American Literature and Composition

2017-2018

Welcome to American Literature and Composition. Over the next 180 days, we will work together to help you improve your reading, writing, and thinking skills.

As students progress toward the successful culmination of their high school careers, they will consolidate and internalize all of the skills instilled through the full progression of the CCGPS. The American Lit/Comp course engages students in becoming skilled readers of fiction and non-fiction, and in becoming skilled writers who can compose for a variety of purposes.

Course Theme: American Literature

What then is the American, this new man? He is . . . that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. He becomes an American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labours and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. Here the rewards of his industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labour; his labour is founded on the basis of nature, self-interest; can it want a stronger allurement? The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions. From involuntary idleness, servile dependence, penury, and useless labour, he has passed to toils of a very different nature, rewarded by ample subsistence. --This is an American.

--Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur

Course Goals

Upon completing the American Literature/Composition course students should be able to:

  • employ strong, thorough, and explicit textual evidence in literary analyses and technical research
  • understand the development of multiple ideas through details and structure
  • track the development of complex characters and advanced elements of
  • argue effectively, employing the structure, evidence, and rhetoric for effective persuasive texts.
  • construct research papers of significant length in accordance with the guidelines of standard format styles such as APA and MLA
  • use strong and varied vocabularies across multiple content areas, including technical subjects
  • skillfully employ rhetoric and figurative language
  • purposefully construct tone and mood
  • identify lapses in reason or ambiguities in texts
  • recognize nuances of meaning imparted by mode of presentation
  • demonstrate a strong command of the rules of Standard English

Rules

Students will . . .

  1. Follow all school rules and social mores
  2. Respect everyone, including themselves *
  3. Endeavor zealously & participate perpetually
  4. Follow directions without quibbling
  5. Refrain from cheating & learn from mistakes
  6. Ask questions & keep an open mind

*this covers everything from not talking when others talk to putting away your cell phone and everything in between

Plagiarism and cheating have no place in a community of scholars. Have the confidence in yourself to give your original best.

Improper academic conduct on the part of the student shall be interpreted to mean the obtaining and using of information during an assessment of any kind by any means other than those permitted by the teacher, including the supplying of such information to other students. Improper academic conduct shall also include plagiarism, i.e., the purchase and use of ghost-written papers and reports, or incorporating into a report, term theme, research paper, or project, ideas and information obtained from another person without giving credit to the person from whom such information was obtained. Further, inclusion of the published or unpublished writings of another person without duly noting these sources according to normal scholarly procedures shall be considered plagiarism. The above definition of academic misconduct applies equally to improper use of electronic sources of information and opinion (adapted from

Cheating or Plagiarism results in an automatic “0” on the assignment.

Cell phone/headphone policy

Cellphones are to be placed in pockets in the front of the room upon entering the classroom. Earbuds and headphones are not allowed out in the classroom. There may be instances when the teacher gives permission to use cellphones, listen to music, etc.

Pass Policy

Do not interrupt class to ask to leave unless there is a true emergency. No passes are allowed the last 15 minutes of the period.

Course Requirements and Grading

The American Literature and Composition course is required for graduation. YOU WILL HAVE AN EOC FOR THIS COURSE. The grade you earn in class will count for 80% of the grade on your transcript and the EOC will count for 20% of the transcript grade. Although the grading categories listed below add up to 100%, they will ultimately count for 80% of your over-all average in the course; the final grade is determined by the EOC, which counts for 20% of the over-all average.

50% Summative [CDA, Tests, Projects]

30% Formative [Quizzes, Daily Work, Test Prep, etc.]

20% Essay Assignments

Attendance and Make-Up Work

Please refer to the student handbook for a detailed explanation of the AHS attendance policy and how it affects make-up work.

Once a unit of study has been completed, the student CANNOT make-up missing work from that unit.

Long-term papers and projects will be given strict due dates; therefore, simply being absent when a project is dues does not guarantee your work will be accepted late.

If you miss class, make arrangements with your teacher as soon as possible to arrange time for your make-up assignments. You are responsible for getting class notes from a classmate.

CDA Recovery Policy

Each student will be able to re-take the essay portion of a CDA if the grade earned is 69 or lower. Only the essay portion will be re-scored.

Lost Book Policy

Board Policy Descriptive Code: IFAD

The student will be charged full replacement cost for any textbook lost, regardless of condition. The amount to be charged for a textbook damaged by a student will be the response.

*****Please detach and return this portion of the course syllabus by Friday, August 11 for a grade*****

I have read and understand the information contained in this course syllabus.

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