English IV Syllabus
Essentials of British and World Literature
Montgomery County High School 2013-2014
Teacher: Megan Miller-Smith
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First Note: Congratulations on having made it to your senior year! That’s a major accomplishment. This course is intended to build on your many years of schooling so that you can read, write and speak confidently.
I will help you polish your thinking skills-your ability to question, analyze and draw conclusions-so you can do well throughout your remaining year at MCHS and beyond. Your effort in this class and home will make that happen. Good luck! Ms. Miller
Course Description:
English IV is a yearlong required course that will enable students to become skilled readers of a wide range of literature, including prose, poetry, and short stories. Students are expected to read and respond to a variety of literature, independently, in group discussion and in writing. All facets of language arts-listening, speaking, reading, writing will be covered. The study of language in use-grammar, mechanics, sentence structure and usage will be incorporated in this yearlong course as well.
Materials Needed:
3 ring binder with 5 dividers
Loose-leaf paper
Blue or black ink pens
Pencils
Highlighters
Post-it notes
A USB thumb drive or other portable storage device
Calendar/Agenda/Day Planner
WEBSITE UPDATES
Students will be reminded regularly of the events and assignments coming up in class. It will, therefore, be your responsibility to check my website at least once weekly to keep up with assignments. Parents/Guardians, please check my website as well so we can keep you updated on class activities.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is taken very seriously in my classroom. If a student decides to plagiarize, he or she will receive a zero for that project/paper/homework, regardless of its worth for the term, and will be reported to the principal. This is a zero tolerance, no exceptions policy.
Classroom Policies
These rules are designed to foster a safe environment –both physically and psychologically-in this classroom. The rules are also established guidelines and expectations of responsible behavior.
1. Be on time and in your seat working on the bellwork when the bell rings.
2. Be prepared for class everyday. This means bringing your books, notebooks, pens, completed homework and other supplies to class.
3. No gum, food, drink, or cell phones in the classroom.
4. Actively participate in all classroom discussions and activities.
5. Be respectful of others, yourself, and classroom materials at all times.
6. All Montgomery County school rules are applicable.
Absences
It is your responsibility to make-up any assignments or tests in a timely manner when you return from an absence. My general rule is for every day absent you will have that many days to complete work. Follow this procedure:
1. All class work and homework are posted on my school web page.
2. You can email me your completed assignments at
3. If you have any questions about a missing assignment or need to make arrangements for a missing exam, talk with me before or after class only.
4. If an assignment is discussed in class, the student will receive an alternate assignment in order to receive credit.
5. If an assignment is due on the day you are absent, it is due the day you return to school.
6. If it is an extended absence, alternate plans for making up work can be arranged.
Grading
I have no qualms about giving every student an “A” if the grade is justly earned. Because of the nature of the ability level of students in class-advanced and motivated-the class is not on a curve-grading system.
Grading Scale:
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
59 and Below F
Extra Credit Opportunities
Cultural Events
An out-of-school option that I offer students is to attend what I call “cultural events,” loosely defined as events that students would not attend as part of their entertainment pursuits: concerts, plays, reading, and debates, for example. I am flexible about what qualifies, and I tend to give credit for any activity that encourages students to think. Serious movies and museum visits often qualify.
Students respond to these events with brief (one page) informal reaction papers. I encourage them to find connections between the cultural events and some aspect of our course of study.
Novels
Purchasing novels is NOT required. While the department does have classroom sets for students to read, students CAN purchase their own copies if they would like to have their own personal copies to write in or keep after the course is completed. Many of the novels are contemporary novels and may include strong language and ideas. While we are not thrilled about students reading books with inappropriate language, we still feel the content of these books is important to the curriculum and far exceeds any concerns.
Assignments
Reading
The most important requirement for this course is that students read every assignment-read it with care and on time. Students unused to literature courses will need to plan time in their schedule for more reading. Poetry, though usually not long, is dense and complicated and should always be read at least twice. Novels in particular require planning. Beware.
In-class Writing and Quizzes
We will on occasion have an in-class essay examination that asks students to synthesize their understanding of the work.
I will not announce quizzes ahead of time and we will have a number of them, both straightforward reading ones and ones that ask them to engage an idea. Questions on reading quizzes will be straightforward and simple as long as students have done the required reading.
