IB Diploma Programme –HL Language A: Literature – English III Course Syllabus – 2015/16

Jacksonville High School

Instructor: Meredith C. Morton

Email: Ph: 910-989-2048

Course Description:

This IB English A1, HL course offers students one of the higher level courses in the Jacksonville High School program. It will include a balance of literature chosen from a variety of cultures both at the national and international levels. The goal of this program is to offer students the opportunity to examine the artistic aspect of world literature as well as developing independent, original, critical, analytical thinkers. Students will be given many opportunities to develop powers of expression: writing, speaking, listening in a variety of situations. By developing and improving skills in these areas, students will be encouraged to enjoy literature for a lifetime.

Course Objectives:

The objectives of the course will be achieved by providing students multiple opportunities to explore literature using a variety of methods. Through extensive literary analysis students will be able to examine and evaluate ideas about works of literature. Journal writing, analytical essays, and student discussions will be extensively used. This will provide students the practice necessary to become proficient and self-confident in literary analysis skills needed for IB internal and external assessments.

Requirements: Three (3) works of literature chosen from the IB Prescribed World Literature List (PLT). Each text must have been originally written in a language other than English. We will study the following three different authors:

Links: Genre – Drama, Theme - Pride

  • Sophocles, Oedipus Rex
  • Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac
  • Dorrenmatt, The Visit

The culmination of Part 1 will be a final Written Assignment (WA)assessed externally by IB. The essay will be 1,200-1,500 words on an aspect of one of the Part 1 works. This essay is generated from a supervised writing (a timed 300-400 word reflective statement to an essay question for each work in Part 1). Detailed information about this WA is found on pages 5-6 of this packet.

Requirements: Three (3) works of literature freely chosen (can be translated).

Links: Genre – Novel, Theme – Alienation

  • Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
  • Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate
  • Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

The culmination of Part 4 will be a final Individual Oral Presentation (IOP) which will count as 15% toward the final IB score in English. Detailed information about this IOP is found on pages 7-9 of this packet.

  • Hamlet by William Shakespeare
  • Black Boy by Richard Wright
  • Selected poetry of Sylvia Plath
  • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
  • Master Harold and the Boys by Athol Fugard
  • A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
  • The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Course Subject Matter:

Please understand that some of these works contain mature themes such as sexuality, violence, religion, and objectionable language that may contradict your own values and which at times you may find offensive. However, understand that by reading these novels, we are not condoning the actions or language found in these pages. By learning to analyze what we may find foreign and questionable and to express our views and opinions about said material, it helps to increase our understanding of the world and those who inhabit it – one of the main objectives of the IB Language A1 program. All material for this course comes directly from the IB Prescribed Reading List (PRL).

Required Materials for IB English III:

  • (1) 3-ring binder (at least 1.5”)
  • Notebooks are a required part of this course. It is expected to be well maintained and complete. DO NOT throw away anything you receive in this class. NOTHING you have returned to you should go in the trash. Being organized will make your time in this class much easier. At teacher discretion, notebooks will be collected for a grade.
  • Notebooks should be organized chronologically and according to the work we are studying. As notes are taken or materials are distributed, simply place the paper(s) behind the most recent work.
  • Six (6) dividers (one for each work we study)
  • Loose leaf paper
  • Blue or black ink pens / pencils
  • High-lighters

GRADING

Assessment:

IB external assessments

Essay writing

Journal writing

Oral presentations

Research of literary analysis and historical periods

Literary term vocabulary development

Group and individual projects

Internal Assessments (grading policy):

In-class writing / activities30%

Out-of-class assignments (essays / journals)40%

Quizzes / tests / in-class presentations30%

Also: Junior research paper (for Grad Project)30 % of the last 6-weeks of English III IB

Make-Up Policy -Missed work caused by an absence is expected to be made up promptly according to JHS policy. It is the student’s responsibility to see me the day her/she returns to class to get missed assignments. The workload for this class is considerable, so if you know in advanced you will be absent, see me for the work ahead of time. Make-up tests or quizzes can be scheduled after school. If there are extenuating circumstances, I will deal with that on a one-on-one basis. I will not track you down for missing make-up work.

Attendance Tardies –

You are only allowed 10 absences for the semester. To be counted present in class, you must be present in the class for no less than 60 minutes. It is your responsibility to see me the day you return to class to receive all missed work and to complete it within the given timeline. There are NO exam exemptions.

According to the JHS Handbook, when the bell rings for class to begin, teachers will not allow any student into the classroom without an excused pass from the front office. Teachers will be on duty in the hallway to sweep any students who are tardy to class. Any student who is not in class after the bell rings will be swept. Students who are swept will be given a Late Class pass and sent to Late Class in the ISS room. During the first ten minutes of class, teachers will not issue passes to leave the classroom. Upon the fifth tardy, students will receive 1 day of ISS.

