English 10

Abbotsford Christian School

Teacher: Mr. Olydam

Summary

I am excited to be teaching you English 10 this year. I love reading and writing, and I look forward to sharing my passion with you. It is my belief that through studying great literature, we learn more about ourselves, our world, and our great God. It is my belief too that as we write and create together, we get a glimpse of God’s creativity. We get a chance as writers and readers to share in the creative work of God. Words are powerful, and they can change the world. Let’s learn to use them well, and to appreciate the way that others have used them to speak truth, and to examine the human condition. I’m sure that we’ll have some great discussions this year as we study famous works of literature, and as we help each other to grow in our knowledge and skills as writers and readers. All of life is a way of worshipping God and of serving Him. Let’s try to make English class a good service to Him through our work and words.

Materials

Please come to class prepared to learn. Please be sure to have all the important materials ready to go (pens, books, binders).

Policies, Procedures and Expectations

I expect every person in my class to take the work that they do in this class seriously. 1 Cor. 10:31 says; “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” This, I think, includes also your school work. We read and write and study literature and poetry because these things matter to God and they develop our gifts and abilities which we in turn can use to glorify God and to serve others. I take teaching you seriously, and so I expect that you will take the course work seriously as well. I will do my best to give you what you need to succeed in this class. I will do my best to provide you with fair and accurate assessments. I expect from you in return that you do your best on each and every assignment, and that you always complete assignments on time.

I Thessalonians 5:12-22 summarizes what I expect with regard to classroom behavior from my students.

Much of what we learn in English is about writing and expressing our thoughts in a well-organized, meaningful, and creative manner. We will practice a variety of types of writing in this course, including writing to argue a thesis, writing to analyze various literary elements in a text, and creative fiction and creative non-fiction. You will be encouraged to get creative! You will do a lot of writing in response to literature and you will also be asked write your own poetry. Finally, since this is an English course, you ought to expect to be doing a fair amount of reading. We will read a variety of short stories, poems, a novel, and a play over the course of the next few months. It is expected that you actually do the reading (not just read on-line chapter summaries). Please plan on participating in class discussions and activities as well. We all benefit from each other’s points of view. Learning is not an individual process, but a communal one. Your participation is a must.

As you probably already know, English 10 is a course with a Provincial exam at the end of the semester. You can access sample e-exams on-line by visiting the BC ministry of education website at: http:www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/search
There is a list of terms attached that are deemed by the BC Ministry of Education as “examinable terms.” These are words that you ought to know for the final exam. Not to worry – you probably know most of them already, and if you don’t, you will by the end of the term.

I expect that you will keep up with all of the assigned homework throughout the course of this semester as well. If, for whatever reason, you do not complete your assignment when it was due, please give me the reason in writing, as well as the date that you plan on completing the work. Typically I will expect this to be the next day, and that you will give up a lunch hour to make sure that the late work is completed as quickly as possible. I want to keep things equitable, and to make sure that you have every opportunity to succeed in my class.

When work is handed in, it ought to be typed (unless otherwise specified), size 10-12 font (Times New Roman, Calibri or other similar), double spaced or 1.5 spaced. At the top left corner (of the first page of your assignment only!) please write your name, my name, the class, and the due date (follow the “No Teacher Can Dance” rule). After this, be sure to bold the title of your assignment which ought to be centered on the page. For each additional page thereafter, you must have your name and the page number at the top right hand corner (see example below).

J.P. Morganstern Morganstern 1
Mr. Olydam
English 10
21 February 2014
A New Perspective on “The Necklace”
Morganstern 2
Morganstern 3

Assessment

English 10 is divided into 4 main units of study. Those units include: Short Stories, Poetry, Novel Study (To Kill a Mockingbird), and a play by William Shakespeare (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”) There will also be time allocated at the end of the term to do some Provincial exam preparation together as a class. Composition will be taught throughout the year, integrated into the other units.

Class marks will be calculated as follows:

·  Formative Assessments = 0% of final grade (includes rough drafts of essays, poems, and short stories; most worksheets, some quizzes, some journaling, and other assignments.)

·  Writing / Composition (evaluated using a 6 point holistic scale) accounts for approximately 60% of the total grade (this would include the final drafts of poetry, creative fiction, creative non-fiction, argument, and analysis writing, some presentations and projects, some tests, and some quizzes.

