

6. The ability to incorporate varied syntax and diction to convey meaning.

7. Mastery of appropriate mechanics (grammar, punctuation, conventions) using both traditional written and digital resources.

Writing

Students will be engaged in writing every day in some form. Journal writing will often serve to introduce a class. Beyond journals, we will work on narrative, persuasive, expository, and narrative essays. A formal Research Paper is required. Literary analysis is required once per quarter. Practice for SOL and SAT writing will prepare students for standardized tests.

Grades

The Stone Bridge English department:

• Uses various methods of assessment and evaluation (including but not limited to tests, quizzes, essays, book reports, projects, proof of reading, homework, and class activities, both formative and summative) to determine grades

• Posts major assessments (tests, papers, project dates) at least one week in advance on Clarity.

• Posts grades regularly—at least once per week.

• Show missing and completed work within Clarity as such: Z = zero (did not have on due date, will change to a numerical grade when completed), “in” work was turned in on due date, but it has not yet been assessed and recorded.

• Accepts late assignments with grade reduction.

o Major Assignments--Major assignments turned in late will lose up to 10% of the assignment’s total possible points per class day. The percentage will be taken off of the earned score. For example, a paper that earns 80/100 points based on criteria in the rubric, but is one day late, would receive 72/100 in the grade book. After 10 class days, the assignment will no longer be worth any points. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into account at teacher discretion.

o Minor Assignments--Since work is assigned as practice or preparation for a class, it is imperative that it be completed on time and well. It may be accepted for 50% credit at teacher discretion.

• Assign homework because we believe homework is an integral assessment tool to give students a frame of reference, and it assists in the scaffolding of the learning targets. Homework is necessary practice, reading, or preparation for the next class meeting and builds on the standards of the course.

Grades will be determined using a combination of in-class and homework assignments. The approximate weight of assignments follows:

| |% |Comments |

|Essays |35 |One formal paper per quarter. Numerous timed essays for test |

| | |preparation and other writing are required. |

|Vocabulary |25 |Intensive vocabulary study in preparation for SAT. |

|Quizzes |10 |Usually reading checks. |

|Group/Collaborative Work |10 |Group analysis, editing practice, joint analysis. |

|Journals |15 |Writing almost every day. |

|Notebook Maintenance |** |Since most quizzes are open hand-written notes, there is a big |

| | |advantage to keeping a good notebook organized for your ease of use. |

|Class Participation |5 |Engagement in ongoing lessons is very important. We will prepare for |

| | |AP type discussions. |

|Formative Assessments |** |In Clarity, formative assessments that do not count in the grade |

| | |calculation will be recorded periodically. These are indicative of |

| | |student efforts to learn material cumulatively. By tracking your |

| | |progress |

Extra Credit

Different types of extra credit are available:

• Attending plays (please talk to me about performances in advance) and writing reviews of your experience is worth up to 10 points. These can include the world-class theaters in the Washington metro area as well as student productions at Stone Bridge and at other high schools in the area.

• Re-writing papers that you have submitted within ten days of receiving them back can earn up to 10% of the original grade—not to exceed 100%.

• Extra credit for illustrations of vocabulary words missed on quizzes will earn up to half of the lost credit back. *Must use the template.

• Reading Check Quizzes contain extra questions. Ex. A reading check quiz would require 6 correct responses to earn a perfect score. Answering additional questions correctly would earn bonus points.

Attendance

Attendance is an important metric for success. I realize that there are many forces competing for students’ time. Eleventh grade English is required for graduation and must be given appropriate priority. A strong attendance record will allow students to complete group work in class and derive the benefits of associated learning objectives. If you are absent, you should obtain missed assignments from me or from the web site. If an assignment is due on a day you are absent, it is then due on the day you return—not the class following your return. If you have special circumstances when you are going to miss school for an extended period, please make an appointment and come make a plan with me for completing missed work. Special arrangements for extended absence need to be made in person.

Class Rules, Policies, and Procedures

• Respect--Demonstrate self-respect. Respect others and the school. Come to class prepared and on time. Contribute and be positive about the class. Remember it takes work to make progress—“no pain, no gain.”

o Talking while others are trying to talk is not respectful.

o Leaving your seat during a presentation or while a discussion is ongoing is disrespectful.

o Interrupting the class to ask an unrelated question, entering the class late and expecting immediate attention, or asking to be excused in the middle of a discussion are disrespectful. Wait until there is an appropriate break.

o Our class, along with the entire school, will observe the 20 minute rule. No trips to the restroom or other locations during the first and last 20 minutes of the class. Go to the restroom before class. Emergencies are the exception.

• Seating and other behavior rules: Sit in your assigned seat. Remember, we don’t chew gum in class, wear hats, text message, use cell phones, or listen to I-pods.

• Honor: Follow the County and School rules printed in your SBHS Handbook and your agenda. (Note particularly policies concerning academic integrity and cheating.) There are no tests, quizzes, or assignments worth the sacrifice of your personal integrity.

• Tardiness: Tardiness is disruptive to all students and wastes enormous amounts of time. If you are tardy, try not to disrupt the class. Consequences are listed in the SBHS Handbook.

• Journals and Notebooks: Bring your journal, text (or other applicable book), agenda, and pens/pencils to class—every class. You must have a separate place to keep a chronologically arranged set of notes. I don’t care if it is a spiral notebook or a three-ring binder—just so it is organized and works for you. The note taking process is designed to get you ready for university lecture style classes.

• Web Site: Homework and other upcoming assignments will be posted on my web site accessed via the Staff menu on the school home page (A Link to Edmodo). (Should it become outdated, I would appreciate a reminder so that we can stay current together.)

2013-2014 Booklist

I recommend that you buy the following books. They are available at the school book fair and via . Many are available at used bookstores or at other on-line vendors. Your parents or brothers/sisters may already have copies of these books—check the bookshelves at home. You may also use library copies, however, in preparation for careful reading required in college, it is preferable to have copies you can mark with notes and your own annotations. (The first book we will read is The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. If you can obtain your own copy of that book, there are advantages. This is not required.)

• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, (Norton Critical Edition), Mark Twain, ISBN: 13: 978-0393966404

• The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, ISBN 13: 978-0743273565

• A Gathering of Old Men, Ernest Gaines, ISBN 0-679-73890-8

• The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne, ISBN 0-486-28048-9

• [ISBN numbers are for convenience; any edition/ publisher will suffice as long as it is an unabridged version]

Schedule Overview (approximate dates) Note: Poetry selections will be inserted throughout the year. We will consider Poe, Dickinson, Hughes, Whitman, Frost—for certain—and others when time is available.

|Month |Unit/Project |Formal Paper |Vocab Unit |Journal Due (J), |

| | | | |Artifacts Due (A) |

|Sept |Big Question (begin), “The Swimmer”, Short Story Unit, The|#1 |1-2 | |

| |Bean Trees(BT) | | | |

|Oct |BT, American Gothic (Poe, S. King, Oates) A Gathering of |#2 |3-4 |J, A |

| |Old Men(Agoom) | | | |

|Nov |Agoom; Non-Fiction, Rhetorical Analysis |#3 |5-6 | |

|Dec |The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn HF, SAT Essay |#4 |7-8 |J |

|Jan |The Scarlet Letter; The American Short Story | |9-10 |A |

|Feb |Short Story (continued), Poetry | |11-12 | |

|Mar |The Great Gatsby, Research Paper | |13-14 |J, A |

|Apr |Research Paper (The Great Gatsby) |#5 Research |15-16 | |

|May |Play Selection |#6 |17-18 |Yes |

|June | | | | |

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