CLASS EXPECTATIONS

Bathroom - Class time is important and should not be wasted. Therefore, students are allowed to leave class to use the restroom only with teacher permission and not in the middle of instruction. This privilege must be used sparingly. Students need to use the time in between classes or lunch to use the restroom so as not to disrupt class. That being said, if a student’s requests to use the restroom during class become disruptive and/or too frequent, that student will no longer be allowed to go without a doctor’s note. You must sign out before leaving the classroom.

Water/Food - Students are allowed to bring water in class to drink during class time; therefore, please do not ask to get water during class unless it is an emergency. Do not bring food into my class … it encourages bugs.

Be respectful! – Being juniors, you know how to act in a classroom. If it applies to this campus, it applies in this classroom. Respect me, your peers, yourself, my classroom, and any topics discussed.

Be on time! - Be in your seat, ready to begin class, when the late bell rings. You should be ready to begin at that time … not wandering around the class socializing or gathering materials.

Be involved! – All students are expected to participate in class activities.

Be responsible! – Ask me for help if needed. Make up all missed work if necessary. Have academic integrity. Adhere to all JHS rules and regulations.

Use of Technology - Texting on cell phones and use of other electronic devices (ear buds, etc.) is not allowed in my class unless WE as a class are using it for educational/instructional purposes. Please silence your phone or turn it off before coming in my class and keep it put away until you walk out of my classroom. Refer to the electronic device contract.

LANGUAGE A: LITERATUREASSESSMENT OUTLINE – HL

When / Assessment Component / Weighting
outside the curriculum
Part 3
Part 1 / External Assessment (4 hours)
Paper 1: Literary commentary (2 hours)
The paper consists of 2 passages: one prose and one poetry.
Students choose one and write a literary commentary. (20 marks)
Paper 2: Essay (2 hours)
The paper consists of 3 questions for each literary genre.
In response to one question, students write an essay based on at least 2 works studied in Part 3. (25 marks)
Written Assignment (WA)
Students submit a reflective statement and literary essay on 1 work studied in Part 1 from the PLT.
The reflective statement must be 300-400 words in length.
The essay must be 1,200-1,500 words in length.
The essay will be revised in your senior year. / 70%
20%
25%
25%
Part 2
Part 4 / Internal Assessment (IA)
This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by IB at the end of the course.
Individual Oral Commentary and discussion (IOC&D) (20 minutes)
Formal oral commentary on poetry studied in Part 2 with subsequent questions (10 min.) followed by a discussion based on one of the other Part 2 works (10 min.).
(30 marks)
Individual Oral Presentation (IOP) (10-15 minutes)
The presentation is based on works studied in Part 4. It is internally assessed and externally moderated through the Part 2 internal assessment task. (30 marks) / 30%
15%
15%

Part I – Fall Junior Year

World Literature Written Assignment (WA) (25% of A1 Assessment)

The following is an explanation of the requirements for this crucial grade.

You, as HL students, are required to complete an assignment of 1,200-1,500 words, with a reflective statement of 300-400 words, based on a work studied in Part 1 of the course and assessed externally. Reflection on an interactive oral is part of the assignment and some of the writing is completed during supervised class time.

Stage 1: The interactive oral (IO)

The interactive oral is a focused class discussion in which you and Mrs. Morton participate. You are responsible for initiating some part of the discussion in at least one of the interactive orals for one work. You may participate as a group or individually, and Mrs. Morton may organize the discussion in a variety of different ways.

The discussion should address the following cultural and contextual considerations:

  • In what ways do time and place matter to this work?
  • What was easy to understand and what was difficult in relation to social and cultural context and issues?
  • What connections did you find between issues in the work and your own culture(s) and experience?
  • What aspects of technique are interesting in the work?

Formal requirements

At least one oral must be completed in relation to each work studied in Part 1.

The suggested minimum time for discussion of each work is 30 minutes.

Stage 2: The reflective statement (RS)

The reflective statement is a short writing exercise and will be completed as soon as possible following the interactive oral. You are required to provide a reflection on each of the interactive orals. The reflective statement on the same work as your final writing assignment (WA) is submitted for assessment.

Your reflective statement MUST be based on the following question:

How was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations of the work developed through the interactive oral?

Formal requirements

Length300-400 words

SubmissionThe reflective statement about the work used in the student’s final assignment is submitted together with the written assignment.

AssessmentThe reflective statement is awarded a mark out of 3.

AdministrationAll reflective statements must be kept on file at the school.

Stage 3: Developing the topic – supervised writing (SW)

Supervised writing is intended as a springboard to elicit ideas from you. From these ideas, you’ll develop a topic and a final essay. The ultimate goal of this stage of the process is to help you to produce good essays with appropriate topics. To this end you are required to respond to each of the works studied in a written exercise undertaken during class time.

For each work studied, one piece of writing produced during class time is required. The recommended time for each piece of writing is 40-50 minutes and the writing must be in continuous prose. At the end of the lesson, the writing must be handed to Mrs. Morton and an unedited copy kept on file until the end of the examination session.