Vocabulary Journal
This vocabulary journal will extend your active vocabulary. Here’s how it works.
You will generate the words for the journal from your readings-in school in all classes and from your readings elsewhere.
You may also use words that you hear. For example, you may hear me or someone else use a word that you do not know. You may also hear new words in music, movies and television.
When you read or hear a word that you do not know or that is used in an interesting context, her is the process:
- Write the sentence where the word appears and underline or highlight it.
- Document where you read the word or where you heard it.
- Define the word.
- Create your own sentence using the word.
Here is an example:
- “Do you not come your tardy son to chide, / That, lapsed in time and Passion, lets go by/ the important acting of your dread command?”
- Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4, II. 121-22
- Chide; to express disapproval if ; scold; reproach
- His mother chided him for forgetting to do his homework
You should generate at least ten words a week. I will grade the journal approximately every two weeks.
The journal will be graded in the normal way. A letter grade will be deducted for every day the journal is late. I will average the grades at the end of the year and count it as a major grade.
The vocabulary journal is an excellent opportunity to earn a top grade.
Note: Do not use a dictionary or any lists of ACT- type words for this assignment. The words must come for readings and listening.
Writing Journals
Writing journals help students find their individual voices. Journal writing is free writing: that is, students choose subjects and wrote on them in any way they choose. In return, I promise not to be judgmental in the traditional sense: no grades, no corrections, no revisions. Instead, I will encourage and challenge through response to the student’s ideas.
Students will occasionally write in their journals on assigned topics, which are designed to help them reflect on the literature that we are currently reading. I may ask them to write about meaning or craft of the work, to relate it to other works or to a personal experience, or to experiment with some element of the author’s craft in their wiring.
Students also use journal to draft college application essays, to gather ideas for the Creative Writing Project and even to share articles, pictures, songs and other material that they find challenging.
Journals will help student’s grade but will not lower it unless the assignment is not turned in. Students will turn in at least 3 journals every 7 to 10 school days throughout the first semester.
Creative Writing Project (CWP)
Choose one of the two options below:
- Short Story. This story must contain, at a minimum, the following elements: narrative (plot), characterization, conflict, setting and point of view. You will receive a high grade for a story with only these elements if I sense hard work and revision. Please remember that I will grade on effort, not creativity.
Other elements, of course, enhance any story: for example irony, symbolism and dialogue. Consider too, foreshadowing, specific imagery, and figures of speech, among others. In short, any elements that we have studied.
- Portfolio of Poems. Like all genres, poetry is a craft and we can all write well-crafted poems. If you choose this option, you should plan the poems in advance. You should write, in essence, a thesis for each poem: for example, “I will write a lyric poem with an ironically negative tone toward spring using sound imagery.”
This “thesis” is what you will attempt to “prove” in the poem. In doing so, you will find that other elements find their way into the poem, especially in the revision process. Again, I am on the lookout for hard work.
This question always comes up: “How many poems do I have to write?” I always answer that I don’t like to answer this question because so many variables exist. A single long poem would do, but, for the record, try for a minimum of six to eight poems of decent length. If you are in doubt whether you have a sufficient number, see me.
Outside Personal or Argumentative Essay
The outside personal or argumentative essay gives students a chance early in the year to make a good grade on an assignment that they have mastered. Many students will choose the personal essay because it can also be utilized as a college essay, but the politically aware students seen to enjoy the persuasive option.
Short Story Analysis
The short story analysis turns the full process over to the students. They choose the story to analyze in an essay. This assignment is their first opportunity to show analytical independence.
The students interpret what the author is saying, how he/she informs and instructs, what his/her tone is and how the tone develops.
The students analyze how the author uses literary devices to develop the meaning. This discussion of these devices must not be the focus of the analysis; rather, students connect their use to the author’s purpose for using them.
Students will not choose a story that they have read previously and will not read any critical material for this or any independent analysis.
Suggested authors include all published in our literature text. Students also will receive a list of authors that I recommend. They may choose authors not in the textbook or on the list that I provide as long as they check with me first.
Poetry Explication
The poetry explication extends the students’ independence. They choose a poem or a poem/song that they have not read and do a full explication.
The explication includes a line-by-line analysis of what the poem means, what the poet is saying and his/her tone, with textual examples. Literary devices that develop meaning or are otherwise significant to the author’s purposes are a must for this assignment.