·  Reading skill assessments and Presentation skills account for about 20% each – adding up to the other 40% (this would include things like smaller homework assignments, some parts of quizzes, some parts of tests, study guide notes, written responses to reading assignments, class discussions, participation in group projects and presentations etc.)

·  Final Mark:

Class mark = 80% (40% term 1 + 40% term 2)

Provincial Exam = 20%

English 10 Units – Brief Overview

(We have roughly 4 – 4 ½ weeks to spend on each unit)

Unit 1: Love, Relationships and Being Human

·  Deep Truths and “top 3 lists” (funniest, most annoying, saddest, most beautiful)

·  “Breaking the Ice” by Dave Barry

·  “Sonnet 43” by E.B. Browning

·  “Somewhere I have never travelled” by E.E. Cummings

·  “Long Walk to Forever” by Kurt Vonnegut

·  “The Face in the Pool” a myth retold by Mary Pope Osborne

·  I Corinthians 13

·  William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Assessment:

·  Group project and presentation on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Q. “Is Shakespeare Timeless?”

·  Compare and contrast essay on the timeless truth in the literary pieces listed above

·  Act quizzes: Act 1 & 2; Act 3; Act 4 & 5

Essential Questions:

·  Is Shakespeare Timeless? What is universal truth? How does studying literature help us to develop empathy for others? What is a Biblical understanding of love? Did Shakespeare have a Biblical understanding of love & relationships? How do we know this, based upon an understanding of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”

Unit 2: Short Stories (Stories about Love, Relationships and Being Human)

·  Notes on the elements of short fiction (plot, character, point of view, theme etc.)

·  Read and discuss a variety of short stories and identify how different authors use different literary elements to create effective stories

Assessment:

·  “Elements of short fiction” – quizzes (Plot & Character terms)

·  Creative fiction: write a short story and share with a small group (focus on theme)

·  Creative non-fiction: write a personal narrative and share with a small group (focus on Form, Audience, Speaker)

·  Short Story Unit Test – focus on interpretive reading of literature and identifying elements of effective story-telling in the genre.

Essential Questions:

·  How does the study of literature help us to develop empathy for others?

·  How can we write in such a way that we express universal truths and the undeniable meaningfulness of the human experience?

Unit 3: Poetry (Poems about Love, Relationships and Being Human)

·  Notes on poetic forms and parts, terms and devices

·  Read and discuss a variety of poems

Assessment:

·  Write an essay comparing and contrasting two different poems (poetry analysis essay)

·  Write several original poems (i.e. Sonnet, Villanelle, Haiku, Ode, Elegy or Ballad ) on a selected theme.

·  Poetry Unit Test – focus on interpretive understanding of poems, identifying poetic devices and how they add to the effectiveness of a poem, writing in response to a poem.

Essential Questions:

·  How does poetic language communicate thoughts and emotions?

·  How does studying poetry help us to better communicate the truth and meaning of the human experience?

Unit 4: Novel Study (Love, Relationships and Being Human)

·  “Perhaps the World Ends Here” – a poem by Joy Harjo

·  “Sucker” – short story

·  “Raymond’s Run” – short story

·  “To Kill a Mockingbird” (TKAM) – novel study

Assessment (will include some, but not all of the following options):

·  Chapter Quizzes (TKAM)

·  TKAM Unit Test

·  TKAM Group Project – create a skit of the jury deliberations following the trial…

·  TKAM Social Justice Group Project: “What Would Atticus Do?” – develop a plan to change an unjust law or practice in our society…

·  TKAM Project: 4 Sides to Every Story Project

·  Final Essay: family, community and being human (Develop a formal essay discussing characters and themes within TKAM)

Essential Question:

·  How does the study of literature help us develop empathy for others?

·  What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself?

·  What would Atticus do?

Collaborative Unit: Prepared to be scared – a Small Group Novel Study

·  Eng. 10 students work together in a small group with Bible 11 students

·  Each small group is assigned a different novel to read through together

·  Small groups create a presentation and visual display that answers the driving questions listed below

Assessment:

·  Chapter summaries and themes-tracker journals

·  Small group presentation and visual

Essential Questions:

·  Why is it that some people stand for justice, even when it is dangerous for them to do so, while others stand by and do nothing when injustices occur? How can we prepare ourselves to be like the former, and to not be like the latter? How can we be prepared to do the right thing, even when we’re scared to do the right thing? What are the character traits of a hero? How can we develop these in ourselves?