You will choose ONE of your pieces of supervised writing and develop that into the essay required for submission. There must be an apparent connection between the supervised writing and the final essay, but you are encouraged to provide your own title and to develop the chosen prompt in an independent direction.

Stage 4: Production of the Written Assignment (WA)

You are required to produce an essay of 1,200-1,500 words in length on a literary aspect of one work. The essay is developed from one of the pieces of supervised writing completed in class, with the guidance ofMrs. Morton.

Mrs. Morton’s role as the teacher

  • Provide guidance on the development of the essay topic.
  • Discuss the connections between the supervised writing and the essay.
  • Ensure that the topic is suitable to the length and the focus of the task.
  • Read the first draft of the essay and provide feedback to the student.

Completion of the essay for submission

After receiving feedback on the first draft, you must complete the written assignment without further assistance. The assignment must be your independent work, and both you and Mrs. Morton must authenticate the assignment as such.

Formal requirements

Length1,200-1,500 words

SubmissionThe final essay is submitted to IB for assessment along with the relevant reflective statement. The essay should be a well-presented, formal piece of work.

AssessmentThe final essay is awarded a mark out of 22.

AdministrationThe relevant reflective statement must be submitted with the final essay.

Part 4 – Spring Junior Year

Individual Oral Presentation (IOP) (15% of A1 Assessment)

The following is an explanation of the requirements for this crucial grade.

Your class IOP will count 15% toward your final IB score in English. It is based on a work or works studied in Part 4 of your syllabus.

Step 1: Determine which piece(s) from Part 4 you’ll use. For us, that means:

  • Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
  • Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate
  • Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

Step 2: Choice of Topic

You choose a topic which reflects your personal interests for this exercise in consultation with Mrs. Morton. Topics may be based on any aspect(s) of the work(s) studied, including:

  • Cultural setting of the work and related issues
  • Thematic focus
  • Characterization
  • Techniques and style
  • Author’s attitude to particular elements of the work such as character(s), subject matter
  • Interpretation of particular elements from different perspectives

Step 3: Suggested Activities

The following list applies to all the pieces studied in Part 4 and contains examples of the wide range of activities which are acceptable for the IOP. These lists of examples are neither exhaustive nor prescriptive. They are only suggestions and may be added to by the teacher or you with the approval of the teacher. You should select the activity most appropriate to the topic chosen.

Structured Discussions

  • The presentation of material lending itself to discussion within the class, such as the offering of two opposing readings of a work (the presenter will take questions from the class).
  • Interview of a candidate by the teacher on an agreed topic or work.

Oral Exposes

  • An introduction to a writer, a work, or a particular text
  • An explanation of a particular aspect of an author’s work
  • The examination of a particular interpretation of a work
  • The setting of a particular writer’s work against another body of material, such as details on social background or political views
  • A commentary on the use of a particular image, idea, or symbol in one text or in a writer’s work
  • A comparison of two passages, two characters, or two works.
  • A commentary on an extract from a work studied in class which has been prepared at home
  • An account of your developing response to a work

Role Play (If you choose role play, you will provide a rationale for what you have done.)

  • A monologue by a character at an important point in the work
  • Reminiscences by a character from a point in later life
  • An author’s reaction to a particular interpretation of elements of his/her work in a given context. For example, a critical defense of the work against a charge of subversion, or immorality, before a censorship board.

Focus of the Individual Oral Presentation (IOP)

The focus of each oral presentation will depend up on the nature and scope of the topic chosen. The sophistication of literary criticism expected is indicated in the descriptors for the Internal Assessment criteria and is expected to be greater at Higher Level than at Standard Level. Whatever the topic and type of presentation chosen, you will be expected to show:

  • Knowledge and understanding of the works
  • Thorough appreciation of the aspect discussed
  • Knowledge and use of the linguistic register appropriate for the type of presentation, where register refers to the candidate’s sensitivity to elements such as the vocabulary, tone, sentence structure, and idiom appropriate to the task
  • At HL, where appropriate, a consideration of the effects of the means by which the author(s) have explored the aspect discussed.

Structure of the Individual Oral Presentation (IOP)

The structure of each oral presentation depends largely on the type of activity selected for the topic. Some activities, such as the structured discussion and the oral expose, may be well suited to formal discussions which follow a logical sequence, while others, like the role play, may not. It is your responsibility to select the type of presentation which most effectively enables the objectives of the topic to be realized. Whatever the chosen activity, all presentations must have a coherent structure.

Presentation and Subsequent Discussion (HL & SL 10-15 minutes)

Teachers much allow candidates to do their presentation without any interruption or assistance. When the presentation is completed, Mrs. Morton will engage in a discussion with you in order to probe further into your knowledge and understanding of the work(s) or topic. The whole class may participate in the subsequent discussion. Mrs. Morton must be satisfied that you have justified their selection of: