English 11 – Honors American Literature (US265)
Course Description & Syllabus 2008-2009
S. Hylton Room 114
Course Description
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation
This course provides a chronological survey of American literature, both fiction and non-fiction. Through close reading and frequent writing, students will develop their ability to work with language and text with a greater awareness of purpose and strategy while strengthening their own composing abilities through teacher and peer revision. Students will do extensive close reading of texts and in-depth literary analysis. Additionally, they will analyze rhetorical elements of the literature and will develop the ability to employ the same strategies in their writing. Students will also engage in scholarly research and will work to synthesize information from a variety of sources. MLA will be the standard for formatting. Throughout the year, students will maintain passage journals and will engage in Socratic seminars and round table discussions about their reading of fiction and non-fiction works. Students will complete expository, analytical, and argumentative writing. Rigorous out of class reading is expected as two or three major works will be assigned each quarter. Vocabulary building is included. A Course Outline is attached to the back of this syllabus.
Course Goals (based on College Board goals for AP Language and Composition course)
· to further develop students’ cognitive and analytical abilities through exposure to challenging texts.
· to encourage intellectual growth, self-reflection, self-evaluation, and integrity/ethics.
· to further develop students’ ability to discuss, interpret, analyze, and evaluate works of fiction and non-fiction.
· to further develop students’ ability to discuss, interpret, analyze, and evaluate a variety of sources.
· to continue to develop students’ ability to edit, revise, and critique their writing and the writing of others.
· to teach students research skills and the ability to interpret, evaluate, and synthesize information from sources.
· to further develop students’ ability to write in a variety of forms.
Expectations
I expect my students to…
· do their best on each and every assignment.
· do their own work so that I will never have to question their honesty and integrity.*
· be open to the ideas in literature, have a sense of humor, and embrace the spirit of any assignment.
· be involved and attentive during class activities.
· be courteous to me and to each other at all times. There is never an excuse for rudeness.
· budget their time well both in and out of class so that assignments are completed and arrive on time.
· be responsible for obtaining makeup work.
· be present and punctual.
· refrain from eating and drinking in class.
· abide by all rules and regulations in the Student Code of Conduct.
· communicate any concerns, problems, or difficulties with me. Office hours are after school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:45 until 3:30 in my classroom. I can be reached via e-mail at or by phone at (757)229-6026.
My students can expect me to…
· be respectful and courteous.
· plan thought provoking assignments.
· be prepared.
· be willing to help when asked.
· be fair and responsive to their ideas.
· communicate any concerns, problems, or difficulties with them first.
*Do not plagiarize: Do not copy words or ideas from internet sources, books, scholars, fellow students, or any other sources without giving proper credit in a parenthetical citation/bibliographical entry. Remember: a dismal grade brings only disappointment; the dismal choice to cheat brings dishonor and an even more dismal grade.
Materials
Please come to class daily with the following materials unless otherwise notified.
· The Language of Literature; American Literature. Boston: McDougal Littell 2002.
· Large three ring binder with dividers
· College ruled paper
· Spiral notebook (about 200 pages)
· Blue or black pens
· Jump drive
Other materials that will prove helpful include:
· Highlighters
· Small post-it notes
· Dictionary (for home use)
Students will need to purchase novels and plays throughout the year (see attached Course Outline) and will need a library card from a public library.
Grading
Your grades will be based on the school’s grading scale.
A 93-100
B 85-92
C 77-84
D 70-76
F 69 and below
Your grades will be averaged using the following percentages:
Major Assignments 45%
Minor Assignments 40%
Vocabulary 15%
Generally, major assignments include tests, essays, and projects; minor assignments encompass all other work. Vocabulary grades are predominantly quizzes. Late homework is not accepted. Late projects and essays will be accepted but will be docked one letter grade for each day they are late.
Please allow at least two weeks for the grading of major essays and tests. Reading and evaluating essays and tests is no small task. I will report/record grades as quickly as possible.
Vocabulary
You will find the vocabulary lists for the entire year attached to the back of this syllabus. Definitions and sentences are due on Tuesdays; questions about the use of the words will be fielded at that time. Quizzes will be on Fridays and are cumulative. That is, each quiz will involve not only the current week’s words but any of the others that we have already covered as well.
English 11—Honors American Literature (US265)
Course Outline**
First Quarter (Colonial and Revolutionary Literature)
Summer Reading
John Krakauer’s Into the Wild
John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible*
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter*
Excerpt from Benjamin Franklin’s The Autobiography
Excerpts from the letters and writings of Thomas Jefferson
Anne Bradstreet’s poetry
Non-fiction selections
Second Quarter (Romanticism & Transcendentalism)
Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings*
Frederick Douglas’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas*
Excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature
Excerpts from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and Civil Disobedience
Selected short stories of Irving, Hawthorne, and Poe
Selected poetry of Dickinson and Whitman
Non-fiction selections
Third Quarter (Regionalism and Realism)
Malcolm X’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X*
Willa Cather’s My Antonia*
Edgar Lee Master’s The Spoon River Anthology*
Mark Twain’s epigrams
Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” & excerpts from The Devil’s Dictionary
Non-fiction selections
Fourth Quarter (Modernism and Contemporary Literature)
Lorraine Hansbury’s A Raisin in the Sun*
JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye*
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby*
William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
Selected short stories of Hemmingway, O’Connor, and Porter
Non-fiction selections
*Indicates books that will need to be purchased by the student.
**Changes, additions, and substitutions are possible. You will be notified of any changes.
English 11 – Honors American Literature (US265)
Grading Criteria
Save this and refer to it throughout the year. Carefully consider the description of each grade as you complete your assignments.
A (superior) meets all basic requirements, goes far beyond expectations
shows individual style
is unique, creative, imaginative, insightful, analytical
shows little room for improvement, is flawless
represents polished effort and careful attention to detail
indicates an extensive investigation of all aspects of topic
B (well done) meets all basic requirements but goes a bit beyond expectations
is different, stands out, shows some creativity and imagination
well presented, but has room for expansion and improvement
some ideas could be added for complete development
indicates attention to presentation and successful investigation of topic
C (acceptable) meets basic requirements, may contain some errors, but mostly correct
all parts are successfully presented, organization could improve
indicates room for growth and expansion, uniqueness could improve
needs addition of ideas and detail
D (poor) does not meet basic requirements
contains mistakes, lacks polish
includes ideas that may be confusing or illogical
demonstrates a great need for improvement and growth
F (unacceptable) does not meet basic requirements
indicates a need to start over
shows little evidence of preparation, individual thought, or organization